Samwise Gamgee: Jeff Cohen
Many years Frodo's junior, Sam Gamgee is boyish and cheerful. He is Frodo's servant and most trusted friend, and one of the most pivotal characters of the story as the reader sees the wonder and excitement of the world beyond the Hobbit's home through Sam's eyes. My pick for Sam would be Jeff Cohen, who fits the bill perfectly. Slightly on the rotund side, bright eyed and curly haired, Cohen is of course best known for his roll as Chunk in The Goonies, but has been largely absent in film since the late 80s. Cohen's inclusion in the cast would sell tickets on nostalgia alone, and he certainly looked the part last we saw him.
Merry: Leonardo DiCaprio
Leo may never be considered a "Great Actor", but the girls love him. Made popular by last year's Titanic, DiCaprio's face stares incessantly from the cover of every one Teen-Girl magazine in the newsstand. He isn't all looks though - between Titanic and Romeo + Juliette, this blonde teen idol has also gained a bit of respect as an actor. As the more mature of the buddy duo of Merry and Pippin, DiCaprio may just be the perfect actor to embody the youthful determination of Meriadoc Brandybuck. And his commercial appeal would no doubt help the potentially struggling mainstream audience pull.
Pippen: Elijah Wood
The more mischievous of the Hobbits, Peregrin Took is also the youngest of the four pals. His youthful energy and optimism may be best portrayed by Elijah Wood, seen in last year's adaption of Oliver Twist as The Artful Dodger. Wood is no force to be reckoned with when it comes to acting, but he wouldn't need to be as the comic relief, and his boyish looks would certainly fit in with the rest of the cast. Next up, the human characters...