| How did you get into the LOTR movies? If I understood this correctly, you are not an extra, but work for 3foot6 [production company - the Ed] behind the camera. What was/is your job, and how did it happen that you found yourself in front of the camera one day? Well, as it always goes in this industry I first got involved in LOTR through someone that I knew and was of course in the right place at the right time. I started out as a production runner on a 12day contract, then did 6 weeks on location as an assistant in the catering truck! (Can't cook to save myself so that was quite an amusing time) Finally I was asked to come on board in Wellington, Stone Street Studios where the main production was based. I think my original contract was for 4 weeks only and 4 years later I was still there! How many different characters did you portray? I played three in total. Erestor, Dinendal and an Archer at Helms Deep. Which one was your favourite, and why? I think Erestor was the most enjoyable as I spent a lot of time on set as him. I think it took about 6 or 7 days to film the Council Of Elrond and I enjoyed the darker features. Also of course acting on set with almost the entire cast was a lot of fun too. What was the hardest part of your job? I'm pretty sure everyone would agree with me on this one… the long hours! Sometimes you literally would work, come straight home, go to bed and 5 hours later your alarm would go and before you knew it you were at work again feeling like you had only just left! It was very draining and you had no time to do anything else. This could go on for weeks and weeks especially if you were on location because then quite often you would have 1-3 hours travelling just to get to your bed! Could you describe what a "typical day in the life of Jonathan Harding on the set of LOTR" was like, for example when you played one of the Elves? I would arrive on set at about 5.00am and head to the make-up dept. It was very very cold and coffee was a must to start the day! The make-up and ears took about 2 hours to complete and I quite enjoyed the process. You could just close your eyes, relax and let the artists do their work. Make-up Team were fantastic! Then you were transformed. Wig, eyes, ears you became the character. Then to Wardrobe... or actually I think the basics of your robes went on first, before make-up, then the layers would come after. All the elves were great fun and we got on well, which helped on the slow days. About 7.30 breakfast was up and you could indulge to your hearts content… which I did frequently! Then the day would totally revolve around the principle cast, we were just slotted in around them. I think for the first 2-3 days no-one made it onto set so it was a lot of waiting round and card playing etc. Then two and three at a time we were sat in-between the actors and the serious stuff began! All in all the days were long but everyone had their heart in the movies and so nothing was too much to ask. Any events on the set that were especially memorable? There were many many events that happened throughout the filming of the trilogy that I would consider memorable. As an Elf, the most memorable thing for me was Alan Lee approaching me and saying "That's what I had in mind when I was drawing an elf". Looking back at your work on LOTR: what do you take with you, in experience, in memories? What was the impact this work had on your life? LOTR had a huge impact on my life in all kinds of ways. I will never forget that 'era' of my life and despite the difficulties I will always look back with a smile. The people were great, the feeling that you were involved in such a unique experience just kept you going. I loved the books and have a huge respect for the cast and crew. When you see someone out and about that worked on the films, no matter how well you know them, you just have an instant bond like "Yup, you were there… you know my pain. You understand." In Brian Sibley's "The Making of The Lord of the Rings", Miranda Rivers [casting - the Ed.] mentioned that sometimes, the Elven extras returned from work with their own dark hair and a pair of fantastic bleached eyebrows - looking at Dinedal, I have to ask: were you one of the victims? Unfortunately yes. I was plucked, dyed on the Friday before shooting the Monday. Let's just say I didn't leave my hotel room that weekend. I looked like a freak! In the books, Erestor hardly gets to say two lines, and little to nothing is known about him. You have read the books, have you ever thought about what kind of Elf he is? He looks rather no-nonsense and stern on the card... I think he is very wise and very serious. I feel he takes the fate of his people on his shoulders and feels like a father to the race. A guardian, friend of Elrond, he has seen many ages of the land and knows too well of the dangers of the rings. Yet I don't think his idea of sending the ring across the seas was particularly smart! If you could choose a LOTR character to portray, which one would it be, and why? Well, it would have been an elf for sure… I would have liked to have a crack at Legolas or Haldir. There are no other movies where even the smallest roles and extras get so much attention as they do in LOTR, with their own fans and websites, which I find amazing. How did you learn about your "fame", and what was your first reaction? I first discovered it when my agent contacted me and said some people were trying to get hold of me to find out if I had played the characters. They forwarded the site on to me and I was like "wow, this is just crazy". I mean Figwit was quite amusing but when it's you it's a little bit scary. But I thought hey, why not. I e-mailed back and have been in contact ever since. Craig Parker [Haldir] told us that he thinks there is a "great love for Elves" among the fans, and indeed, there is hardly an Elf without his/her own website. What do you think the reason is for this "Elf Fever"? Why are people so fascinated by these specific characters? I'm not sure actually. I guess they are portrayed as such divine beings. They are immortal, beautiful but the thing that I think really gets people going is the ears! Of the characters you portrayed, "Erestor" is definitely the most popular - his picture is all over the internet, and there are various websites dedicated to him, which is a very good example of the way the audience creates its own "stars". How do you feel about this attention? I don't mind at all. I mean I don't get it, but it doesn't bother me. It's kind of fun. I have seen some rather disturbing images though!!! The old 'cut and paste' the head onto a naked body didn't amuse me too much!! If you were invited to attend a LOTR fan convention, for example RingCon in Germany - would you accept? Sure, I don't see why not. If people really want to meet me and have a chat about the films then I would happily come and do it. * * * Moving away from LOTR - music is your real passion? Yes, always has been. Something I'm trying to do more and more of but it's difficult to make a living out of it. Instruments you play? I play guitar, piano and sing Preferred style of music? I like all kinds of music but I think I lean to more of an acoustic sound. I write a lot of different styles and quite like film scores too. Influences? Idols? Again there are so many. Coldplay , Jeff Buckley, Damien Rice just to name a few. Have you released anything yet? If so where what when? I haven't personally released an album yet but I have had one or to tracks on compilation albums. I was once in a TV show called "Get your Act together" and I got 3rd. My song made it onto the Winners album. Ambitions? Pretty huge ones actually!! To be a recording artist (big one), do a little acting on the side and somewhere in the middle write the odd film score. Lets just say I'm an idealist! You also played at the LOTR wrap party? Yes! With my brother in a kind of polymorphic rock band. It was a big buzz. How do you feel about about the "download" discussion? Does it make sense to hunt down folks who use P2P services? It's a difficult one, and as always there are two sides to the coin. It's like most things illegal, someone is going to do it anyway, how much time and money do you want to put into slapping people on the hand. (I am of course not referring to serious crime here). There must be a compromise somewhere… I would not like my own music to be pirated but then if through that person downloading it, five of his friends went and bought my album, I could hardly see it as a bad thing. Last but not least, the mandatory last question: any upcoming work? I'm not looking for anything too serious at the moment, I need some well earned rest!! King Kong might be interesting… But I'm trying to concentrate on working in-front of the camera, not behind. |
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| Interview with JONATHAN HARDING by Chris Zeller |
| "But of course I am delighted by your brilliant idea to give The One Ring to a Hobbit, Elrond. Joy is overwhelming me, actually." |
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| Incredible, but true: Dinendal, the "silent scout" from the Golden Wood, is also Jonathan Harding. Photo taken from Decipher card |
| "It's the ears!" |
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| Elrond, Erestor, Aragorn, Frodo, Gandalf, Legolas, Gimli, Saelbeth, Silinde |
| THE COUNCIL OF ELROND |
| Erestor, chief counsellor to Lord Elrond, would have prefered not to destroy The One Ring, but keep it protected and out of Sauron's reach. Which just goes to show, also brilliant minds have bad days. Despite his somewhat clouded judgement when it came to The One Ring, Erestor has gathered quite a fellowship of fans on the internet, with new sites sprouting left and right. The Ed. has talked to JONATHAN HARDING, who portrayed, among other characters, Erestor in the first movie of the LOTR trilogy and on a Decipher card, about his work on LOTR, the fascination of Elves and the pains of long working hours. Our thanks to "Mora" for her help. |
| photo by courtesy of Jonathan Harding |
| "Erestor" photo taken from Decipher card |
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