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

Netflix is adding all movies in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy to Netflix on Wednesday, February 1! It’s an exciting time to be a fan of the massive, blockbuster fantasy hits based on the acclaimed book series by J. R. R. Tolkien.

But whether you’re watching these movies for the first time or planning to rewatch them for the millionth time, you might be curious about how old the main cast was when the movies first premiered vs. how old they are today!

The cast of The Lord of the Rings trilogy is extensive, with hundreds of cast members featured throughout the three blockbuster films, so the following list focuses on the main actors appearing in all three movies.

How old is Elijah Wood in The Lord of the Rings?

Elijah Wood was born on January 28, 1981, which makes him 42 as of January 2023. When the first Lord of the Rings movie, The Fellowship of the Ring, was released in December 2001, Wood was 20 years old. In the film, Frodo turns 33 at the start but is supposedly around 50 when he leaves the Shire. The third Lord of the Rings movie, The Return of the King, was released in 2003, so Wood would have been 22 when he finished his time as Frodo.

How old is Ian McKellan in The Lord of the Rings?

Ian McKellan was born on May 25, 1939, which makes him 83 as of January 2023, making him one of the oldest cast members, which makes sense because his character, Gandalf, is one of the oldest in the trilogy. In December 2001, McKellan would have been 62. Gandalf is thousands of years old. By the time Return of the King came out, McKellan was 64.

How old is Viggo Mortensen in The Lord of the Rings?

Aragorn actor Viggo Mortensen was born on October 20, 1958, making him 64. When he was first cast in The Lord of the Rings, he would have been around 43, and then when the third movie in the trilogy was released, Mortensen had turned 45.

How old is Orlando Bloom in The Lord of the Rings?

Everyone’s favorite blond elf, Legolas, was played by then-24 Orlando Bloom in 2001. Bloom was born on January 13, 1977, and had turned 26 by the time The Return of the King came out in theaters. Today, Bloom is 46.

How old is Dominic Monaghan in The Lord of the Rings?

Dominic Monaghan played the lovable hobbit Meriadoc Brandybuck, better known as Merry. Born on December 8, 1976, Monaghan is currently 46 but was 25 when the first Lord of the Rings film came out. By the time he was done with the trilogy, Monaghan would have been 27.

How old is Billy Boyd in The Lord of the Rings?

Billy Boyd played one of the other main hobbits in the series, Pippin. Boyd was 33 for the first movie and 35 when he finished the third. Currently, the Scottish actor is 54, as he was born on August 28, 1968.

How old is Sean Bean in The Lord of the Rings?

Born on April 17, 1959, Sean Bean is currently 63. At the time of playing Boromir in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, he was 42 and 44 when the trilogy was finished.

How old is Sean Astin in The Lord of the Rings?

Playing perhaps the most beloved hobbit of all, Samwise Gamgee is Sean Astin. The famous actor and Stranger Things alum were born on February 25, 1971, making him 51. He was 30 when he started the trilogy and 32 when he finished.

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

Welsh actor John Rhys-Davies is well-known for portraying the dwarven warrior Gimli. He was born on May 5, 1944, and is currently 78. He ages from 57 to 59 during his time working on Peter Jackson’s trilogy.

How old is Andy Serkis in The Lord of the Rings?

Andy Serkis is currently 58 years old. He was born on April 20, 1964, and became well-known for his memorable portrayal of Gollum. Serkis started the trilogy at 37 and ended it at 39.

How old is Hugo Weaving in The Lord of the Rings?

English actor Hugo Weaving was 41 when the first Lord of the Rings film was released in cinemas, meaning he would have been 43 when the third movie came out. Born on April 4, 1960, Weaving is 62 today.

How old is Liv Tyler in The Lord of the Rings?

Liv Tyler played one of the most notable female characters in the trilogy, Arwen. The 45-year-old was born on July 1, 1977. In 2001, when Fellowship of the Ring was released, Tyler would have been 24, and in 2003, she was 26.

How old is Cate Blanchett in The Lord of the Rings?

Playing the royal elf, Galadriel was esteemed actress Cate Blanchett. Blanchett was born on May 14, 1969, making her 53. In 2001 she was 32, and when the trilogy finished, she would have been 34.

All three Lord of the Rings films will begin streaming on Netflix on February 1.