Jamie Dornan Says He Cried Over Aragorn Casting

Jamie Dornan says he cried when he learned he had been cast as Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, and that filming on the fantasy film finished about three weeks before his interview. The actor described the role as a dream and an honor, while acknowledging the challenge of following Viggo Mortensen’s portrayal.

Dornan told Entertainment Tonight he was moved to tears by the casting news. He said the character was significant to audiences and praised Mortensen’s work in the three earlier films. Dornan is taking on the role Mortensen played in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings film trilogy.

Dornan said he had finished filming about three weeks before the interview and called the experience incredible. He also said he hoped audiences would welcome the new story and that the cast had done a good job. Those comments reflect his hopes for the film, rather than an assessment of audience response.

In a separate interview, Dornan said he felt pressure taking on an iconic role but was not trying to outdo Mortensen. He described Mortensen’s performance as one of his favorites and said he hoped to recapture some of the energy he brought to Aragorn. Dornan added that, for...