Armitage's Twitter troubles


05 December 2014
Richard Armitage doesn't think The Hobbit will ever really be over.

The British actor is known to millions for playing dwarf Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbit movies, with the last instalment, The Battle of the Five Armies, due to hit cinemas later this month.

He's also a prolific stage actor, but rarely ever reads the reviews.

"Sometimes [I read them], but the problem is when you find something you wish you hadn't read. I'm on social media so it's a barrage of opinions," Richard smiled to British newspaper Metro.

The Hobbit movies are a prequel to The Lord of the Rings trilogy and boast an A-list cast including Sir Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman and Orlando Bloom.

Peter Jackson helmed both franchises, based on the books by J. R. R. Tolkien, and has spent more than 13 years working on the big-screen adaptations. With The Hobbit coming to a close, Richard doesn't think the fantasy series will every really be put to bed.

"I feel like it will never really be finished, that I'll always be talking about what it was like working with Peter Jackson and playing Thorin Oakenshield. People will be discovering the films for a long time to come. If The Lord of the Rings is on over Christmas you always watch and think: 'Oh, great, The Lord of the Rings is on,' so it's great to be a part of it," he enthused.

The 43-year-old can next be seen in Sleepwalker, which he is currently filming with Haley Joel Osment.

He has a lot to thank the Hobbit for, especially as his dwarf costume means Richard has not been pigeonholed when it comes to new roles.

"Lots of people see these films across the globe. The other side of it is people often don't recognise me in the character, which is good in that they don't see much of me in there. It makes me relatively more employable to people so it's helpful in that respect," he laughed.

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