Bilbo Baggins: A Character Synopsis

(R to L: Martin Freeman as younger Bilbo Baggins and Ian Holm as older Bilbo Baggins

Bilbo Baggins-

Bilbo Baggins is Uncle to Frodo Baggins (destroyer of The One Ring in The Lord of the Rings) and the resident of Bag End, located in the Shire. It is from Bilbo’s perspective that J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit was written. Bilbo is content with his solitary life having no spouse or children of his own. One morning Gandalf the wizard pays the Hobbit a visit and deliberately entangles Bilbo into a very unexpected adventure. From that moment on his life is thrown out of routine as fate sends Bilbo, Gandalf, and 13 Dwarves on a journey across Middle-earth to reclaim a lost treasure, guarded by the dragon Smaug.

Martin Freeman-

Martin Freeman, playing Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit films, was born on September 8th, 1971 in Aldershot, England. He is well known for his roles in Love Actually (John), The Office (Tim), Sean of the Dead (Declan), Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (Arthur Dent), Sherlock (Watson), and more. This past year Freeman won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Watson in the TV series Sherlock. Freeman is due back in New Zealand come October 2011 when filming for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again continues after a brief hiatus to allow Freeman to film Sherlock’s second season.

Ian Holm-
Ian Holm Cuthbert was born on September 12, 1931 in Goodmayes, England. It was seeing the play 'Les Miserables' that first inspired his interest in acting and in 1950 he graduated from the Royal Shakespeare Company. He has won 16 acting awards, nominated for 13, and was knighted for his acting career back in 1998. Some of his best known films include Chariots of Fire (Sam Mussabini), Hamlet (Polonius), Frankenstein (Baron Frankenstein), The Madness of King George (Dr. Willis), The Fifth Element (Father Vito Cornelius), The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Bilbo Baggins), and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Bilbo Baggins).

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is scheduled for release on December 14, 2012, and The Hobbit: There and Back Again on December 13, 2013.

Benedict Cumberbatch Confirmed Voice of Smaug and Luke Evans Cast as Bard in ‘The Hobbit’

Luke Evans

Benedict Cumberbatch

Two Hobbit casting rumors were laid to rest today as it was announced by Deadline New York that Luke Evans was cast as Bard the Grim and Benedict Cumberbatch is to be the voice of Smaug the dragon. It was just last month Martin Freeman (cast as Bilbo Baggins) let it slip that his Sherlock co-star, Benedict Cumberbatch, had been cast but keep his exact role under raps sending all kinds of rumors flying. With Luke Evans filling the role of Bard we might not be seeing much of him until the seconded instalment, The Hobbit: There and Back Again (in theaters on December 13th, 1213), as Bard the Grim has a bigger role towards the end of the story.

Middle-earth News wants to know what you think of this latest news. Are you excited about The Hobbit’s new cast members?