The Big Picture

• Christopher Lee's passion for Lord of the Rings made him the ideal Saruman, with in-depth knowledge and dedication.
• Lee's meeting with Tolkien highlighted his longtime love for the books, enhancing his performance in the film.
• Lee's commitment to Tolkien's original story was evident, expressing strong emotions over key character scenes, particularly Saruman's death scene, which was cut from the theatrical version of the film.

J. R. R. Tolkien and his The Lord of the Rings books have many dedicated fans, and they are well-deserved. The masterful story only grows more popular with each subsequent adaption and, after two film versions, the spin-off series Lord of the Rings: The Ring of Power, and more recently, the stage adaption The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale, there seems to be no end to the wide-spread fanbase. But of all the passionate fans who can spout endless trivia about Middle-earth, one rules them all by actually working his way into the films. The late, great Christopher Lee had many notable parts over his career, but it's safe to say that he was especially proud of his role as Saruman in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

As a self-professed fan, Lee knew the books better than most, even before getting the part. Fans are often the best people to work on an adaption because they can relate to the audience, and that is the case for Lee, as his passion for Lord of the Rings made him the perfect Saruman. Lee's performance in Lord of the Rings is memorable for many reasons, but his dedication to Lord of the Rings ran far deeper than an actor committed to doing their job. His understanding and love of the material enhanced the performance. While many fans idolize the man behind the White Wizard, Lee was star-struck by Tolkien himself upon their encounter, proving he is one of us.

Christopher Lee Was the Perfect Saruman

Saruman is a complex character with a rich history in Tolkien's work, so finding an actor to portray him right could have been difficult. The once heroic friend and mentor to Gandalf (Ian McKellen) is certainly a villain but good at hiding it. To create a believable threat that the audience can identify without the characters realizing the truth is no simple task. But Lee was up to the challenge. Not only was Lee's ability to play a villain well-documented, but he knew the character's full story from his interest in Tolkien's writings. The actor claimed to read the books yearly, showing he understood the character better than most. Lee fully committed to the role, immersing the audience in the story with his severe demeanor and intensity. Just from watching him, Lee's dedication is obvious, but the films don't show just how much Lee wanted to be there.

Long before Peter Jackson's films were even an idea, Lee fell in love with the books and dreamed about someday being in an adaption. So when the time came, Lee did more than hope. Not only did Lee send Jackson a letter asking to be considered, but he supposedly took a role in The New Adventures of Robin Hood TV show just to get wizarding experience and sent a picture of himself as a wizard to Jackson as well. Campaigning for the part worked out as he was cast as Saruman, and the rest is history.

Christopher Lee's Passion for 'Lord of the Rings' Was Clear

Lee was not just the perfect villain, but perfect for the film because of his passion for the story. He was all in, whether on-screen or not. Lee's knowledge of Middle-earth was so great that it inspired a game behind the scenes. The actor once joked in an interview with Cinefantastique, "Members of the cast and crew were always trying to catch me out. They'd ask me questions like, 'What was the name of Frodo's father,' or, 'What was the name of this or that sword.' Things like that. Well, they never caught me out — not once! They tried, but they never did." His infallibility seemed to be a point of pride for Lee, as it should be, considering the vast knowledge it required.

But Lee expressed his commitment to the source material in other ways as well, most specifically, his reaction to a critical change to Saruman. He was so invested in the original story that cutting the character's ultimate death infuriated him, an emotion that he surprisingly expressed. Though the scene did make it into the extended editions, Lee was so insulted that it wasn't included in the theatrical release that he boycotted the premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, a strong reaction from a person who could potentially face professional consequences for it, but Lee felt the conclusion of the Saruman's plot was integral to the story. Lee explained the moment's importance, saying, "The scene is one of the most important scenes in the whole trilogy because it's Saruman, the great mortal enemy, the most evil of them all, against the Fellowship." Clearly, he felt strongly about adequately adapting the books he loves so much and made that fact known.

Christopher Lee Was the Only 'Lord of the Rings' Actor To Meet Tolkien

While many of the actors in the film might have enjoyed the book, only Lee actually met Tolkien, giving him a special distinction among his cast mates. Long before he was cast and even before the films were conceived, J. R. R. Tolkien walked into a pub where Christopher Lee sat with his friends, one of whom knew the professor. Lee recalls that, as his friend called over the author, he nearly fell out of his chair. Lee described Tolkien as "a benign looking man, smoking a pipe, walking in, an English countryman with earth under his feet. And he was a genius, a man of incredible intellectual knowledge." When talking to him, Lee claimed to be unable to get the words out and, decades later, still looked back with reverence.

The story of their meeting started rumors that Lee had Tolkien's blessing to be in the films, but that is not the case, as the adaptation wasn't planned until after Tolkien's death. Still, the encounter shows just how much of a fan Lee was, even before he was involved with the Lord of the Rings in any official way. Lee's love for the story and dedication to accuracy prove that he was the right choice for the part. His dedication to the books amplifies his performance as Saruman and shows how deeply he cared for this project.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy is available to stream on Max in the U.S.

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