Martin to play Bilbo Baggins
British actor Martin Freeman from The Office was officially cast in the starring role of The Hobbit on Friday, as New Zealand flagged a last-ditch compromise to stop the production moving offshore. Director Peter Jackson took time out from a bitter row with acting unions to announce Freeman would play Bilbo Baggins in the two-part prequel to The Lord of the Rings.
The Oscar-winning director said Freeman was always his first choice to play the J.R.R. Tolkien character.
“Despite the various rumours and speculation surrounding this role, there has only ever been one Bilbo Baggins for us,” Jackson said. “There are a few times in your career when you come across an actor who you know was born to play a role,” he said.
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Lindsay Lohan leaves rehab, to face court
Beverly Hills, California: Lindsay Lohan is returning to familiar territory — a criminal court to face a judge who could send her back to jail or rehab for a failed drug test.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elden S. Fox will formally determine whether the Mean Girls star violated her probation with the drug test in September. If the actress admits the results are accurate — as she has already done publicly — then Judge Fox could return her to jail or order her to remain in an inpatient rehab programme.
Judge Fox had been expecting Lohan to arrive at court directly from jail, where he ordered her to be held on September 24 after a brief hearing. Within hours another judge had overturned his ruling and the starlet was released on bail. —AP
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