(Cover) - EN Movies - Martin Freeman insists the success of The Hobbit movies doesn't "hang on anyone's shoulders", although Peter Jackson disagrees.
The British actor portrays the lead character Bilbo Baggins in the trilogy, with the first instalment due out later this year. Initially it was thought the J.R.R. Tolkien book would be made into one film, although it has now been split up.
Martin knows many people expect him to feel pressurised as the star of the prequels to The Lord of the Rings movies, but he has no such worries. He insists everyone will play an equal part in the success, although director Peter has another viewpoint.
"I really don't [feel anything] other than the normal pressure I feel when I'm doing a play or film," Martin told Total Film magazine.
"It's not really daunting. It is unexpected compared to where we were, but it's the same thing of telling the story and doing your bit, whether it's one or two or three films. There's just, you know, more of it! But there are so many of us involved, it doesn't really hang on anyone's shoulders."
Peter appeared to contradict Martin later in the interview, which was conducted with the cast while they were shooting in New Zealand. "[Martin's] got a difficult role from the fact that the film sits on his shoulders," he revealed.
Andy Serkis is renowned for his portrayal of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings franchise and is reprising the role for The Hobbit films. He was thrilled to get another chance at the character, but found it much harder than he initially expected.
"It was very strange hearing his voice again and finding my way back into the character," Andy said. "At first I felt like I was doing a weird sort of impersonation of someone I once played. It took me a couple of days to really dig deep, really connect with him beyond a superficial level. I've never been through that before."
