Beating Viggo Mortensen isn’t Jamie Dornan’s aim in The Lord of the Rings
Jamie Dornan talks stepping into Aragorn’s role after Viggo Mortensen in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum — a mantle no one wears lightly.
Asked how he’s approaching Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, Jamie Dornan didn’t posture — he pointed straight to the bar set by Viggo Mortensen. In a new L’Officiel interview conducted alongside Leo Woodall, Dornan said he feels the weight of stepping into the boots of the ranger known first as Strider, with Andy Serkis directing the prequel adventure.
Set before The Fellowship of the Ring, the film tracks the search for Gollum — with Aragorn among the key figures drawn into that pursuit. Serkis is pulling double duty, returning to the performance-capture role that made Gollum an all-timer while also directing the movie.
Who’s in Middle-earth
- Jamie Dornan — Aragorn/Strider
- Leo Woodall — Halvard, a fellow Dúnedain ranger
- Kate Winslet — Marigol
- Anya Taylor-Joy — Seren
- Andy Serkis — Gollum (and director )
- Ian McKellen — Gandalf
- Elijah Wood — Frodo Baggins
- Lee Pace — Thranduil
Read more: Who’s back — and who’s new — in Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power season 3?
Dornan made clear he’s treating Mortensen’s original trilogy run as a North Star rather than something to surpass. Mortensen’s grounded, quietly romantic take on the exiled heir became synonymous with Aragorn for a generation of moviegoers.
“There’s pressure when you’re trying to follow in those footsteps. I’ve been asked to play a super-iconic role, and I’ll do my best. But for me, Aragorn will always be just Viggo.”
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is slated to open in theaters on December 17, 2027 .
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