For film fans, there aren’t many things about Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy that anyone would want to be changed. In fact, fans were so in love with the series that they clamored for copies of the extended cuts of the films, which drastically increased the runtimes of these already-massive projects. But according to Russell Crowe, there could have been one significant change in the franchise — Viggo Mortensen wasn’t the first person offered the role of Aragorn.
During a recent interview on the Howard Stern Show, Crowe was asked if the rumors were true that he turned down the role of Aragorn in “The Lord of the Rings.” The actor not only confirmed that it was true but also said that he turned down a deal that Warner Bros. offered him that would have included 10% of the backend profit, which would have ended up earning him about $100 million.
However, don’t go thinking that Crowe thought he was too good for the films. He was interested but didn’t believe that Peter Jackson wanted him. He would later find out that WB was forcing Jackson to offer Crowe the role, and that reluctance on the director’s part was exactly what turned the actor away from the opportunity.
“I didn’t think Peter Jackson wanted me on [‘Fellowship of the Ring’],” Crowe said. “Because he was forced into talking to me, because there was a moment in time when everyone wanted me in everything.”
He added, “I am talking to him on the phone, it is like, I don’t think he even knows what I have done. I just knew that my instinct was that he had somebody else in mind, which turned out to be Viggo, and he should be allowed to hire the actor who he wants.”
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It’s a fascinating “what-if?”, but ultimately, that decision seemed to pay off well for everyone involved. Crowe’s career kept on going, earning him his A-list status and Mortensen ended up landing the role, with Jackson’s trilogy of films going on to collect multiple Oscars.
With Amazon set to delve into prequel territory with its upcoming ‘Rings’ TV series, maybe Crowe will get a chance to have some Middle-earth adventures down the line?