SAMWISE GAMGEE
The man behind Sam, Sean Astin, on being the true hero of Tolkien’s Middle-earth
How does it feel to see Samwise ranked so highly on this list?
Well, I’m not surprised, because Tolkien rendered a story and a character in Sam that understands the essence of humanity. And it’s fun that it’s down to a little hobbit to properly express that.
What exactly does he express about humanity?
When people are in trouble, what you need is someone with courage. Bravery isn’t not being afraid. It’s doing what you’re supposed to do even when you’re afraid. And true heroism is in the small acts. A caped superhero saving the world by changing the course of a meteor is spectacular and fun, but everybody’s got to be pulling in the same direction for civilisation to move forward. That requires decent, good, hardworking people — which is what Sam represents. He is the hero we need right now on this planet.
What other heroic qualities do you think Sam has?
Loyalty. When the world seems to be crumbling all around you, it’s good to have someone faithful to look to. Samwise is the greatest archetype for a friend. People come up to me all the time, and when they ask for an autograph or a shout-out or whatever, they say, “Make a message to my wife, who’s always been the Sam to my Frodo.” You don’t usually get people saying, “Hey, I’m the Sam to his Frodo.” It’s people wanting to honour and acknowledge the friend who is so important in their life. Most people see themselves as needing a friend like Sam.
Tolkien made it clear that Samwise was inspired by the batmen and privates he met during the World War I. Was that a particular inspiration to you? Absolutely. It was very much in the forefront of my mind at every moment. There’s a very fair reading of hobbits that they’re kind of goofy and bumbling, but I didn’t want to play that. In a huge ensemble of 23 main actors, in whatever moments I had, I wanted to represent the essence of Sam that I thought was the most powerful, which to me was the fact that he was designed to honour those soldiers. I mean, there’s “poe-tay-toes”, there’s fun stuff too, but ultimately in this epic quest, there has to be that earnest, sincere quality.
His most powerful moment is when he’s with Frodo on the slopes of Mount Doom and says, “I can’t carry [the Ring] for you, but I can carry you…”
Yes, like a firefighter who goes into a burning building without regard for his own life to save someone else’s. I remember that moment well. It was sacred. We were on Mount Ruapehu, this active volcano in the middle of the North Island in New Zealand, and it’s a really special place. To be in that physical setting and to deliver those poetic lines — “It’ll be spring soon and the birds will be nesting in the hazel thickets…” It was like a supernatural moment for me. One of the most important moments of my life.
Many Tolkien fans maintain that Sam is the true hero of the Lord Of
The Rings trilogy, and he ranked higher on this list than any other member of the Fellowship…
I’m not gonna ask you to move him off the list [laughs]. As a champion for Sam I love that people have taken him to their hearts like that. It’s a win for the little guy and I always root for the little guy. But I think Sam genuinely wouldn’t feel right about being considered the true hero. He would feel ashamed that that was the case. Which of course makes him all the more heroic [laughs].