'Lord of the Rings' TV show is desperate for people to play orcs

vt-author-image

By VT

Article saved!Article saved!

Following the success of Peter Jackson's Lord Of The Rings trilogy in the early 2000s, fantasy fans have been chomping at the bit for even more adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien's acclaimed novels (it's best we just ignore The Hobbit movies).

Therefore, people were overjoyed to hear that Amazon was developing a Lord of the Rings television series, which is scheduled to start filming in 2020.

Check out this dramatic unseen scene from Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers:
[[jwplayerwidget||https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/i1o7wDW2-Q0L14jDU.mp4||i1o7wDW2]]

However, there has been a slight hiccup: there just aren't enough orcs.

Orcs are grotesque mythical creatures in the franchise, and according to TolkeinGateway.net the appearance of orcs is characterized as "smaller in stature than Men on average, strong but crooked in frame and bow-legged".

Casting agents for the upcoming show are now reaching out for extras to apply to play the orcs - specifically requesting toothless, heavily-wrinkled and hairy people to apply for the role.

One casting agency has already turned to Facebook in order to ask suitably applicants to applying - specifying the desire for individuals under five foot or over six-foot-five-inches tall, with "wonderful noses" and "character faces".

[[facebookwidget||https://www.facebook.com/bgtnz/videos/521874445257302/]]

The other agency, BGT Actors Models & Talent was far more specific, asking for the following:

"1. short people under 4 foot 12 (we know that 4 foot 12 is 5 foot)
2. Tall people over 6 foot 5 - If this is you please call Evelina on 021 - 398-727 now.
3. Character faces, wrinkles and lots of them please 


4. Androgynous men and women
5. Hairy hairy people of all ages and ethnicities
6. Tall, Long Lithe dancers
7. Circus performers who can juggle, stilt walk!
8. Stocky mean-looking bikers
9. Eurasian people of all ages.
10. Hispanic - Latino, Mexican, South American - HOLA
11. Red heads all ages, shapes and sizes.
12.HAIR HAIR HAIR - if you natural red hair, white hair, or lots and lots of freckles."

[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/sineadaloftus/status/1201397811927044096]]

Per the Wall Street Journal, "human resources are stretched" in New Zealand, with the Pacific Island nation having a population of just under 5 million inhabitants.

Speaking to the WSJ, Kiwi Justin Smith, 41, revealed why he has jumped at the opportunity to fill one of the roles. "I’ve got more than missing teeth, I’ve got none," the lorry driver, who lost his entire set in a surfing accident, told the publication. He added: "Basically I’m short, I’ve got red hair and I’ve got missing teeth."

As well as being fed on set, extras in New Zealand are paid £148-a-day for pretending to be an angry little goblin. Per the Daily Mail, experts have claimed that employing people with distinguished features will save on makeup costs.

'Lord of the Rings' TV show is desperate for people to play orcs

vt-author-image

By VT

Article saved!Article saved!

Following the success of Peter Jackson's Lord Of The Rings trilogy in the early 2000s, fantasy fans have been chomping at the bit for even more adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien's acclaimed novels (it's best we just ignore The Hobbit movies).

Therefore, people were overjoyed to hear that Amazon was developing a Lord of the Rings television series, which is scheduled to start filming in 2020.

Check out this dramatic unseen scene from Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers:
[[jwplayerwidget||https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/i1o7wDW2-Q0L14jDU.mp4||i1o7wDW2]]

However, there has been a slight hiccup: there just aren't enough orcs.

Orcs are grotesque mythical creatures in the franchise, and according to TolkeinGateway.net the appearance of orcs is characterized as "smaller in stature than Men on average, strong but crooked in frame and bow-legged".

Casting agents for the upcoming show are now reaching out for extras to apply to play the orcs - specifically requesting toothless, heavily-wrinkled and hairy people to apply for the role.

One casting agency has already turned to Facebook in order to ask suitably applicants to applying - specifying the desire for individuals under five foot or over six-foot-five-inches tall, with "wonderful noses" and "character faces".

[[facebookwidget||https://www.facebook.com/bgtnz/videos/521874445257302/]]

The other agency, BGT Actors Models & Talent was far more specific, asking for the following:

"1. short people under 4 foot 12 (we know that 4 foot 12 is 5 foot)
2. Tall people over 6 foot 5 - If this is you please call Evelina on 021 - 398-727 now.
3. Character faces, wrinkles and lots of them please 


4. Androgynous men and women
5. Hairy hairy people of all ages and ethnicities
6. Tall, Long Lithe dancers
7. Circus performers who can juggle, stilt walk!
8. Stocky mean-looking bikers
9. Eurasian people of all ages.
10. Hispanic - Latino, Mexican, South American - HOLA
11. Red heads all ages, shapes and sizes.
12.HAIR HAIR HAIR - if you natural red hair, white hair, or lots and lots of freckles."

[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/sineadaloftus/status/1201397811927044096]]

Per the Wall Street Journal, "human resources are stretched" in New Zealand, with the Pacific Island nation having a population of just under 5 million inhabitants.

Speaking to the WSJ, Kiwi Justin Smith, 41, revealed why he has jumped at the opportunity to fill one of the roles. "I’ve got more than missing teeth, I’ve got none," the lorry driver, who lost his entire set in a surfing accident, told the publication. He added: "Basically I’m short, I’ve got red hair and I’ve got missing teeth."

As well as being fed on set, extras in New Zealand are paid £148-a-day for pretending to be an angry little goblin. Per the Daily Mail, experts have claimed that employing people with distinguished features will save on makeup costs.