Jake Gyllenhaal Recalls Trying Out for Lord of the Rings: "It Was Literally One of the Worst Auditions"

Actor says he didn't realize the role of Frodo called for a British accent

By Peter Gicas Oct 31, 2013 1:59 PMTags
Jake Gyllenhaal, Hollywood Film AwardsJason Kempin/Getty Images

It's hard now to believe anyone else as Frodo, but Jake Gyllenhaal reveals he actually went in to read for the part—albeit unsuccessfully— that eventually went to Elijah Wood.

"I remember auditioning for The Lord of the Rings and going in and not being told that I needed a British accent," the actor tells The Hollywood Reporter. "I really do remember Peter Jackson saying to me, 'You know that you have to do this in a British accent?' We heard back it was literally one of the worst auditions."

Not that it put a damper on Gyllenhaal's career.

After all, the guy has gone on to do some pretty impressive work in such films as Brokeback Mountain, Zodiac, End of Watch and the recent Prisoners, for which he's being viewed as a possible Oscar contender.

Of course, Middle-earth isn't the only movie world Gyllenhaal has tried to enter.

During an appearance last month on Inside the Actors Studio, the 32-year-old star revealed that he actually tried out for Ewan McGregor's role in Baz Luhrmann's 2001 musical Moulin Rouge.

Meanwhile, Gyllenhaal is currently hard at work on his upcoming film Nightcrawler. He told E! News last week at the Hollywood Film Awards that he has lost "somewhere around 20 pounds" for the movie.

Let's see Frodo do that!