I've never heard him just speaking as himself, in a normal conversation. His stage/movie voice is always big and resonant, but here it's soft and soothing and beautiful, and exudes class and culture.
The fact that Lord of the Rings trilogy was made is a small miracle. The odds against this working out are so astronomical. Especially back in those days nobody had ever done 3 movies of that scale. And the fact that they succeeded. They actually made the definitive movies. There will probably never be an adaption of Lord of the Rings that is better than those movies forever.
Their popular success is all the more remarkable when you consider that fantasy as a genre was kind of walled off from the mainstream as nerd stuff at that point.
I grew up on the original Star Wars movies, and for a long time, I considered them to be the greatest trilogy ever made. But then I saw the original Lord of the Rings movies, and now I have no doubt that they are the greatest trilogy ever made. They are a masterpiece of filmmaking, and even if you're not a fan of the fantasy genre, you have to admire the sheer scale and skill that went into creating them.
Considering in LOTR he had to wear prosthetics that he was actually allergic to and came out with a swollen face after taking it off, it really is testament to the cast and crew that it was his favourite experience.
@@iwatchthings231 Maybe they simply didn't have access to it in that part of the world at the time, or the budget was so tight they couldn't afford it. Bear in mind that he was not reusing the same prosthetic every day - he had to have a new one applied instead. I think in one of the DVD interviews, he did say that the makeup artists would put some appropriate medicine between his face and the mask, just to minimize the reaction, but it wasn't foolproof.
@@Moviefan2k4 And Jackson kept Rhys-Davies despite the allergy because he thought Davies was perfect for Gimli, and because at 6' 1" Davies was proportionally correct compared to the shorter hobbit actors, so with editing, perspective, and camera tricks he could be a short dwarf standing next to the hobbits and it would look natural and not super jank.
This is why LOTR is so special. It’s truly rare to see a cast and crew where everyone got along, loved their part, respected the writers and director, etc. The fact that they all speak so highly of one another and are incredibly close friends to this day makes a fan like me so happy. I recommend watching all the behind the scenes of these movies if you haven’t, so much heart went into the films, an authenticity today’s films don’t have. I’ll forever be a huge fan of this trilogy and it will always be #1 in my opinion…❤
Definitely. I have 2 takeaways: 1, that the crew and extras were dedicated and talented enough to be brought up. 2, that John Rhys-Davies is humble enough to remember them and lift them up.
As someone who has practically religiously watched the LotR movies since they came out, him naming them as his favorite experience, even down to the crew, makes me so happy
You know he loves it because he says it is one of his favorite movie experiences despite the hell he had to go through being allergic to the prosthetics they put on him, He spent like a year with swollen, puffy, lymph covered eyes due to it.
Watch the extended films and all the appendices - it’s as close to living that wonderful experience as us mere mortals will get. It looked such a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime experience for pretty much everyone involved.
The younger actors love working with John. Elijah Wood told the story of how John took Elijah and the rest of the cast out to dinner and John told the waiter "No menu, lets have filet mignon and lobster for everyone" and then he paid for it.
Even Christopher Lee - who continued doing Hammer Horror films well beyond their sell-by (sacrificing a lot of his future credibility and cache in the process) to keep a family of talent and crew together out of pure loyalty - said that was the best crew he ever worked with. That says it all. Glad John echoes that.
I got to meet John 2 years ago in Knoxville. He is one of the nicest people I have ever met. He stayed till most of the lights had been turned off to make sure he was able to see everyone who came to see him. He took lots of time with his fans to answer questions, talk, even play around a little. Even when the event staff was trying to rush him, he would ignore them and focus on his fans. He wanted to make sure everyone who came to see him was able too. Such a great person!!
I just met him two weeks ago and 100% correct on taking the time to talk to me and my brother and sister in law. He was so kind and even asked how we were doing as individuals and so glad I got the chance to meet him and will cherish watching his films even more
My earliest memory of John Rhys-Davies is Wing Commander III on playstation, one of the best video games of all time. The game also featured Mark Hamill and the guy who played Biff in Back to the Future.
I saw him first in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Then in "Raiders of the Lost Ark". It was not lost on me that the scripts seem to think them different characters. In Crusade he was kind of a goofy sidekick, in Raiders he was a serious family man with connections.
The best part of this era of proliferation of podcasting is that you sometimes get to hear long form content from someone you never thought you would, but are glad you did. I don’t think I’ve ever seen even an interview with JRD outside of a couple short LOTR behind the scenes type things. This was great.
In the 1990s I knew him as Sallah, who borrowed a car from his brother-in-law, after 2000 as Sallah and Gimli. I know that this actor also has a great theater career and has played many Shakespearean roles, but not only. John Rhys Davies if you are reading this greetings from central Poland.
Man hearing his voice reminds me that we're nearing the last of a generation. We won't have people who speak like this anymore soon! Dont get me wrong, we still have many great voices, just not with this old school style of anumciation and projection.
One of the kindest, most generous with his time, thankful for his fans men I have ever had the great honor and pleasures of meeting. Even got his autograph on a gimli figure. He took the time to speak with every fan. When he ran out of time for the next signer, he went behind the stage and continued signing and meeting with fans. A true class act.
I think the first I watched John was on Sliders ages ago. His work on LotR was incredible, that entire cast was a once in a century gathering that won't be repeated for many decades. Each actor brought their character to life in such splendor that I'll never be able to see the Fellowship as anyone other than the actors that portrayed them in those movies. John IS Gimli, end of story. It's funny, the actors that talk so highly of the humble "behind the scenes" people always seem to be the most stellar folk, never forgetting where they came from and always offering praise for everyone else before themselves. Keanu Reeves, Johnny Depp, John, they ALL never forget the "little guys" who make the magic happen.
This is another example of what I appreciate about Lord of the Rings: *EVERYONE* who worked on it loved working on it!!! You look at some of the most popular actors who worked on great films, and you find at least one who really hated it. For example: Harrison Ford, who played Han Solo in the Star Wars saga, hates everything about the movies, so much so that he makes a face that’s so angry whenever they mention Star Wars. That’s not the case with the Lord of the Rings cast at all. You ask anyone who worked on the films and they’ll tell awesome stories about how it was. Some of them will even say that it’s their favorite movie that they ever had the honor, no, the privilege, to act in.
Reminds me of the time I was talking to the father of a guy I had known who played the flute in the local orchestra I had played in myself. I asked him what his son was doing these days, and he said that at the moment he was working in the Sound department on the Lord of the Rings. I replied, "the lucky b***ard!!!"
@@RoxxSerm it's not finished yet. We need to see what will happen with this franchise but you must agree that it's the most promising out of all others. Avengers with Thanos were engaging but they were flat, lacking deep philosophy
Lotr will always be in its own league, but I gotta say dune 1+2 are the first movies since then who gave me a different kind of special experience nearly on the same level.
It was Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness, that cemented this man's voice in my head. His work as narrator for that one little game has stuck with me for decades.
Just had my yearly extended edition binge. 21-23 years old and they STILL hold up to modern cinema. Masterpiece. Always will be, no matter what year we get to
Love how he is honest about how he thought of the project initially. I feel too often some big movie or show will come about and the people in it or making it post release are like "i just knew it was going to work out well" or "didn't doubt it for a second". Thats what i love about LotR, about how much the cast and crew enjoyed making it but they dont pretend or lie about the experience. I saw a snippet of some behind the scenes stuff recently of when the first time the cast and crew watched Return of the King and a bunch of people were asked about how doing it was and how they felt now it was over. They did not hold back in saying how badly it affected their lives, how much stress and turmoil they went though to do it but not a single one of those people would say no to doing it again if it was done over. Like a guys son was born just after the movies started to be made and he basically didn't see him for like 4 years and missed some of the most personal moments a parent could have with their child but he didn't hold it against the movies he helped make or the job he was doing.
From what I've heard about JRD's experience on LotR I'm surprised he holds it in such high regard. For example when the actors of the fellowship went out to get tattooed, JRD wasn't among them, but the stuntman for Gimli ironically was invited in his place. Brett Beattie (the stuntman) is one of the most interesting human beings I've ever met.
I tend to think this story has been somewhat overblown. Pretty sure some people wanted to create negative press for political reasons and tried to destroy his reputation with the films in the last couple of years. Similar to how certain corners of the internet are trying to destroy Kubrick's reputation, recently
John Ryes-Davis made us all fall in love with Gimli all over again! ❤ - He's truly one of the greatest because of his acting skills but also his transparency and humbleness. Hugs from Colombia!
Thank you for bringing John in for a chat - I love hearing the BTS stories he shares, and is such a positive person with good words to share about others (and cheeky sense of humour with it! 😅haha)
I have been a fan of this man since I was about 7 years old, I'm 34 soon and in my humble opinion he has as much gravitas and command of a room, stage or set as he always has.
For me he will aways be the professor from Sliders. It was the first time I was allowed to decide from the evening programm as a kid and this was my series.
What a great interviewer, asking if this professional actor with decades of experience was nervous to be shooting a movie, and then after he says “not really”, asking the same question 5 more times. “Were you nervous? Were you nervous though?” Luckily he was nice enough to share related anecdotes (about colleagues that have been nervous etc.) each time, despite already answering your question the first time.
First memory of Rhys was a movie that was mostly big here in Sweden, Ivanhoe. Rhys have a tendency to make every movie he is in that notch better, so he is a quality stamp. He have a Gandalf like attribute, to bring out the best of people, intended or not.
I got my Extended Edition DVD of Fellowship of the Ring signed by him, but I wasn't there to meet him for the signing lol. Basically he was a guest at a Con that my friends were attending and I asked them if they'd get him to sign. One friend was a huge Indiana Jones fan and was going to meet him for that so was willing to get my DVD signed too. I sent along a letter asking John to sign whichever was his favorite of the trilogy or whichever he enjoyed working on the most. He signed Fellowship.
I recently watch behind the scene of LOTR how the made Edoras from scratch on a conservation lands, means they have to return the land the exact meter once they've done was insane. And how they build the real grond and how the door they made could stand the real grond was crazy!
Who are the 21 leading parts? Fellowship -Frodo -Sam -Merry -Pippin -Gandalf -Aragorn -Legolas -Gimli -Boromir (9 parts) Gondor - Faramir - Denethor (2 parts) Rohan - Saruman - Grima - Theoden - Eowyn (4 parts) Elves -Elrond -Arwen -Galadriel (3 parts) Ringbearers - Bilbo - Gollum (2 parts) The last one I am honestly not so sure. It cannot be Treebeard. They did cast a real Ent but he was not credited for species protection, they are very rare. Eomer, Lurtz or the Witch King would make a lot of sense, more than Haldir. It is probably Eomer even though his part is not that big, but bigger than the others.
I'm so old that my first experience of John Rhys Davies was actually in the first Black Adder series, and since then I've just sat back and enjoyed his parts of whatever I've seen. Well, I may be wrong, but I think he had a part as a bad guy on a boat in one of the 80's Sherlock Holmes episodes? I only recognized him later, I'm afraid.
Because I loved the LOTR & the Hobbit so much, I was so looking forward to the Rings of Power. So disappointing… So I ditched the new series and just revisited the old ones. They never get old… outstanding acting, stunning visuals and storytelling at its finest. John was magnificent!
One of the more senior people leading the production, who'd returned to The Hobbit along with many others, commented in the Hobbit BTS that the average age of the typical crew member on The Lord of the Rings was around 25 years old. My mind is still blown by this.
JRD is a treasure. Lord of the Rings trilogy is epic, and he is phenomenal. Indiana Jones 1 & 3 I love his supporting role of Sallah. I loved his voice of Thor in the Marvel cartoons of the 90s. So many good parts!
I know a lot of people's favourite Gimli line in the Lord of the Rings is "That still only counts as one". But my favourite Gimli line is "Bring your brutish face to my axe!" (Fortunately it was a digital creature's face he was referring to!)
I'm surprised he speaks so well of it, I remember reading he had a really rough time of it because of the prosthetics he wore to play Gimli. Nice to hear though!
I dare say this man created the dwarven race in LOTR the same way Leonard Nimoys Spock portrayal created the Vulcan race in Star Trek. Also the comic relief his Gimli provided cannot be understated how great it is for the movies as a whole.
I love from the behind the scenes features of LOTR that John Rhys Davies didn’t pull any punches during the action scenes. All the stunt men and actors talked about he was really swinging his axe and hitting the stunt men with his full force. lol.
I don’t think anyone living in Wellington was more than one degree of separation from LotR. I know so many people who worked on it, including cast and crew, and post.
As a sci-fi nerd back in the 90's, _Sliders_ hooked me with the premise and characters. His character was absolutely charming. Same thing with Sallah. I always wanted more of his character in the Indiana Jones movies. But, alas, he probably would have taken too much attention away from Harrison Ford. 🤣🤣🤣 I grew up watching Mr. Rhys-Davies. It's crazy this guy has, in a way, been in my life the whole time I've been alive. He's right up there with Tim Curry in my book.
"I've shot trilogies in less time than this scene is taking" I heard JRD say as he was standing on a boat in his fishing boat captain outfit in south africa while shooting "12 days of terror ". That was 22 years ago I think . Tbh i didn't know who he was at the time.
He sounds here like some classically trained Shakespearean stage actor - I never would’ve guessed he could be the same person as the gruff, unrefined Gimli. Incredible acting range.
He is. He started on stage as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. The likes of Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, and Judi Dench all started their careers in the same period. That would of been around in the 50s
His part as the voice of Treebeard was criminally underated.
Thank you I didn’t know that
most because many people dont know he voiced Treebeard ^^
burárum
Whhhhhhhaaaaaat lol I'm embarrassed I didn't know that
The ents are the best part of those movies and the only reason I don't rewatch them often is because of how little they are used.
I was an extra on Fellowship I was a soldier in the NZ Army at the time it was a once in a lifetime experience I’ll never forget it 🔥
lucky! ive heard the cast + extras all became quite close and sounds like it was a blast to be a part of
Thank you for your service - to western culture as well as to your country!
Orc?
@@TheGroundedAviatorNew Zealand
@@protalghulnist4126 I'm a Kiwi as well, I meant I heard many army personal were recruited as Orcs at one point.
And they call it a mine.
A MINE.
I just love this line. I repeat it myself at random. He's just so offended by the comparison 😆
This is no mine. Its a tomb!
They have a cave troll..
@@ainiel7602 My cousin and I say it all the time.
TREE?!?! I am no tree! I’m an Ent!
John rhys-davis is a monumentally underrated actor with such a beautiful voice
Agreed, he can start his own podcast for sure
Right? I could listen to him talk all day. And he's got some stories to tell. 😊
I was just looking and it turns out he voiced one of my favourite characters in the video game freelancer! Never realised all this time!
I've never heard him just speaking as himself, in a normal conversation. His stage/movie voice is always big and resonant, but here it's soft and soothing and beautiful, and exudes class and culture.
@@jackpowell9276 I just googled it because i couldnt believe it. He is Tobias. I sank so many hours into this game as a kid
The fact that Lord of the Rings trilogy was made is a small miracle.
The odds against this working out are so astronomical.
Especially back in those days nobody had ever done 3 movies of that scale.
And the fact that they succeeded.
They actually made the definitive movies. There will probably never be an adaption of Lord of the Rings that is better than those movies forever.
Their popular success is all the more remarkable when you consider that fantasy as a genre was kind of walled off from the mainstream as nerd stuff at that point.
I grew up on the original Star Wars movies, and for a long time, I considered them to be the greatest trilogy ever made. But then I saw the original Lord of the Rings movies, and now I have no doubt that they are the greatest trilogy ever made. They are a masterpiece of filmmaking, and even if you're not a fan of the fantasy genre, you have to admire the sheer scale and skill that went into creating them.
@@stevec8131the behind the scenes/making of stuff is absolutely mind blowing.
You can bet that someone in Hollywood is already getting wet at thinking to remake it more lame and gay
@@llothar68 and black
“Toss me... I cannot jump the distance, you’ll have to toss me.”
"Don't tell the Elf."
@@jordanluyendyk1281Not a word
@@17Watman Legolas with his elf hearing: I heard everything.
Beat me to it@@jordanluyendyk1281
Not the beard!!! 👀
Considering in LOTR he had to wear prosthetics that he was actually allergic to and came out with a swollen face after taking it off, it really is testament to the cast and crew that it was his favourite experience.
True, but I never understood why they couldn’t have given him non latex prosthetics, knowing he has that allergy.
@@iwatchthings231 Maybe they simply didn't have access to it in that part of the world at the time, or the budget was so tight they couldn't afford it. Bear in mind that he was not reusing the same prosthetic every day - he had to have a new one applied instead. I think in one of the DVD interviews, he did say that the makeup artists would put some appropriate medicine between his face and the mask, just to minimize the reaction, but it wasn't foolproof.
@@Moviefan2k4 And Jackson kept Rhys-Davies despite the allergy because he thought Davies was perfect for Gimli, and because at 6' 1" Davies was proportionally correct compared to the shorter hobbit actors, so with editing, perspective, and camera tricks he could be a short dwarf standing next to the hobbits and it would look natural and not super jank.
This is why LOTR is so special. It’s truly rare to see a cast and crew where everyone got along, loved their part, respected the writers and director, etc. The fact that they all speak so highly of one another and are incredibly close friends to this day makes a fan like me so happy. I recommend watching all the behind the scenes of these movies if you haven’t, so much heart went into the films, an authenticity today’s films don’t have. I’ll forever be a huge fan of this trilogy and it will always be #1 in my opinion…❤
I'd happily listen to any audiobook narrated by John Rhys-Davies.
He's narrated parts of the New Testament, parts of The Trials of Saint Patrick, and the entirety of The Purity Code by Jim Burns
AI
fact he talked about the crew says everything.
Definitely. I have 2 takeaways: 1, that the crew and extras were dedicated and talented enough to be brought up. 2, that John Rhys-Davies is humble enough to remember them and lift them up.
Exactly. Not only that tho, the fact that they all got paid basically nothing, comparatively, and he still loved the experience that much
Completely agree - you can see how much everyone loved working on these movies. It is beautiful
They all worked together, not just his Co stars but everyone on set. From what I have seen, everyone made friends in every department
The man is and always has been, a class act
Just hearing him say “Lord of the Rings” sends shivers down my spine… 💯🔥
As someone who has practically religiously watched the LotR movies since they came out, him naming them as his favorite experience, even down to the crew, makes me so happy
His voice is so regal
You know he loves it because he says it is one of his favorite movie experiences despite the hell he had to go through being allergic to the prosthetics they put on him, He spent like a year with swollen, puffy, lymph covered eyes due to it.
"I went with duplicity in my heart." LOL
80 years old and still killing it. Fuck yeah
“We dwarves are natural sprinters! Very dangerous in short distances!” 😂
I loved this guy in Last Crusade. "That car belonged to my brother in-law."
Did you hear him singing in his introduction to series? So much talent.
Watch the extended films and all the appendices - it’s as close to living that wonderful experience as us mere mortals will get. It looked such a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime experience for pretty much everyone involved.
The BtS material honestly makes those movies even better than they already are :)
The younger actors love working with John. Elijah Wood told the story of how John took Elijah and the rest of the cast out to dinner and John told the waiter "No menu, lets have filet mignon and lobster for everyone" and then he paid for it.
Dom Monaghan said it :)
Red meat off the bone! And some lobster.
No salted pork?
@@Henu_K Dang Hobbits ate it all! Smh.
Even Christopher Lee - who continued doing Hammer Horror films well beyond their sell-by (sacrificing a lot of his future credibility and cache in the process) to keep a family of talent and crew together out of pure loyalty - said that was the best crew he ever worked with.
That says it all. Glad John echoes that.
I got to meet John 2 years ago in Knoxville. He is one of the nicest people I have ever met. He stayed till most of the lights had been turned off to make sure he was able to see everyone who came to see him. He took lots of time with his fans to answer questions, talk, even play around a little. Even when the event staff was trying to rush him, he would ignore them and focus on his fans. He wanted to make sure everyone who came to see him was able too. Such a great person!!
I just met him two weeks ago and 100% correct on taking the time to talk to me and my brother and sister in law. He was so kind and even asked how we were doing as individuals and so glad I got the chance to meet him and will cherish watching his films even more
@@danielcantu859 So glad you got to meet him!! I wish everyone could. Such an amazing man.
What a terrific guest & episode this full interview was.
I still watch the 1980's classic 'Shogun' every two years or so and his character Rodriquez is my favorite!
Ahoy Ingles!
I agree. He really stole the show in Shogun
@@stallion78 His role in Shogun is what got him the role of Sallah in Raiders
My earliest memory of John Rhys-Davies is Wing Commander III on playstation, one of the best video games of all time. The game also featured Mark Hamill and the guy who played Biff in Back to the Future.
Malcolm McDowell as well!!
I saw him first in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Then in "Raiders of the Lost Ark". It was not lost on me that the scripts seem to think them different characters. In Crusade he was kind of a goofy sidekick, in Raiders he was a serious family man with connections.
The best part of this era of proliferation of podcasting is that you sometimes get to hear long form content from someone you never thought you would, but are glad you did. I don’t think I’ve ever seen even an interview with JRD outside of a couple short LOTR behind the scenes type things. This was great.
In the 1990s I knew him as Sallah, who borrowed a car from his brother-in-law, after 2000 as Sallah and Gimli. I know that this actor also has a great theater career and has played many Shakespearean roles, but not only. John Rhys Davies if you are reading this greetings from central Poland.
Man hearing his voice reminds me that we're nearing the last of a generation. We won't have people who speak like this anymore soon! Dont get me wrong, we still have many great voices, just not with this old school style of anumciation and projection.
A gentleman
It makes me sad too. Not just the loss of the manner of speaking, but the articulation. Most famous British people are clowns these days.
The new are training to speak like the old. The lead European actor in shogun speaks the exact same as Richard burton
Very true and well said.
One of the kindest, most generous with his time, thankful for his fans men I have ever had the great honor and pleasures of meeting. Even got his autograph on a gimli figure. He took the time to speak with every fan. When he ran out of time for the next signer, he went behind the stage and continued signing and meeting with fans. A true class act.
Met this sweet man a couple of months back. He was so kind and lighthearted.
I think the first I watched John was on Sliders ages ago. His work on LotR was incredible, that entire cast was a once in a century gathering that won't be repeated for many decades. Each actor brought their character to life in such splendor that I'll never be able to see the Fellowship as anyone other than the actors that portrayed them in those movies. John IS Gimli, end of story. It's funny, the actors that talk so highly of the humble "behind the scenes" people always seem to be the most stellar folk, never forgetting where they came from and always offering praise for everyone else before themselves. Keanu Reeves, Johnny Depp, John, they ALL never forget the "little guys" who make the magic happen.
This is another example of what I appreciate about Lord of the Rings: *EVERYONE* who worked on it loved working on it!!! You look at some of the most popular actors who worked on great films, and you find at least one who really hated it. For example: Harrison Ford, who played Han Solo in the Star Wars saga, hates everything about the movies, so much so that he makes a face that’s so angry whenever they mention Star Wars.
That’s not the case with the Lord of the Rings cast at all. You ask anyone who worked on the films and they’ll tell awesome stories about how it was. Some of them will even say that it’s their favorite movie that they ever had the honor, no, the privilege, to act in.
Reminds me of the time I was talking to the father of a guy I had known who played the flute in the local orchestra I had played in myself. I asked him what his son was doing these days, and he said that at the moment he was working in the Sound department on the Lord of the Rings. I replied, "the lucky b***ard!!!"
3:50 I’ve never heard anyone pronounce “New Orleans” the way JRD pronounces it - and I love it!
As someone who’s had eczema around my eyes, it really says something that he came out of that experience still saying it was the best.
0:11 he is such a sweetheart look at his face here I’m crying 😭❤️
No you're not crying. 🙄 Grow up
@@Canthatcrazy incel alert^
John is such an entertaining conversationalist🤩
rosenbaum is such a great interviewer tbh, never noticed it before but he asks really great questions and articulates them well
Wtf, that was Michael Rosenbaum? I honestly did not recognize him with all those hair. 😂😂😂😂
Lord of the Rings is the "Gone With the Wind" of this era. It won't be until another 61 years has passed until we get another epic movie.
Dune
@@BederikStormnah. I love dune but it's nowhere near lotr
@@BederikStorm Dune is stunning and worth every penny in IMAX and at home. But it cant and never will reach LotR the water. LotR is the peak.
@@RoxxSerm it's not finished yet. We need to see what will happen with this franchise but you must agree that it's the most promising out of all others.
Avengers with Thanos were engaging but they were flat, lacking deep philosophy
Lotr will always be in its own league, but I gotta say dune 1+2 are the first movies since then who gave me a different kind of special experience nearly on the same level.
It was Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness, that cemented this man's voice in my head. His work as narrator for that one little game has stuck with me for decades.
It’s hard to believe there are real people in this world that still have this cool of a voice
Just had my yearly extended edition binge. 21-23 years old and they STILL hold up to modern cinema. Masterpiece. Always will be, no matter what year we get to
Love how he is honest about how he thought of the project initially. I feel too often some big movie or show will come about and the people in it or making it post release are like "i just knew it was going to work out well" or "didn't doubt it for a second". Thats what i love about LotR, about how much the cast and crew enjoyed making it but they dont pretend or lie about the experience. I saw a snippet of some behind the scenes stuff recently of when the first time the cast and crew watched Return of the King and a bunch of people were asked about how doing it was and how they felt now it was over. They did not hold back in saying how badly it affected their lives, how much stress and turmoil they went though to do it but not a single one of those people would say no to doing it again if it was done over. Like a guys son was born just after the movies started to be made and he basically didn't see him for like 4 years and missed some of the most personal moments a parent could have with their child but he didn't hold it against the movies he helped make or the job he was doing.
Man, I wish they would do an audio version of the books with him being the narrator. ❤
Wonderful voice and wonderful actor!
You should hear him read the Tale of Durin
From what I've heard about JRD's experience on LotR I'm surprised he holds it in such high regard. For example when the actors of the fellowship went out to get tattooed, JRD wasn't among them, but the stuntman for Gimli ironically was invited in his place. Brett Beattie (the stuntman) is one of the most interesting human beings I've ever met.
They initially invited JRD but he turned them down
I tend to think this story has been somewhat overblown. Pretty sure some people wanted to create negative press for political reasons and tried to destroy his reputation with the films in the last couple of years.
Similar to how certain corners of the internet are trying to destroy Kubrick's reputation, recently
@@matthewmosier8439 He says in this podcast that he didn't get the tattoo
He did the cinematics for the video game DUNE2000
Hell yeah the cinematics in that game were an iconic part of my childhood
John Ryes-Davis made us all fall in love with Gimli all over again! ❤ - He's truly one of the greatest because of his acting skills but also his transparency and humbleness. Hugs from Colombia!
Thank you for bringing John in for a chat - I love hearing the BTS stories he shares, and is such a positive person with good words to share about others (and cheeky sense of humour with it! 😅haha)
I have been a fan of this man since I was about 7 years old, I'm 34 soon and in my humble opinion he has as much gravitas and command of a room, stage or set as he always has.
For me he will aways be the professor from Sliders. It was the first time I was allowed to decide from the evening programm as a kid and this was my series.
I could listen to his stories for hours.
The voice of Thor, Macbeth and Hades.
Don’t forget Man Ray!😁
He's also the voice of Gimli
And treebeard
And Aladdin’s dad in the 3rd Aladdin movie.
What a great interviewer, asking if this professional actor with decades of experience was nervous to be shooting a movie, and then after he says “not really”, asking the same question 5 more times. “Were you nervous? Were you nervous though?”
Luckily he was nice enough to share related anecdotes (about colleagues that have been nervous etc.) each time, despite already answering your question the first time.
He also played a Roman Centurian in "I Claudius".
I met his son Ben in college back in the day ... in SF
His dulcet tones are still engrossing. Best of luck and good health to him...
Haven’t watched all of these but in light of the new Shogun now out has anyone asked him about the old Shogun? He played an outstanding role!
Never forget Ivanhoe! As a Swede his character Front-de-Boeuf is iconic!
First memory of Rhys was a movie that was mostly big here in Sweden, Ivanhoe. Rhys have a tendency to make every movie he is in that notch better, so he is a quality stamp.
He have a Gandalf like attribute, to bring out the best of people, intended or not.
Met him at the airport and he was the nicest guy.. selfie and a video to my partner too. Meeting him was amazing and I’ll never forget it
I got my Extended Edition DVD of Fellowship of the Ring signed by him, but I wasn't there to meet him for the signing lol. Basically he was a guest at a Con that my friends were attending and I asked them if they'd get him to sign. One friend was a huge Indiana Jones fan and was going to meet him for that so was willing to get my DVD signed too. I sent along a letter asking John to sign whichever was his favorite of the trilogy or whichever he enjoyed working on the most. He signed Fellowship.
His role in The Living Daylights ( James Bond film ) was great
Sliders. Man... haven't thought about that in years and years. Loved it.
So happy they mentioned ’Victor/Victoria’ such a great film.
I recently watch behind the scene of LOTR how the made Edoras from scratch on a conservation lands, means they have to return the land the exact meter once they've done was insane. And how they build the real grond and how the door they made could stand the real grond was crazy!
"NOT THE BEARD!" amazing performance from Mr Rhys-Davies
His character from Sliders, Maximilian Arturo, will always be my favorite character of his ^^
I'm so happy he still has such a beautiful, eloquent, and commanding voice and a sharp wit to match.
He was also great in The Living Daylights.
Who are the 21 leading parts?
Fellowship
-Frodo
-Sam
-Merry
-Pippin
-Gandalf
-Aragorn
-Legolas
-Gimli
-Boromir
(9 parts)
Gondor
- Faramir
- Denethor
(2 parts)
Rohan
- Saruman
- Grima
- Theoden
- Eowyn
(4 parts)
Elves
-Elrond
-Arwen
-Galadriel
(3 parts)
Ringbearers
- Bilbo
- Gollum
(2 parts)
The last one I am honestly not so sure. It cannot be Treebeard. They did cast a real Ent but he was not credited for species protection, they are very rare. Eomer, Lurtz or the Witch King would make a lot of sense, more than Haldir. It is probably Eomer even though his part is not that big, but bigger than the others.
I love the stories that the other cast had about John whilst filming LOTR. Proper legend.
The man is awesome! Every part he plays elevates the production to greatness. My personal favorite is Sliders which should get a serious reboot.
In the book treebeard has “a deep voice like a woodwind instrument.” Perfect description of his voice.
John Rhys-Davies is one of our favorite actors of all time. a freaking legend.
Such an underrated Actor; who simply is Not at the Best of Health in these Times.....A Classical Treasure Like Brian Blessed. Simply Class in a Jar!
I love John, his voice acting in Freelancer and Risen games is just absolutely amazing!
He also dabbled in videogames, in the wonderful Wing Commander series
Looks like he did in Indiana Jones 1981! 😮
Wow, wasn't expecting a shout out to my hometown of Stratford in this video! 😁
I'm so old that my first experience of John Rhys Davies was actually in the first Black Adder series, and since then I've just sat back and enjoyed his parts of whatever I've seen. Well, I may be wrong, but I think he had a part as a bad guy on a boat in one of the 80's Sherlock Holmes episodes? I only recognized him later, I'm afraid.
Because I loved the LOTR & the Hobbit so much, I was so looking forward to the Rings of Power. So disappointing… So I ditched the new series and just revisited the old ones. They never get old… outstanding acting, stunning visuals and storytelling at its finest. John was magnificent!
One of the more senior people leading the production, who'd returned to The Hobbit along with many others, commented in the Hobbit BTS that the average age of the typical crew member on The Lord of the Rings was around 25 years old. My mind is still blown by this.
JRD is a treasure. Lord of the Rings trilogy is epic, and he is phenomenal. Indiana Jones 1 & 3 I love his supporting role of Sallah. I loved his voice of Thor in the Marvel cartoons of the 90s. So many good parts!
I know a lot of people's favourite Gimli line in the Lord of the Rings is "That still only counts as one". But my favourite Gimli line is "Bring your brutish face to my axe!" (Fortunately it was a digital creature's face he was referring to!)
I'm surprised he speaks so well of it, I remember reading he had a really rough time of it because of the prosthetics he wore to play Gimli. Nice to hear though!
Later you remember the good, the annoyance of prosthetics probably falls away with time 😊
Yea, they overdid his makeup. All he needed was a wig, a beard, and regular makeup, maybe a nose.
JRD has the best stories.
I dare say this man created the dwarven race in LOTR the same way Leonard Nimoys Spock portrayal created the Vulcan race in Star Trek. Also the comic relief his Gimli provided cannot be understated how great it is for the movies as a whole.
One of his best was his Role in Robin of Sherwood as King Richard. JRD
What does the other guy sitting in the room do? Genuinely curious.
sound tech, social media monitoring, i guess
That kid was legitimately bothering me ngl
Cringe mask. Beta energy
I loved LOTR but my favorite film that JRD did was Shogun. I love his portrayal of Rodriguez.
I love from the behind the scenes features of LOTR that John Rhys Davies didn’t pull any punches during the action scenes. All the stunt men and actors talked about he was really swinging his axe and hitting the stunt men with his full force. lol.
Such an extraordinary voice this man has!!
I don’t think anyone living in Wellington was more than one degree of separation from LotR. I know so many people who worked on it, including cast and crew, and post.
As a sci-fi nerd back in the 90's, _Sliders_ hooked me with the premise and characters. His character was absolutely charming. Same thing with Sallah. I always wanted more of his character in the Indiana Jones movies. But, alas, he probably would have taken too much attention away from Harrison Ford. 🤣🤣🤣
I grew up watching Mr. Rhys-Davies. It's crazy this guy has, in a way, been in my life the whole time I've been alive. He's right up there with Tim Curry in my book.
Yay! Another Sliders fan! 😁
I’m gonna meet him this Saturday I’m so excited! 🥰
"I've shot trilogies in less time than this scene is taking" I heard JRD say as he was standing on a boat in his fishing boat captain outfit in south africa while shooting "12 days of terror ". That was 22 years ago I think . Tbh i didn't know who he was at the time.
Imo he made Gimli even better than in the book. His humor was on point and he was still a goddamn badass. That leap into uruk *pikes* was nuts.
The only lex I can accept as a proper interviewer ;)
The more I hear people talk about how LOTR movies was created.... The more I realize it was truly was movie magic.
He sounds here like some classically trained Shakespearean stage actor - I never would’ve guessed he could be the same person as the gruff, unrefined Gimli. Incredible acting range.
He is. He started on stage as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. The likes of Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, and Judi Dench all started their careers in the same period. That would of been around in the 50s
Gimly, Sala, Paladin, ... so many roles i loved him into.