Lord Of The Rings: Hawke And Thurman In, Winslet Out

The following is a transcript of an Evening Post story published today.

"Star Pair Tipped For Rings"

By Simon Beattie

Hollywood couple Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke are tipped to be part of the Lord of The Rings when filming begins on October 11.

Spokeswoman for film maker Peter Jackson Sian Clement said casting was still being finalised but filming would start in less than two months at Jackson's Camperdown studios in Miramar.

New Line Cinema President Michael Deluca whose company is backing the film said it was negotiating with a husband and wife team for the roles of Galadriel and Faramir.

Thurman and Hawke both aged 29 married last year after meeting on the set of Gattaca which was directed by Paraparaumu born Andrew Nicol.

Thurman is best known for her role in Pulp Fiction while Hawke has starred in Dead Poet's Society, Great Expectations and Alive.

Mr Deluca said Kate Winslet had declined the role of Eowyn.

United States entertainment newspaper The Hollywood Reporter claimed the plum role of Aragorn had been given to the 26 year old Irish actor Stuart Townsend who starred as a con man in shooting fish.

Townsend joins Sir Ian McKellen (Gandalf), Sir Ian Holm (Bilbo), Elijah Wood (Frodo), Sean Astin (Samwise Gamgee) and Billy Boyd (Pippin) as those said to have been signed.

Transcript ends.

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Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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