The Lord of the Rings cast ages: How old was the cast then (and now)?

Lord of the Rings is one of those movies we just can’t get enough of. The series has boasted a wide array of cast members who have continued to take our breath away with their work even before and after the movie series was made. With so much time between the movies and now, how old were the Lord of the Rings cast members at the time of making the movies and how old are they now?

Lord of the Rings first came out in 2001 with Fellowship of the Ring followed by Two Towers and Return of the King. The films starred Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Sean Astin, Sean Bean, Viggo Mortensen, and Orlando Bloom in just some of the main roles.

The Hobbit series first was released in 2012 with An Unexpected Journey, followed by The Desolation of Smaug, and The Battle of the Five Armies. The films starred Martin Freeman as a younger Bilbo Baggins with Ian McKellen returning as Gandalf the Grey and Orlando Bloom as Legolas.

How old is Elijah Wood in the first Lord of the Rings movie?

Elijah Wood, who played Frodo Baggins, is 42-years-old. At the time the first LOTR film came out in 2001, he was 20-years-old and the youngest of the main Lord of the Rings cast.

How old is Sean Astin in the first Lord of the Rings movie?

Sean Astin played the role of Samwise Gamgee in the series, he was 30-years-old at the time. Today, the actor is 52-years-old and most recently appeared in the TV series Perry Mason. 

How old is Sir Ian McKellen in the first Lord of the Rings movie?

Sir Ian McKellen played Gandalf the Grey, and later in the franchise, Gandalf the White. He was 62 at the time of the first film’s release and he is currently 84-years-old.

How old is Sean Bean in the first Lord of the Rings movie?

Sean Bean played Boromir and was 42 when the first film was released. The actor will be turning 64-years-old in April 2023. Bean recently starred in the TNT series Snowpiercer.

How old is Billy Boyd in the first Lord of the Rings movie?

Billy Boyd played Pippin, one of the Hobbits who comes with Sam and Frodo on the journey. He was 33 at the time of filming and is currently 54-years-old.

How old is Viggo Mortensen in the first Lord of the Rings movie?

Viggo Mortensen played Aragorn in the film and was 43 when Fellowship of the Ring came out. He is currently 64 years old and was recently seen in the 2022 film Thirteen Lives.

How old is Dominic Monaghan in the first Lord of the Rings movie?

Dominic Monaghan played Merry, another Hobbit in the fellowship, and he was 25 the same month the first film came out. The actor is also known for the hit TV series Lost. Monaghan is now 46-years-old.

How old is John Rhys-Davies in the first Lord of the Rings movie?

John Rhys-Davies played Gimli and was 57 when the first film was released. He is currently 78-years-old and will celebrate his birthday on May 5, 2023. He didn’t appear in The Hobbit series, but we did get to meet his father in the films!

How old is Orlando Bloom in the first Lord of the Rings movie?

Orlando Bloom was 24 when the first film came out and he was also one of the few actors to return for The Hobbit series. He is now 46-years-old and was recently seen in Carnival Row.

How old is Cate Blanchett in the first Lord of the Rings movie?

Cate Blanchett played the elf Galadriel and even though her role was small in the first film, she made appearances in all six films. She was 32 when the first movie in the franchise was released and she is currently 54 years old.

How old is Liv Tyler in the first Lord of the Rings movie?

Liv Tyler played Arwen, the love interest of Aragorn, and was 24 at the time the film was released. She is currently 45-years-old.

How old is Sir Ian Holm in the first Lord of the Rings movie?

Sir Ian Holm played Bilbo Baggins, the titular character who is the one who had the One Ring for so many years before Frodo took the ring in his possession. Holm was 70 when the film was released in 2001. The actor sadly passed away in 2020 at the age of 88.

How old is Sir Christopher Lee in the first Lord of the Rings movie?

Sir Christopher Lee played Saruman and was 79 when the film was first released. Sadly, he passed away in 2015 at age 93.

How old is Martin Freeman in The Hobbit?

Martin Freeman played the young Bilbo Baggins when An Unexpected Journey was released in 2012 and he was 41 at the time. He is currently 51-years-old and was recently seen in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

How old is Richard Armitage in The Hobbit?

Richard Armitage played Thorin, one of the dwarves in Bilbo’s company, and was also 41 at the time of the film’s release. He is currently 51-years-old and recently appeared in The Man from Rome.

How old is Andy Serkus in The Hobbit?

Andy Serkus appeared in all of the films as Gollum and when the 2001 film was released, he was 37 years old and was 48 when The Hobbit series began. He is currently 58 and will celebrate his birthday on April 20, 2023.

How old is Aidan Turner in The Hobbit?

Aidan Turner played Kili in The Hobbit series and was 29 when the first film came out and he is currently 39-years-old.

There are so many amazing actors and actresses who appeared in the films and we will always continue to watch the Lord of the Rings films to be able to watch over and over. Let us know in the comments who your favorites of the Lord of the Rings cast are!