Benedict Cumberbatch Feeling Guilty For Cheating in THE HOBBIT Sequel?
- Details
- Category: Interviews
- Published: Tuesday, 10 December 2013 15:24
- Written by Lupe R Haas
After hearing about the cast’s harrowing river ride on THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG set, Benedict Cumberbatch admits he feels “like the cheat at the table” with his role in the Peter Jackson follow-up.
In THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG, you get to hear more of Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of Smaug the dragon. At a recent press conference in Los Angeles with fellow cast mates Evangeline Lilly, Richard Armitage, Luke Evans, Aiden Turner, Dean O’Gorman and director Peter Jackson and producer Philippa Boyens, Benedict spoke of the 8 days it took to bring Smaug the Terrible to life. It was no ordinary voice over session with Benedict recording his dialogue in full mo-cap gear on stage, similar to what Andy Serkis did for the character of Gollum. However, guided by the motion capture supervisor Dejan Momcilovic. Benedict’s performance was not to be used to create the creature, but as reference for emotion of the dragon. His research included visiting a reptile house to study the animal’s movement. To simulate the movement of a dragon, the Star Trek Into the Darkness and 12 Years A Slave actor squeezed his legs. While he’s no Andy Serkis who he calls a “don” in the field, he probably had it easier than man behind Gollum.
Benedict Cumberbatch also managed to stay warm and dry unlike his dwarf co-stars who endured riding down a simulated river in motorized barrels on a soundstage and in cut off barrels powered by their feet in an actual river in New Zealand. Richard Armitage (“Thorin”), Aiden Turner (“Kili) and Dean O’Gorman (“Fili”) spoke of the river ride, which Richard described as the “most dangerous part” of shooting. The production shot in the Polaris River in New Zealand with an “extremely fast flowing river,” according to Richard. The scene calls for the dwarves to outrun the Orcs in barrels down a river. Dwarves such as Thorin, Kili, and Fili fend off the Orcs while navigating the dangerous river. Bilbo, Martin Freeman had it worse as he had no barrel and hung on to dear life to another barrel.
For the scene, Richard Armitage explains they were fitted with “cut off Flintstone-like barrels” powered by their own feet. They fell into the water more than once.
Then it was time for the worst part. Peter Jackson’s team built a river course inside a soundstage powered by two V8 engines. Richard felt like he was in an amusement park.
“It was like being in a theme park for two weeks. They were dumping tons of water on us, trying to get us underwater.”Director Peter Jackson admits during the press conference that he was worried about the unpredictable nature of the river, but they tested it out with stunt men first before the actors jumped in. While Richard claims it was “hair-raising,” Peter shoots back saying some of the actors yelled out for the “ride” to go “faster, faster.”
“We had it on maximum pretty quickly,” he added. Richard doesn’t remember it that way and says one particular actor, Ken Stott was yelling “get me out of here.” Peter fires back with a jab at the actors. “These are actors. They are a little fragile."After sitting at the press table listening to Richard and Peter’s story about the river scene, Benedict felt a little guilty for having one of the easiest jobs in THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG.
“Hearing all these stories of the live action perils and the amount of work that all these people at this table put in. I did my job in about 8 days. I feel like I’m the cheat at the table.”
Benedict certainly had it the easiest during the three-year production, but even the other actors didn’t regret any moment of it. “It was worth it,” says Richard Armitage.
THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG opens December 13 with midnight screenings.
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