Frodo Baggins Played by Elijah Wood
A young well-to-do hobbit. When he discovers that the magic ring left to him by his eccentric "Uncle" Bilbo is the One Ring, he reluctantly takes on the quest to destroy it. The ring offers terrible temptation to anyone who comes near it, and though Frodo on occasion succumbs to its power, he generally shows remarkable strength before its siren call. However, when it comes time to drop the ring into Mount Doom, he is unable to simply let the ring go. The only reason why the ring falls into the lava in Mount Doom is because of his struggle with Gollum. After the hobbits return to the Shire, Frodo is unable to readjust to life in the Shire upon his return. He becomes a legend, and leaves the land of living mortals to live an immmortal life with the elves. He is often referred to as the Ringbearer.
Samwise Gamgee Played by Sean Astin
A hobbit, Frodo's gardener at home, and his servant and friend on the quest. Sam is very fond of stories about dragons and elves. A member of the Fellowship, he stays with Frodo after it is broken.
Peregrin "Pippin" Took Played by Billy Boyd
A young hobbit, one of Frodo's and Merry's many cousins. A member of the Fellowship. Later, a member of the Tower Guard of Minas Tirith
Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck Played by Dominic Monaghan
A young hobbit, one of Frodo's and Pippin's many cousins. A member of the Fellowship. Friend of Treebeard the Ent and companion of King Théoden of Rohan.
Gandalf The Grey Played by Ian McKellen
A wizard best known among hobbits for his fireworks and mischievous sense of humor, but actually one of the greatest powers of Middle-earth. He reveals the truth about the Ring to Frodo and acts as a guide and counselor. The leader of the Fellowship. The others assume Gandalf has died in this battle, but he returns, transformed from a gray wizard into a white one. Other names: Stormcrow, Mithrandir, the Grey Pilgrim, the White Rider, Tharkûn, Olórin, Incánus, and Gandalf the White.
Aragorn Played by Viggo Mortensen
The heir of Isildur and the rightful king of Gondor, a mighty warrior and healer. He was raised by the elves of Rivendell and now lives in exile as leader of the Dúnedain, the Rangers of the North. The time has now come for him to reclaim the throne. He leads the Fellowship after Gandalf's fall. Other names: Strider, Elessar, Elfstone, Dúnadan.
Legolas Played by Orlando Bloom
Son of Thranduil, king of the Mirkwood elves. He is a great archer with keen eyesight. A member of the Fellowship. Close friend of Gimli the dwarf and companion of Aragorn. Part of the Fellowship of the Ring
Gimli Played by John Rhys-Davies
Son of Glóin, a dwarf of the Lonely Mountain. A member of the Fellowship. Close friend of Legolas the elf and companion of Aragorn. He falls in love with Galadriel.
Boromir Played by Sean Bean
Son of Denethor, the Steward of Gondor. Sent to Rivendell to decipher a prophetic dream, he joins the Fellowship. He believes that the Ring should be used as a weapon against the Enemy and that trying to destroy it is foolish. He succumbs to the temptation of the Ring and tries to take it from Frodo. He dies defending Merry and Pippin from orcs.
(FR, TT)
Sauron
A powerful spirit of evil who now takes the form of a disembodied flaming eye, Sauron represents the worst aspects of power — especially greed, cruelty, and the desire for domination. He created the One Ring long ago as a weapon, lost it nearly three thousand years ago, and now needs it to achieve his conquest of Middle-earth. Other names: the Enemy, the Dark Lord, the Necromancer, the Eye, the Lord of the Rings.
The Nazgûl, Servants of the Enemy
Once great kings, but Sauron gave nine rings to these men and enslaved them under the One Ring. They are generals for his armies, but he also sends them to capture Frodo and the Ring. The Witchking leads them. Other names: Black Riders, Ringwraiths, the Nine.
Gollum Played by Andy Serkis
An earlier Ringbearer. He carried the Ring, which gave him an unnaturally long life. He was living on an island in an underground lake when he lost the Ring to Bilbo, but he wants it back so badly that he has emerged to search for it. Although he fears Sauron and revealed the Ring's location to him, he also becomes Frodo's guide into Mordor. Despite the Ring's corrupt influence, Frodo still believes Gollum can be saved. His desire for the ring eventually wins out, and this desire ultimately leads to the destruction of the ring and his own death at Mount Doom. Other names: Sméagol, Slinker, Stinker.
Bilbo Baggins Played by Ian Holm
Frodo's much older cousin, considered the most eccentric hobbit in the Shire, who adopted Frodo after the younger hobbit's parents died. He won the Ring from Gollum in a riddle game 60 years before the start of the novel, and he passes it on to Frodo when he leaves the Shire for good. The only person to have voluntarily given up the Ring.
(FR,RK)
Elrond Played by Hugo Weaving
Master of Rivendell, a place of refuge and healing. He hosts the Council that decides to destroy the Ring. His halfelven lineage allows his daughter Arwen to choose between the Undying Lands and mortality in Middle-earth. He has a low opinion of men, as he was with Isildur when the king failed to destroy the ring of power. For this reason and because of his concerns about Arwen’s life, he is reluctant to aid in the fight against Sauron. Eventually, he commits himself to the ancient alliance of men and elves, sends an army to defend Rohan, and reforges Isildur’s sword for Aragorn.
(FR, RK)
Arwen Evenstar Played by Liv Tyler
Daughter of Elrond. She forsakes her elven immortality to betroth herself to Aragorn, although her father will not allow them to marry unless Aragorn reclaims the throne of Gondor. Other names: Undómiel.
(FR, RK)
Lady Galadril Played by Cate Blanchett
Lady of the Golden Wood of Lothlórien, Galadriel rules one of the last elven strongholds in Middle-earth. Very old and very wise, she gives the Fellowship shelter and advice after Gandalf's fall. She gives Frodo a star of light that proves essential to Frodo when he is betrayed by Gollum and trapped in the spider Shelob’s webs.
(FR, RK)
Saruman the White Played by Christopher Lee
The head of the order of wizards. Although he was once the wisest, lust for power has led him to side with Sauron. The magic of his voice can seduce or overwhelm the will of most men. Saruman is obsessed with machinery, cutting down forests to fuel his engines and forges. He hopes to take the Ring for himself and take Sauron's place as Lord of the Rings. Other names: Saruman the Wise, Saruman of Many Colors, the Voice, Sharkey.
Éomer Played by Karl Urban
Son of Éomund. Nephew of Théoden (King of Rohan) and Éowyn's brother. Third Marshall of the Riddermark. Loyal captain of the horselords and a valiant warrior. He suspects Wormtongue's treachery.
(TT, RK)
Théoden Played by Bernard Hill
King of Rohan, a nation of horsemen and warriors. Wormtongue has played on his age and infirmity to keep the king and his warriors useless at home, but Gandalf counsels him back to life and valor. He becomes a strong, gray-bearded leader. He bravely leads his people in defense of Helm’s Deep and shows his true mettle when he answers Gondor’s call for help, despite the bad feeling between the two kingdoms of men. Théoden dies in battle but proves himself a worthy king.
(TT, RK)
Éowyn Played by Miranda Otto
Niece of Théoden (King of Rohan). She serves her uncle in his old age, but she desires to fight with a sword and die bravely. Many see her as an ice maiden — beautiful, but chilled by despair. She falls hopelessly in love with Aragorn, then rides secretly into battle and destroys the Witchking of the Nazgûl. Sister of Éomer.
(TT, RK)
Grima Wormtongue Played by Brad Dourif
Counselor to Théoden, but actually an agent of Saruman, he keeps Théoden weak so that Saruman can move his armies through Rohan uncontested
(TT, RK)
Haldir Played by Craig Parker
An elf leader. He is killed defending Rohan, which shows the large sacrifice that the elves had made to help defend the human kingdom
RK
Shadowfax
The greatest horse in Middle-earth. This silver-grey stallion chooses to accept only Gandalf as his rider.
Treebeard Voiced by John Rhys-Davies
The oldest mortal creature in Middle-earth. Treebeard is an Ent, one of the shepherds of trees, and looks much like a stumpy old oak tree himself except that he can walk and talk. He speaks for the natural world, which otherwise could not speak for itself. The Ents decide to join the battle against Sauron’s forces when they come upon a patch of scorched forest, which they blame on the orcs. The Ents defeat Saruman and flood the fields around his tower, Orthanc. Other names: Fangorn.
(TT, RK)
Shelob
An ancient evil, Shelob is a giant spider whose webs block the pass of Cirith Ungol. She embodies insatiable hunger and greed, but she has no interest in the Ring.
(TT)
Faramir Played by David Wenham
Younger son of Denethor and brother of Boromir. Wiser and more learned than his brother, although also an admirable warrior. Denethor constantly compares his sons, and Faramir cannot seem meet his father's expectations. Nevertheless, Faramir resists the temptation of the Ring, where his brother could not, and he helps Frodo on his journey.
(TT, RK)
Denethor Played by John Noble
Steward of Gondor, father of Boromir and Faramir. He rules the realm of Gondor and city of Minas Tirith in the generations-long absence of the True King. Once a wise leader, his own pride and the deceptions of the Enemy have led him to madness and despair.
(RK)
Beregond
A member of the elite Tower Guard of Minas Tirith. He is devoted to Faramir and befriends Pippin when the hobbit joins the guard.
(RK)
Barliman Butterbur
The friendly yet frazzled and absent-minded innkeeper of the Prancing Pony in Bree
(FR, RK)
Durin's Bane
The Balrog of Morgoth that fled following Morgoth's defeat during the War of the Wrath to live and slumber deep within the depths of the dwarven kingdom of Moria. during the War of the Ring, eventually being awakened by the dwarves of Moria, wreaking destruction upon those who stood against it and and forcing the survivors to abandon the kingdom. Moria was left to the Balrog and became known as a place of darkness and fear for hundreds of years, and it was not until the Fellowship of the Ring passed through Moria and inadvertently awakened the Balrog that it was finally slain in a great duel with the wizard Gandalf.
(FR)
The Witch King
The Witch King of Angmar was the leader of the Nazgul or Wringwraths, and Sauron's second-in-command. Once a king of men, he was corrupted by one of the Nine Rings of Power given to the lords of men and became an undead wraith in the service of Sauron
* Red= dies
FR= Fellowship of the Ring
TT= The Two Towers
RK= Return of the King
The movie in which a character appears is indicated in parentheses under his or her description. Where there is no indication, the character appears in all three volumes
FR= Fellowship of the Ring
TT= The Two Towers
RK= Return of the King
The movie in which a character appears is indicated in parentheses under his or her description. Where there is no indication, the character appears in all three volumes