Jamie Dornan Cried Over Aragorn Casting in 'The Hunt for Gollum'

Jamie Dornan says he cried when he learned he'd play Aragorn in "Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum," and he wrapped filming on the movie just three weeks ago.

"I cried. I actually cried," Dornan told Entertainment Tonight when asked how he reacted to the casting news. "It's like a dream. It's an absolute dream and an honor to be entering that world in any capacity, let alone playing a character of such significance and such admiration."

The character carries real weight for the actor. Aragorn was originated by Viggo Mortensen in Peter Jackson's original trilogy, a performance Dornan counts among his favorites. "We all love and love what Viggo did with that role in those three films," he said.

How was the shoot itself?

Short answer: smooth, and recent. Dornan finished production roughly three weeks before speaking to Entertainment Tonight.

"[I'm] incredibly honored and had a brilliant time," he said. "It was an incredible experience, and I hope people welcome our story into that world because a lot of people care about it, and I really realize that. But yeah, hopefully we've done a good job of it."

That last clause does the heavy lifting. Dornan knows the franchise's audience is protective of the material, and he's framing the film as an addition to the world rather than a replacement for what came before.

Is he trying to outdo Viggo Mortensen?

No — and he's said so explicitly. In an interview with L'Officiel last month, Dornan admitted there is "pressure" attached to the role, but insisted no part of him is "trying to outdo" Mortensen.

"I've been asked to play a super iconic role, and I'll do my best," he told the magazine. "But for me, Aragorn will always be just Viggo. His performance is one of my all-time favorites, and I feel honored to try to recapture at least some of the energy he originally brought to the character."

It's a careful position: acknowledge the predecessor, borrow the energy, avoid the comparison game. For an actor stepping into one of fantasy cinema's most watched roles, that's probably the only workable strategy.

Who else is in the film?

Andy Serkis directs. Serkis provided the voice and motion-capture performance (the technique where an actor's movements drive a digital character) for Gollum in Jackson's trilogy. The film opens in theaters on Dec. 17, 2027.

The cast mixes returning faces with newcomers:

• Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf
• Elijah Wood returns as Frodo
• Lee Pace returns as King Thranduil
• Kate Winslet joins as Marigol
• Leo Woodall joins as Halvard
• Anya Taylor-Joy plays an elf

What does this change for the franchise?

It signals that Warner Bros. and the filmmakers are betting on continuity — original actors, a director pulled from inside the trilogy's own ranks — rather than a full reboot. Dornan's casting as Aragorn is the one big recasting, and his public deference to Mortensen suggests the marketing will lean on respect for the original films.

Audiences now wait until Dec. 17, 2027, to judge whether Dornan's version of that "incredible experience" translates to screen.