Voices Part VI: More from The Hobbit: Balin, Beorn, Radagast the Brown, and more Thorin

I'm continuing my VOICES series and  also continuing with my exploration of actors' voices in The Hobbit.  I'm always interested in the power of the voice and curious about how actors use this instrument of their profession. For the actors cast in The Hobbit it is interesting to me to hear or see them in different roles before we get to see them in the first film December 2012.


Mikael Persbrandt  is the shape-shifter Beorn in The Hobbit. Bilbo, Gandalf, and the Dwarves meet up with Beorn during their quest.

7/12/11 Update: Bloody Disgusting is reporting that Mikael Persbrandt has been cast as the lead in Lasse Hallstrom's new Swedish film The Hypnotist based on one of Lars Kepler's Nordic Noir mysteries. Persbrandt will play Detective Joona Linna, This is planned to be the first of three films based on Kepler's novels.  

I’ve only heard him speak English in interviews and every role I’ve seen him play, from Gundvar Larson in Beck when I first saw him, to a couple of movie roles, have all been in Swedish productions.Even when playing a good guy  like Gundvar he has a menacing presence.  I don’t understand Swedish, but his voice to me always has a staccato quality to it no matter the role.  Persbrandt has great charisma and screen presence and  I believe he’ll be an unforgettable Beorn. 

Click HERE to find out more about Mikael Persbrandt:

Below are two scenes of Persbrandt in the movie Solstorm (2007)(English subtitles). A warning that there are spoilers, in case you're interested in watching the entire film:

I've posted about Mikael Persbrandt before, as a matter of fact  it's one of the most popular posts on my blog, and I want to send a Thank You and a salute to his fans and to those curious about him.  Below is a link to that post:


http://whiterosewritings.blogspot.com/search/label/Mikael%20Persbrandt

Ken Stott plays Balin one of the Dwarves in The Hobbit .  He is often the lookout for the group and an old companion of Thorin’s.

Stott has a very deep voice that sounds like rumbling thunder.  In this excerpt  from  a BBC Radio production of Macbeth  we get a taste of this Edinburgh native's own Scottish accent starring as the Thane of Glamis himself.




Click HERE to find out more about Ken Stott.

Sylvester McCoy is Radagast  the Brown in The Hobbit.  Radagast is a Wizard who was involved in the struggle against Sauron.

McCoy was Dr. Who from 1987-1989 in the popular BBC TV series. I tried to find audio or video of him in something other than Dr. Who, but the only things I found just didn't fit or were of him preparing to read a poem at an event, and not him actually reading the poem. But for those like me who are not regular viewers of the Dr. Who series, I thought it would be interesting to show a clip of McCoy as the Doctor.


Click HERE to find out more about Sylvester McCoy.

No post of Voices from The Hobbit would be complete without our Dwarf leader Thorin Oakenshield. 

Below is an excerpt of Richard Armitage as Robert Lovelace in a BBC Radio 4 play (2010) of the novel Clarissa. 

Clarissa, or, the History of a Young Lady is an epistolary novel by Samuel Richardson, published in 1748.  It is the tragic story of the virtuous Clarissa Harlow and the rogue Robert Lovelace. Below Armitage as Lovelace writing a letter to his best friend Jack.  

I particularly love the many changes of tone in Armitage's voice in this clip (I'm going to start calling him The Voice).

Photo,caps, clips, etc. for this post  from RichardArmitagenet.com, RichardArmitageCentral, Ammancinema.com, Continuitysupervisor.com, Filmnic.com, Google Images, YouTube. 

New Scenes of Richard Armitage as Heinz Kruger - Only RA Clips of New Captain America Trailer

Crazy end of the week with news, news, news, about Richard Armitage: The Hobbit photo, Captain America Trailer, and RECOGNIZE Magazine sneak peek (see sidebar).
When it rains it pours: Rain Baby, Rain!

Leo and Libra: How Compatible Am I Astrologically with Richard Armitage?

A little while ago I tested my numerology (or numerological?) compatibility with Richard Armitage and let’s just say I didn’t do all that well.  You can read all about it by clicking on the link below:

http://whiterosewritings.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-compatible-am-i-with-richard.html

But how compatible are RA and I astrologically speaking????  I took out my magic ancestral sword , Lettuce Leaf,  and my purple cape, and set out on a magic quest  through Horoscope-Haven  to find out. 

Richard Armitage’s birthday is August 22 and that makes him a Leo. More accurately, it makes him a Leo/Virgo cusp (insert your own jokes here!).  I started my journey by finding out a little about the man and his horoscope (real horoscopes, highlights and comments mine):

Leo/Virgo:

August 19 to August 25

Leo is the fifth sign of the zodiac. Moving past the exploration of the world and the need to nurture of the first four signs, Leo's great need is to create. Virgos, represented by the sixth sign of the zodiac, bring their skills and talents together for the good of others (so far so good, sounds like our man doesn’t it?). Those born on the Leo/Virgo cusp have the vitality and ambition to be successful in their creative endeavors (bingo!) and are industrious and efficient when working for a good cause (we have proof this is true!). 

The astrological symbol of Leo is the Lion (look at that lovely mane). 

The astrological symbol of Virgo is the Virgin. The Virgin reflects the qualities of a virgin, rather than the definition (that’s a relief): Virgos and Virgo cusps tend to be shy  (how adorable)and somewhat nervous (also adorable), and they may be undemonstrative. (With those smoldering looks, I doubt it!)

In love relationships, Leo/Virgo is devoted and sometimes jealous, but not especially flirtatious. The great strength of Leo/Virgos is in their creativity and attention to detail, and their desire to be of service. They pick up on the little things that most miss. Thoughtful gifts(swoon, I love thoughtful gifts…don’t you?) or unique solutions to problems are second nature to those with this astrological placement. Their commitment to helping others makes them one of the most giving characters of the zodiac. (yes indeed!)

Finally I reach the purpose of my journey, the moment of truth:  Leo (RA) and Libra (Me) Compatibility

Are Leo and Libra made for each other? Are these two blessed with good karmic blessings from the stars? Can these two learn to embrace each other with each others faults and bring fulfillment to each other's lives.  (Need you ask!)The answer is pretty simple if you know this. Let me tell you something about Leo. Leo is luxury loving, eternally (and hopelessly) romantic, has a love for the finer things in life, loves to hit all the hot and happening places in town and is infuriatingly idealistic. Now let's see a glimpse of Libra. Libra is luxury loving, eternally (and hopelessly) romantic, has a love for the finer things in life, loves to hit all the hot and happening places in town and is infuriatingly idealistic. Does that sound familiar to you, wait a minute! Isn't that exactly the same as... Ya, well, you have your answer. (Ah Ha! I always knew we had things in common!)  

Compatibility of Leo Man and Libra Woman:

The thing that attributes for the greater compatibility of this love match is that both the signs like to complement each other. Leo and Libra love to attend social gatherings. (Party Time!) 

They like to engage themselves in romance and act as lovers. (Swoon) 

This love match is strong enough to face adverse situations due to their opposite individual characters (how did the numerology thing get in here). 

This pair likes to enjoy candlelit dinners, 

long drives, 

dancing, (Tango all night!) etc.

The relationship will be full of love, romance, passion, fun and excitement. (With this guy how could it be any other way!) Even their chemistry will be great and there will be no problems. (Let’s see, I have a Latin temper, and he’s admitted to having a temper---sure---no problems whatsoever---LOL)  A Libra woman lacks the ability to make decisions  (too true, I have to consider all options, once, twice, three times, and start all over again…except for RA of course, no problem deciding that one!),

which a Leo man can do perfectly ( Me: Should I get the yellow diamond, or maybe the pink one darling? Him: Oh darling, Let’s get both!). Therefore, this love match has a good compatibility. 

She adores the beautiful things in life (no wonder I adore him, no?) and he will be on her side.

 Libra women like to buy antiques and their male counter part are always ready to shed their pockets.

The coming together of the Leo man and Libra woman is as natural and inevitable as the flower opening out for the bee or the moon attracting the tides of the sea. (I’m getting seasick here folks) Venus, the ruling planet of Libra, ensures that the Libra woman is one of the most enticing creatures in the zodiac system. (Oh yes, that’s truly me....Ha! ...so why can’t I get a man to even buy me a cup of coffee? Obviously my Venusian superpowers are getting blocked by Captain America ). 

She is sure to floor her partner with her winning ways, charming sociability and elegant airs. The Leo man on the other will create no less of an impact with his magnetic personality and enthusiasm to live life to the maximum. (At least one of us will have the charm and personality!) 

Together they will make the rounds of theater, opera, swanky nightclubs and host charming parties for mutual friends. (I’m all for theater, opera, and let’s throw a little tango in there too…!)

Leo-Libra Compatibility:

Before we conclude that the Leo and Libra compatibility is very good, let me just highlight one last point. In many a lasting relationship, time and responsibilities often kill the romance and love, bit by bit, trickle by trickle. In this relationship though, that is not the case as they are immune to everything external of they themselves. (I agree, who cares about the rest of the world when you have RA! Especially other women, who needs other women hanging around when I have RA!)

They continue to keep the spirit of romance alive with child-like innocence, 

through the means of occasional love letters, frequent phone calls, 

teasing banter 

and a wink here, a look there and the entire works. Not everyone has this blessing. (He is a blessing, isn't he?)

So how  astrologically compatible are you with Richard Armitage?  Below are links to the horoscopes I used for this post, or you can set out on your own quest to find out:

http://www.futurescopes.com/leo-libra/3243/leo-libra-lov

http://www.dxpnet.com/opinion/zodiac-cusps/Leo-Virgo-Cusps-Cusp-of-Exposure!-748450.aspe-compatibility

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/leo-and-libra-compatibility.html

http://www.ganeshaspeaks.com/compatibility/leo-libra-compatibility.jsp

Disclaimer:  The above is intended to bring a little fun into our lives, or at least a little fun in mine.  I don’t know Mr. Armitage,  but I do know he has a wonderful sense of humor and should  he accidentally wonder in here and read this, I hope he knows it’s because I admire his work and appreciate the joy it brings into my life.


Photos/Caps thanks to RichardArmitagenet.com and Richard Armitage Central.

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Please join your fellow fans in wishing Richard Armitage a Happy Birthday.  For information on how to participate go over to Calexora’s blog, Befuddled Musings for details:

http://calexora.wordpress.com/2011/06/17/planning-for-richard-armitages-40th-birthday/

Game of Thrones - Sean Bean Interview from Monte-Carlo Television Festival

Game of Thrones cast:  Emilia Clarke, Mark Addy, Sean Bean, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau 

Part I of Interview  - Program in French, simultaneous translation, but you can hear answers of the cast in English if you listen carefully.

Part 2:

Part 3: 

How do you get the Ice Pack Job?

So I'm reading a new article about Sean Bean as Ned Stark in Game of Thrones and I come across this:

The series shot in Northern Ireland and Malta. The cast faced everything from rain, wind and mud to 90-degree heat and baking sun. Bean wore ice packs on his back to cool down under costumes heavy with leather and fur.

Of course, every Richard Armitage fan knows that he also wore ice packs as Guy of Gisborne under all that black leather:

So here's my questions to movie producers everywhere:  How do you get a job helping to put ice packs on these guys?  Where do I apply?  Is there an Ice Pack Training Academy? 

Forget pay, I'll work for room and board for the ice pack job for Armitage and Bean.(I'm sure I'll need a room next door to them, in case an emergency costume ice pack was needed in the middle of the night.) I'm a good traveler and I'm sure with a portable freezer I could go anywhere in the world with my ice pack expertise: New Zealand? Belfast? Hungary? London? Sheffield?  You name it, have passport and ice, Will Travel! 

Can you imagine what the work day would be like?  Spending the day changing ice packs for  these two men! Getting to know every detail of their costumes. (Yes, I've suddenly developed an interest in film costume design).  Giving them some tender loving care to make sure they're comfortable at all times. What if someone asked you how your day was like?  Instead of mumbling something about endless paperwork and office politics, you could regale your friends with the fine points of ice pack placement on Richard Armitage and Sean Bean's body!!!!!!!!! 

Film people PLEASE! Hear my call! I just bought a new state-of-the art freezer and am getting my ice pack supply ready, each with finely monogrammed RA or SB on each individual pack, and maybe just a hint of refreshing ice scents.  Maybe some scent of Henderson's Relish for Bean, and Pilsner Urquell for Armitage? 

I'm having a new set of insulated poly-something keep cool luggage especially made for my ice packs and ice pack placement tools. Ice, Ice, Baby...

CALL ME!

(Pics thanks to RichardArmitageNet.com, The Mighty Bean, Google Images, my own caps. Post inspired by comment on TMB)

A Bit of Armitage Humor

Comedy is a very personal and often cultural thing.  I may find something hilarious that even my friends and family don't, and the opposite is also true.  One thing for sure, I love a man with a sense of humor, especially about himself and the world around him.


One man that I find has a great sense of humor and often makes me laugh when I least expect to is Richard Armitage.  A man who is  very serious and hardworking, yet you often find a twinkle in his eye and that slight and sometimes naughty smile when he's being interviewed. He has his own brand of RA wit and whimsy.

We have seldom seen this side of him in the roles he's played, though we did see some witty repartee between Lucas North (Richard Armitage) and Ros Myers  (Hermione Norris) in Spooks Seasons 7 and 8, and also enjoyed his comedy timing in the Vicar of Dibley with Dawn French.  Who didn't fall in love with RA as Harry Kennedy!  I hope producers out there cast him in more comedy roles! 

A small sample of the funny side of Armitage in the video below: