The Lord of the Rings: Fan-favorite Sam was almost played by this talk show host!

• Samwise Gamgee is the unsung hero of The Lord of the Rings movies.
• Inseparable from him is actor Sean Astin, who brought Sam to the screen so fabulously.
• Now a well-known late-night show host has revealed that he has also auditioned for the role of Frodo’s companion.

Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” films are now part of pop culture heritage. Likewise the characters and of course the actors who embodied them. In particular, Sean Astin’s performance as kindhearted Sam continues to wow millions. But it almost turned out very differently.

James Corden has hosted the CBS show The Late Late Show since 2015. On the Happy Sad Confused podcast, he surprisingly enlightened listeners about his audition for the role of Sam in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. According to Corden, everyone in London at the time was casting for the iconic role from the Tolkien books.

Excited and well-prepared for the role of The Hobbit Sam, Corden felt confident and even got 2 calls from the casting directors after the audition. After that, however, nothing. Apparently the role was cast and Corden and his friends, who also auditioned for Sam, got nothing.

Today, the moderator no longer seems particularly sad about it, but takes what happened with humor. In the end, Sean Astin got the role of Sam and filled it with heart and passion and pure Hobbit qualities. Corden has had a successful career as a comedian, actor, and presenter.

Sometimes it’s interesting to think about “what if”. Certainly Corden would also have succeeded in creating a Sam, but not one who has become immortal through Astin and enjoys an incredibly high status in the franchise.

This year, the “Lord of the Rings” series “The Rings of Power” celebrated its premiere on Amazon Prime Video. Season 2 is already in production. Despite mixed reviews, the live-action adaptation of Tolkien’s Middle-earth is incredibly exciting and beautiful to watch.