Christopher Lee - Saruman
London, UK, August 2003
How did you first get
involved ?
I first met Peter jackson and Fran , together with the casting director, here in
London, where they videoed me reading a scene between Gandalf and either Frodo
or Bilbo. It was something I'd always dreamed about. And so, consequently, I
went to a meeting in a church off Tottenham Court Road and we just chatted
briefly. I told him that I'd read the books all those years ago when they came
out, and that I also read them every year since. So he realised that I was
probably more acquainted with the work than any other member of the cast, which
I would say is still probably true. And we talked and chatted and I read this
scene, and he actually directed me slightly, and I remember thinking at the
time, "He can't be talking to me about playing Gandalf, much as I would
dream of playing Gandalf, 'cause I'm too old."
What is your character's
defining moment ?
The scene where gandalf realises that I've changed is very important of course,
'cause I have to switch characters totally and imprison him on the top of the
tower. The scenes with my minions, the Orcs and the Uruk-Hai, are important
because this is my power. The scenes with the palantiri (crystal globes)
are vital too, because I can see what's going on. I think I'm more powerful than
Sauron, and I think - or Saruman thinks - that I'm going to become the Lord Of
The Rings. And right up to the end I think he believes that he can get away with
it. I wouldn't say there was any defining moment because they're all extremely
important.
Describe Peter Jackson in
three words.
He's a genius. I know that's a word that is used far too often in this day and
age. I've only used it in my life, I think, with regard to four people - one was
Orson Welles, one was Charlie Chaplin, then Peter Jackson. The other would be
George Lucas.
Why do you think Rings has
been so successful ?
I think there's a very simple answer to that - nobody's ever seen anything like
it before in the history of cinema, and they never will again.
What was the toughest thing
you had to do ?
Well, the hardest thing was to try and sort of 'glide' up the steps to the
throne, you might say. I was actually having to hold on my skirts - you couldn't
see it - but I was actually having to hold them up otherwise I tripped all the
time, because I trod on the end of the robe. That, oddly enough, was the hardest
thing to do. The fight with Gandalf was hard, physically, because we did quite a
lot of it ourselves. That was tough, particularly at my age.
Which of the other roles
would you like to have played ?
Of course, I would have wanted to play Gandalf, if I were much younger. I always
dreamed of playing him if The Lord Of The Rings was ever made as a movie, but I
mean, the point is that facts are facts, and by the time they came around to
making the film I was too old. I've said this in front of Ian, and he quite
understands. Who wouldn't ?
How does it feel to say
goodbye ?
Well, it's been an epic journey for all of us. It's been unique for all of us.
We shall never experience the like again, in my opinion, ever. You know, if
Peter doesn't get the Oscar, I'm going to resign from the Academy. I mean,
they've got to give the film, or the films, Best Film. They have to.