Dornan admits he feels the weight of playing Aragorn

Jamie Dornan said he feels the weight of expectations as he prepares to portray Aragorn in the upcoming Lord of the Rings film. The actor spoke to L’Officiel Italia about the challenge of stepping into a role previously defined by Viggo Mortensen. Dornan, who is 44, will take over the part in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. The film is set between the original trilogy and The Hobbit movies, a timeline that requires a younger actor than the 68-year-old Mortensen.

Dornan acknowledged the difficulty of the transition in a translated interview. “There’s pressure when you try to follow in those footsteps,” he said. He noted that he was asked to take on a super iconic role and promised to do his absolute best. Dornan added that for him, Aragorn will always be Viggo and only Viggo. He called Mortensen’s performance one of his all-time favorites and said he feels honored to try to capture even a little bit of the energy the original actor brought to the character.

The new cast includes Leo Woodall, who will play the Dúnedain ranger Halvard. Woodall told the outlet he was impressed by Dornan’s performance in the new film. “I can honestly say that, for me, Aragorn is now Jamie Dornan,” Woodall said.

Andy Serkis directs the upcoming film and stars in it as Gollum and his alter ego, Sméagol. Several original cast members are returning for the project. Ian McKellen will reprise his role as the wizard Gandalf the Grey. Elijah Wood will play the hobbit Frodo Baggins, and Lee Pace will return as Thrandruil.

The franchise also adds Kate Winslet and Anya Taylor-Joy to the ensemble. Winslet plays Marigol, and Taylor-Joy plays Seren. The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is scheduled to arrive in theaters on Dec. 17, 2027.