I wasn't into Tolkien at school really. But the story is timeless, the themes that it touches on are contained in cultures all around the world. The innocent on a quest, the pretender, an inanimate object that holds evil - it's really strange that these themes are there in so many different countries' folklore.

But you talk to most filmmakers and it is six, seven, eight years trying to get things off the ground. It is incredible really.

I wasn't into Tolkien at school really. But the story is timeless, the themes that it touches on are contained in cultures all around the world. The innocent on a quest, the pretender, an inanimate object that holds evil - it's really strange that these themes are there in so many different countries' folklore.

Strangely enough, the first time I tried to read [The Lord of the Rings] I was on holiday in Florida. I dropped it in the pool my first day there. If that's not a Pippin thing to do, I don't know what is.

I think Scotland has some great stories.

Acting, music, painting... it's very subjective. So what I might think is a great actor, you might think is not a very good actor at all.

Sometimes the songs you think will be best don't turn out to be best.