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Peter Jackson’sThe Lord of the Ringsis considered one of the best film series to be ever made. And to commemorate their contributions to this iconic franchise, the main cast of the film series, including Sean Astin and Ian McKellen, decided to get matching tattoos of the Elvish word for nine.
However, one of the cast members, John Rhys-Davies, opted against joining his co-stars in this gesture and allowed his stunt double to take his place. The 79-year-old actor recently reflected on his decision not to get the matching tattoo, as he discussed the meaning and significance of tattoos.
The Lord of the RingsActor Reflects on Not Getting a Matching Tattoo
John Rhys-Davies portrayed the role of Gimli, a brave warrior who also provided a bit of comic relief to the story, inPeter Jackson’sThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy. During his recent appearance onInside of You with Michael Rosenbaumthe actor was asked about the cast’s matching tattoos.
“I did what any self-respecting actor would do when faced with a dangerous stunt,”he said before adding,“I sent a stunt double.”When asked if he has any regrets over his decision, the actor said that he is not a“tattoo man,”as he does not like needles.
However, Rhys-Davies also described it as a generational difference, as he highlighted that tattoos hold particular significance within certain contexts, such as bonds of camaraderie among military personnel and cultural heritage in tribal communities like the Maori.
“I’m of a generation that actually respects two sorts of tattoos, really. One, serving military people. It’s part of that bonding thing that you have with your regiment, with your naval colleagues or your Air Force colleagues. And of course, there are tribes, the Maori, for instance, have tattoos.”
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The actor humorously remarked that if he started getting a tattoo for every film that he had done over the course of his career, he would be heavily inked like the titular character of Ray Bradbury’sThe Illustrated Man.
John Rhys-Davies is Not Too Fond of Tattoos
Getting a tattoo to celebrate their work on a film is not an uncommon practice among Hollywood stars. Five of the original cast members ofThe Avengersgot matching tattoos after wrapping upAvengers: Infinity WarandAvengers: Endgame.
However, John Rhys-Davies does not seem too fond of such trends. Earlier in a conversation withComicBook.com, theIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destinyactor addressed his reluctance to partake in the tattoo trend popular among some Hollywood stars.
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“You really think I want to have my lovely skin broken by a dirty needle?”the actor said. He further explained his aversion to tattoos, stating that with all the scars and injuries he’s accumulated throughout his life, including a missing finger, there’s already enough evidence of his adventures without needing tattoos.
The Lord of the Ringstrilogy is available to stream on Max.
Laxmi Rajput
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3448
Laxmi Rajput is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, with over 3,300 articles published covering film, TV, and pop culture. With a degree in Broadcast Journalism and over three years of experience in content writing, she pivoted to entertainment journalism because let’s be honest, superheroes, sitcoms, and Netflix binges are way more fun. Laxmi frequently covers Marvel, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and popular TV shows, offering both fan-first enthusiasm and thoughtful analysis. Her work often dives into Marvel theories, revisits the genius of The Big Bang Theory, or unpacks the Netflix phenomenon of Stranger Things.
