20 Actors That Were Almost Cast In The Lord Of The Rings

11. David Bowie - Elrond

Part of the reason why the casting for The Lord Of The Rings works so well is that it doesn't feature A-list names and huge amounts of star power. Having an incredibly famous person playing any one of the characters could have turned out to be hugely distracting, making audiences unable to suspend their disbelief. At least, Peter Jackson thought so, saying that "These are famous, famous characters, loved for nearly 50 years. To have a famous, beloved character and a famous star colliding is slightly uncomfortable." David Bowie was actively campaigning for the role of Elrond, but Jackson wisely reasoned that having such a huge name amongst the cast would completely overshadow the character. Seeing the Thin White Duke lording it over Rivendell would have more than likely conjured memories of the Goblin King and his hair-and-bulge combination from cult favourite Labyrinth, taking audiences right out of the movie in the process.