I believe you made an audition tape for Peter Jackson?

Yeah, I made an audition video to convey in the best way possible my passion for the role and the films. I bought a book about hobbits to find out what they wore and went to a costume shop to get the proper clothing - including orc armour. Then I went to the Hollywood Hills and had my friend film it. After that we went to the Miramax offices to edit it together. Then I turned in the tape and let it go.

What made you want to be a part of "The Lord of the Rings"?

The journey that these characters take and the individuality of all these different races and people. They're all so unique and have a history together. These characters stick together, stand by each other, and fight for each other against adversity. It's just beautiful. Plus, it was this grand thing that I wanted to be a part of. I wanted to take that journey.

Frodo is the film's central character. Did you feel burdened by that pressure while filming?

Frodo's the ring-bearer, so there's a certain responsibility in that. There's a great weight on Frodo through all the films. I remember the first feeling going to New Zealand was the pressure of trying to stay true to a literary character when everyone's got their own vision of what that should be. This has been steeped in literature for so many years, so I felt more of that than anything. But it's an ensemble film - I'm not the main guy. Everyone stands out.

Are you a fan of the fantasy genre?

I feel that this is more like reality. It is fantasy, but it has an organic, real sense about it - as if it had happened. We treated it like that. I think the hobbits - although they're short and different people - don't have anything cartoony about them. They're real. They're people.

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