Evangeline Lilly and Dame Edna join ‘The Hobbit’ cast

The mammoth cast of Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit” two-parter continues to grow.  Today, Jackson announced the addition of actors Evangilline Lilly and Barry Humphries to the international ensemble.

The Oscar winner says Lilly will play a new character, Tauriel, who is a Woodland elf whose name means “daughter of Mirkwood.”  Lilly is best known for her role as Kate Austen on “Lost,” but the 31-year-old Canadian has “The Hurt Locker” among her small list of film credits.  She recently finished production on DreamWorks’ “Real Steel” which will hit theaters in October.

Barry Humphries isn’t a name most Americans will recognize, but his alter ego of Dame Edna Everage certainly is.  The Tony winner also voiced a key role in “Finding Nemo,” but the iconic Dame Edna is his claim to fame.  Humpries won’t play a queen, but a Goblin King in “The Hobbit.”  Jackson insinuated in his announcement that Humphries roll will be mostly motion capture similar to Andy Serkis’ work as Gollumn.

The two new additions come after last week’s news that Luke Evans (“Immortals”) and Benedict Cumberbatch are also in the fold as Bard and Smaug respectively.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” opens nationwide on Dec. 14, 2012.  “The Hobbit: There and Back Again” is planned for Dec. 13, 2013.
 

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