Luke Evans plays the new character Bard the Bowman in the second “Hobbit” film.
Credit: Getty Images
Last year, as the first “Hobbit” installment raked in more than $1 billion worldwide, Welsh actor Luke Evans sat quietly by as Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen and Richard Armitage got all the attention, since his work as Bard the Bowman wouldn’t turn up until the second film, “The Desolation of Smaug.” Well, Evans has to wait no longer.
After three “Lord of the Rings” films and the first “Hobbit,” it’s kind of a foregone conclusion that New Zealand is a beautiful place, isn’t it?
Yeah, I think we need to just give up now. We all know this. Maybe we should just say, “Actually, it’s a s—hole.” [Laughs] No, it’s great. The Kiwis, they’re very proud of their country and how they’ve preserved it in a really beautiful way, especially the South Island. It’s so unspoiled. You do drive down certain roads in these mountains and you’re just waiting for a pterodactyl to fly off around the corner.
You filmed your part before even the first “Hobbit” had come out. What was it like last year watching the reactions and box office come in for that one, knowing that to audiences you still weren’t quite a part of it?
It was enjoyable, but it was also a bit of, “Aw, shame I’m not part of this,” you know? But I’ve been very patient, I’ve bided my time, and now my turn has come and now I’m in the story and I’m not going anywhere now. I’m here till the end. But it was exciting to watch.
This one is better.
Yeah. That’s because I’m in it. You can say it, it’s fine. [Laughs]
Do you have an action figure yet?
I have a Lego character — that’s quite cool. It’s not so much action, he can’t bend his arms, but he looks quite cool. And he has a Lego Lake-town as well, and a little plastic bow and arrow. And he’s got a really angry face, and I’m like, “Really? I’m not that angry.” His eyebrows are all squashed together! I’m like, “Jeez, come on guys.” I don’t know whether I have a character [figure]. I know that they have a special edition sculpture that I posed for in New Zealand at [special effects house] WETA, which I’ve seen the 3-D model of, and it’s amazing. I mean, when it comes out it’s everybody’s Christmas present done and dusted. I just have to go and order one thing for everyone. Just get a case of them. [Laughs] Really, how self-indulgent is that? “Hello, Happy Christmas, here’s a model of me.”
You could go one better and keep a box at home to give people when they stop by.
Hand out some action figures, yeah. To anybody. [Laughs] “Lego? Anybody want some Lego?” [Laughs] “Take a little Luke with you.” That wouldn’t go over too well. Can you imagine?
So you didn’t have any input on the Lego face?
No, no, obviously not. But it’s great. I mean, it’s a lovely thing, isn’t it? That’s the fun thing about being part of something as big as “the Hobbit,” things like that happen. Apparently Denny’s, the cafe, have a whole Lake-town menu. They have, like, the Bard’s Brew and the Bowman’s Pumpkin Pie. I’m tempted to go down there and order it all and just sit there munching through a Denny’s breakfast.
That’s not recommended, actually.
No, no, of course.
