'The Lord of the Rings': Where Is The Original Cast Now?

When ‘The Lord of the Rings’ first hit theaters in 2001, it became a cultural phenomenon, turning JRR Tolkien’s epic trilogy into a cinematic milestone—and launching its cast into global fame. Elijah Wood, who brought Frodo Baggins to life, had already made a name for himself as a child actor, but ‘Lord of the Rings’ took him to another level. He went on to star in ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ and ‘Everything Is Illuminated’ and led TV series like ‘Wilfred’ and ‘Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency.’ Sean Astin, beloved as Samwise Gamgee, also started young with ‘The Goonies’ in 1985. After ‘Lord of the Rings,’ he built a steady career across film and TV, with roles in ‘50 First Dates,’ ‘Click,’ and ‘Gloria Bell.’ He’s perhaps best remembered on television as Bob Newby in ‘Stranger Things’ and Sunny Gryce in ‘Perry Mason.’ Sir Ian McKellen, already a legendary actor before playing Gandalf, continued his prolific career with roles in ‘The Da Vinci Code,’ ‘Mr Holmes,’ ‘Cats,’ and the ‘X-Men’ movies.