HOBBIT UPDATE: Tauriel Image Released!!
Tim here with a new image from THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG of the newly created elf character Tauriel (an elf warrior played by Evangeline Lilly of Lost fame) has been revealed by EW. "She's slightly reckless and totally ruthless and doesn't hesitate to kill," says Lilly. For a larger view of the image click on the image to the left.
As most of you are aware this is a character not originally in any of the writings of JRR Tolkien, and was invented by director Peter Jackson and his co-writers (Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens) in order to expand the world of the elves of Mirkwood Forest… and to bring some more female roles to the predominately male cast of THE HOBBIT. "Tauriel is the head of the Elven Guard," Lilly explains. "She's a Sylvan Elf, which means she's of a much lower order than the elves we all became acquainted with in The Lord of the Rings. She doesn't hold the same kind of status that Arwen or Galadriel or Elrond or Legolas do — she's much more lowly. She sort of goes against the social order of the elves a little bit."
Lilly went on to further explain to EW, "She will definitely have a love story," Lilly says. "I can't give away too much about it. It's not a huge focus but it is there and it is important and it does drive Tauriel and her story and her actions." So what is this romance she speaks of and who is it with? EW pressed about whether the romance would involve Orlando Bloom's Legolas, but Lilly wouldn't give them a definitive answer. She did offer this: "Tauriel's relationship with Legolas is significant. They've known each other since they were children, and Legolas' dad, [Elven king] Thranduil, has a soft spot for Tauriel and sees something very special in her. So if you grow up side by side, and your dad has a very special spot in his heart for this young woman who's a fantastic warrior, I think it's hard not to notice her." She laughs [EW reports]. "That's probably as much as I can say."
Lilly continued to add her expectations for Tolkien purists to hate her and the introduction of the new character: "I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there are going to be people who will totally hate Tauriel, think that she shouldn't be in the movie, that it's a betrayal of Tolkien, and no matter what I do it won't be right. There will be everything between that and people who adore her and think it's such a fun thing to have added to the film. I kind of got prepped for that being on Lost, because we had avid fans who were really extreme in their feelings about the show and its characters. But I think if anyone knows how to respect Tolkien, it's Peter, Fran and Phil. And Tauriel fits perfectly in that world."
Come December 13th we can all make up our minds on the addition of the character of Tauriel.
