Martin Freeman is a lucky actor. Like Michael Caine, he gets gigs in TV and film to essentially turn up and play himself. Lovely work if you can get it. And as such, Peter Jackson who makes all those awful Lord of the Rings films, offered Freeman the chance to play himself one again in the lead role of The Hobbit.
Freeman was offered the chance to play Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit film, and with it, a seven figure salary.
Did he say yes to a film that is almost certainly going to piss coins? No. He said no because he wanted to carry on as Sherlock Holmes’s sidekick Dr Watson. The tiny idiot.
The Sun reports that Freeman reluctantly turned the role down because he was already committed to 20 weeks filming alongside Benedict Cumberbatch in Jonathan-Creek-Goes-Brooding show, Sherlock.
A source said:
“It was one of the most difficult decisions of his career. MGM, who are making the film, only got a formal offer over in the last couple of weeks.
“It was too late for Martin because he had already signed up for another series of Sherlock. It was agonising but he had no other choice.”
The fool. He wouldn’t have even had to shave his hairy toes for this role.
The source added:
“All the actors had to read four pages of script to camera which is being shown to Peter Jackson. He is looking for a hidden gem now Martin has ruled himself out of the job.”
The Hobbit is expected to hit cinemas with a bunch of twee hippie bollocks in 2012.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
1. Lord of the rind are good films.
2. Sherlock is a brilliant TV show
3. It was Martins choice to turn down the role, and actors often have to do this as they can’t be in 2 places at once.
4. not everything is about money btw, so what if he turned down a “film that is almost certainly going to piss coins”
5. Sherlock is based on the works of sir arthur Conan Doyle, as is most modern crime/drama type things, even if extremely loosely, such as Jonathan Creek, so it’s more like Jonathan Creek is like Sherlock than the other way around.
don’t be so rude to things in future.
LOTR, Sherlock and Jonathan Creek are all good.
Wow….LOTR is the best movie ever. You just annoy me…I’m sorry. I know I’m being rude…Everyone has their opinion and all, but you don’t have to insult people..especially awesome people. See? I showed my opinion and didn’t in sult anyone.. You should try it.