Elves have this superhuman strength, yet they're so graceful. Tolkien created them to be angelic spirits, but I also saw Legolas as something out of the Seven Samurai.

We have to make good use of the time we have. That simple. We have to wake up every day, knowing that it's not just an ordinary day. We have to take the moment, seize each day.

I'm still at the beginning of my career. It's all a little new, and I'm still learning as I go

I crave working on those small independent movies because I love going to see those myself.

I cherished my time filming 'Lord of the Rings' in New Zealand - it's the most beautiful, magical place with great hospitality. I love places that are completely cut off from everything - where I can relax and enjoy the simplicity of nature.

I wondered how they would top the Pirates and skeletons and moonlight, because that's a pretty cool concept.

I had the training at drama school where I studied Shakespeare and Brecht and Chekov and all these period historical playwrights and I think that I responded to the material.