What a Figwit!

This is a story literally years in the making.

Around the time that The Lord of the Rings was originally in cinemas, I stumbled across a fan site proclaiming its love for “Figwit”, aka “Frodo is Great---who is THAT??!!”



In short, Figwit was an elf extra in the background of the council scene in Fellowship of the Ring that, based on his striking looks, had managed to develop his own devoted following. Nerdy stuff, but to each their own.

Years later, I’m listening to the audio commentary for Return of the King (yes, I’m one of those guys. Like I said, to each their own!) when Phillipa Boyens and Fran Walsh point out that, in the scene where Eowyn is contemplating her future without Aragorn, Figwit makes another appearance, this time with a few lines. This was all courtesy of the cult following that had sprung up around this one guy. When doing re-shoots, the filmmaker’s thought it would be fun to invite the actor who played Figwit back, to please the “character’s” fans.

Four or five years pass. I’m sitting in the Henry Street living room after getting my haircut. Looking to pick up some more stuff I’d left behind (I swear, I’m the worst mover in the world) I figured I’d stop for a bit of a chat. Flipping through the latest Empire, I land on a page.

And am instantly blown away.

It turns out, after all these years hearing about this bloody Figwit guy, he turns out to be none other than Bret Mc-fuckin’-Kenzie from The Flight of the Conchords!!!



What the hell, man??

That’s like finding out Biggs Darklighter from Star Wars is actually Bill Bailey or some shit!

Needless to say, I immediately and breathlessly detailed the entire story above to Carol, who was likewise astonished. Or at least she pretended to be really, really well.

You can read about the whole thing in greater detail here. Rest assured, I will be telling everyone about this, regardless of how interested they are or if they have any degree of understanding.