Gimli actor John Rhys-Davies has reflected on not getting a matching tattoo with the rest of The Lord of the Rings trilogy cast after production had wrapped. Gimli was the Fellowship's Dwarf character, best known for his rivalry with the Elf Legolas (Orlando Bloom). He also provided bits of comic relief to the story at times, while also being a brave and proud warrior.
Speaking on Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum, Rhys-Davies reflected on The Lord of the Rings movies and how he didn't get matching tattoos with the rest of the cast when filming was over.
Starting at 34:00, the actor explained why he encouraged his stunt double to get a tattoo with the cast instead, including his own beliefs on why he doesn't regret skipping out on the experience. Check out what Rhys-Davies had to say below:
I did what any self-respecting actor would do when faced with a dangerous stunt. I sent a stunt double. Exactly. [He was] very proud of it too.
Screw thee, no.... I'm not a tattoo man. I don't like needles to begin with. But more than that, it seems to be a generational thing. I'm of a generation that actually respects two sorts of tattoos, really. One, serving military people. It's part of that bonding thing that you have with your regiment, with your naval colleagues or your Air Force colleagues. And of course, there are tribes, the Maori, for instance, have tattoos. That tattooed beard on a woman's face means that she is royally descended. These tattoos...have cultural value and significance. If you and I had a tattoo for every film we'd done we'd look like the Illustrated Man, wouldn't we?
Although Rhys-Davies didn't participate in getting a tattoo with the rest of the cast, his performance as Gimli is still one of the most memorable in the trilogy. His friendly feud with Legolas adds much-needed levity to a story that is otherwise about preventing the destruction of Middle-earth. This helped to make him a key part of the quest, balancing out some of the darker moments with much-needed humor.
Rhys-Davies is 6 ft 1 in tall, meaning Peter Jackson had to use specific filmmaking techniques to make him look like a dwarf.
His development also reflected how Elves and Dwarves hate each other in Middle-earth, showing how much the Rings of Power had split the world apart centuries prior. However, as he's forced to work with figures like Legolas and trust the Elves of Rivendell, he comes to realize his hatred for them is misguided. This arc bolsters the trilogy's themes of friendship and trusting others, something he learns to do by the end of The Return of the King.
While Rhys-Davies didn't join his other cast members in getting a tattoo, his contribution to The Lord of the Rings trilogy was an important part of the movie, both comically and because of its themes. Without him in the role, Gimli's character may not have grown as popular as he has. Even so, his viewpoint on not getting a tattoo is an understandable perspective.
Source: Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum/YouTube
