Interview with Bruce Hopkins (Gamling)

[Michael Martinez]

New Zealand actor Bruce Hopkins, who played Gamling in Peter Jackson's 'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers', gave us an exclusive interview earlier this year. We have finally gotten around to publishing it.

Fans of the LoTR movies, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Xena: Warrior Princess, Shortland Street, and many other shows will want to read Bruce's comments on Kevin Smith, Peter Jackson, working in New Zealand, and more.

Here is a teaser:

Xenite.Org: Of all the roles you've played, which did you enjoy most for:

The place...

BH: The role of Gamling in TTT, the location for Edoras, which was Mt Potts Station in the South Island of NZ. It was the most astounding setting, surrounded on three sides by snow capped mountains and rivers. In particular there was one day when it was all covered in fresh snow. Maginificent beauty.

The people you worked with...

BH: Kevin Smith. We worked together on 3 telefeatures called Lawless, a couple of Hercules and Xena eps, as well as a feature directed by Michael Hurst called Jubilee. Kevin was genuinely one of the most open and complete human beings I have ever known. There was always laughter and intelligent heart felt friendship. (NOTE: Kevin Smith is best known outside of New Zealand for his roles on Hercules and Xena as Ares, God of War and Iphicles, brother of Hercules -- he died as the result of a tragic accident in February 2002 while working in China on the movie "Warriors of Virtue 2".)

The role itself...

BH: Gamling in LOTR. Even though Gamling is not a big heroic role to play, it allowed me to be a part of what felt like a form of heaven on earth. For me the 45 days I spent shooting LOTR were truely blissful. Wonderful crew and cast, sumptuous food, plenty of coffee, amazing locations and of course working with the one and only Peter Jackson.

Xenite.Org: Of all the projects you've worked on, which set had the best food?

BH: Probably LOTR. However, the Hercules and Xena shoots had great catering also. Almost every job I have done in NZ has had very impressive food, and despite resolutions to myself saying I will take it easy, I can't help literally pigging out.

Read the full interview here:
http://www.xenite.org/faqs/lotr_movi..._0001/566.html