star John Rhys-Davies has revealed that he sometimes disappoints his youngest fans in real life when they discover he is taller than expected.
Rhys-Davies, 79, actually stands a shade over six foot, but many children love and recognise him most from playing Dwarf Gimli, son of Glóin, in , based on the .
Gimli is that guides hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) on his quest to destroy the ‘One Ring’ alongside a group of Middle Earth’s finest, which also includes humans,, an elf and further hobbits.
Due to the varying heights of the actors in real life, as well as the relative height difference needing to be depicted between the characters onscreen, stand-ins and plenty of camera trickery created the illusion.
This has led to some confusion and upset for Rhys-Davies when it comes to real life encounters.
‘I think it disappoints children sometimes, that Gimli is isn’t a Little Person, which is why of course one always gets down on one’s knees or hunkers on one’s back legs to the extent that an old man can,’ he told Metro.co.uk.
He also revealed that it was ‘rather lovely’ for him to have a younger fanbase thanks to Gimli’s grumpy but loyal personality.
Rhys-Davies explained: ‘Children love Gimli, and rightly so, because in a way he is the most human of all those characters, I think. The others are a little bit idealised. Gimli has our faults, as well as the virtues that we dream about possessing and having.’
The Indiana Jones actor also griped that his , Dutch bodybuilder Olivier Richters, hasn’t helped public perception when it comes to his height.
‘Do you see how, very bitchily, they managed to place me underneath the tallest man in that line-up on the Hollywood red carpet for the Indiana Jones premiere, that towering giant of a fellow who must be what, a full seven foot?’ he laughed.
‘They have him a little bit overwhelming Harrison [Ford] – Harrison is .
‘But the man is at least seven foot tall and he is huge, so I told him that standing next to him, I did feel ‘dwarfed’ – and I think he got it! Smart lad.’
Richters plays one of Nazi villain Jürgen Voller’s (Mads Mikkelsen) henchmen in the latest (and final) Indiana Jones movie – for which Rhys-Davies in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – and is indeed over seven feet tall.
The veteran actor also discussed his new role in Victorian supernatural thriller The Gates as he looked back on his career, which spans over 50 years and includes early appearances in classic TV police shows like The Sweeney and Z Cars, as well as the BBC’s 1976 adaptation of I, Claudius alongside Sir Derek Jacobi, Dame Siân Phillips and Brian Blessed.
Rhys-Davies shared that his reasons for saying yes to roles always vary, admitting: ‘Sometimes it’s just the bank manager. Sometimes it’s a chum saying, “Look, can you come and give us a hand here?” or “If you’re involved in this, I can probably get the funding for it, and you owe me a favour”.’
With The Gates, Irish director Stephen Hall’s second feature film, it was shot during the pandemic and Rhys-Davies was keen to help get the film industry going once more.
‘It was very important to try and get the country back opening up again and doing things again – that would have been one of the factors. But I liked the story,’ he added.
‘I also suspected – and was proven right – that the state of Irish acting and the state of the Irish film industry at the moment is setting the standards for Britain.
‘I think they’re really red hot, and their actors are confident. It’s wonderful working in Ireland anyway, but it’s lovely seeing good actors flowering and good young talent emerging and coming on.’
Rhys-Davies’ co-stars in the independent flick include Irish actor Michael Yare and a large Irish ensemble cast, alongside Richard Brake and Elena Delia. Earlier this year, the Irish film industry also received worldwide attention thanks to the award season nominations – and some eventual wins – and The Banshees of Inisherin, , Colin Farrell and Barry Keoghan.
In The Gates, Rhys-Davies plays post-mortem photographer turned paranormal investigator Frederick Ladbroke, who inserts himself into the narrative after a serial killer sentenced to death in the electric chair puts a curse on the prison he is in and all of those in it.
‘I wanted to create a man who’s a little bit hurt, who’s spent his life in the absolute belief that he’s about to make one of the most important contributions to the field of human knowledge in demonstrating that there is a spirit world beyond on scientific grounds,’ he said of the character of Frederick.
‘He seems to have wasted his life and wasted his beloved niece’s inheritance and life as well.’
Rhys-Davies also relished the opportunity to show a softer, weaker side.
‘I wanted to play a character who actually had a measure of vulnerability and [is] having to defer to people who just dismiss your ideas out of hand. I get to play strong, confident people frequently, I just wanted somebody who could be strong and yet vulnerable – and I think Frederick is in a way.’
Before we part ways, the actor also shares that he is in the middle of university hunting with his 17-year-old daughter Maia, whom he shares with his partner of almost 20 years, Lisa Manning.
He’s curious about the whole process and how much it’s changed since his day, when he became co-founder of the drama club at the University of East Anglia, where he was on of its first students.
His daughter is eying up Cambridge, which Rhys-Davies claims is down to his own past folly.
‘Why Cambridge, Maia? “Because Dad, I read that you failed to get into Cambridge because you were drunk at the interview”,’ he recalls of their conversation, before confirming the accusation is indeed – ‘I’m afraid’ – true.
The Gates, from 101 Films, is available on digital platforms now, including Sky, Amazon and iTunes. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is in cinemas nationwide now.
