In Full Bloom: Today's LOTR Tidbit: A Look At Where the Fellowship is Now

I was browsing through my Facebook news feed and an article from 'Movie Pilot' came up about what the cast of the Lord of the Rings has done since the last LOTR and how they've changed. Of course Orlando has done an incredible amount of blockbusters since his start, and it was LOTR that really catapulted him to stardom. He also looks the best after 13 years, he practically looks the same! So
gorgeous. On the other hand, Pippin does not look the same at all, was a bit shocked. Anyways here is the article from MoviePilot for you to enjoy! (By, Kit Simpson Browne)
With the final part of The Hobbit trilogy fast approaching, we may soon have to bid a final farewell to the world of Cinematic Middle Earth.

That got us thinking - after we got all emotional, and drowned our sorrows in a few 'pints' at the local Bree-like inn - just what have all of our favorite heroes from the original Lord of the Rings films been up to all this time?

After all, The Fellowship of the Ring was released THIRTEEN years ago. As in, the year George Bush was sworn in to office. The yearAaliyah died. The year the Gamecube was released. The year Mel C left The Spice Girls.

I mean, it was a really long time ago.

So that Fellowship must have changed a lot, right?

Well, let's take a look.

First up:

Frodo, aka Elijah Wood

Ok, so maybe they haven't all changed that much.

What's He Been Up To? Other than being deeply creepy in Sin City, Wood, now aged 33, has recently had his biggest hit since Lord of the Rings with the critically-acclaimed TV series Wilfred, in which he talks to his dog, who's also a human. Sort of. Best not to mentionGreen Street.

And... he also, of course, starred (and sort of rapped) in thehilarious, star-studded video to The Beastie Boys' Make Some Noise. Which is just...the best thing ever.

Samwise, aka Sean Astin

What's He Been Up To? Other than featuring in Season 5 of 24, and voicing Raphael in Nickelodeon's (Emmy award-nominated)Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Astin (now 43) also briefly went into politics, working as the campaign manager for his friend Dan Adler, as he ran in a special election in California's 36th Congressional District. Sadly, Adler lost the Democratic primary, meaning Astin isn't currently starring in a real-life version of House of Cards.

And... he made a brief appearance in the video for what is simultaneously the catchiest and most irritating song ever - his old friend Corey Feldman's Ascension Millennium. You have been warned.

Merry, aka Dominic Monaghan

What's He Been Up To? Other than briefly appearing in Lost? Not a lot. Monaghan (now 37) was in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and the video for Eminem's Love the Way You Lie, though...

And... He's recently hit a bit of a career resurgence, with his new wildlife show Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan having recently debuted on BBC America. Though that does involve him facing down cobras...

Pippin, aka Billy Boyd

What's He Been Up To? Other than growing an excellent beard, Boyd (now 45!) has largely split his time between music and acting since Lord of the Rings, with a recent appearance in Macbeth at London's Globe theatre a highlight. He also starred in the surprisingly excellent cycling drama The Flying Scotsman back in 2006.

And... He's also proven himself an excellent cover-er of popular late-90's Britney Spears songs. Because Billy Boyd is awesome.

Aragorn, aka Viggo Mortensen

What's He Been Up To? One of the more high profile members of the Fellowship going into the original movie, Mortensen (now 55) has continued a successful Hollywood career since. 2005's A History of Violence was a highlight, as were 2009's The Road and 2011's A Dangerous Method, in which he played Sigmund Freud, with the excellent beard seen above.

And... He's most recently been in intensely creepy form in this year's The Two Faces of January - which is due out in October.

Boromir, aka Sean Bean

What's He Been Up To? Other than somehow not aging, Bean (also 55) has ensured his place in Fantasy history by playing Eddard freakin' Stark in Game of Thrones and voicing Martin Septim in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. He was also briefly on the board of directors of his beloved soccer team Sheffield United.

And... Possibly his most critically acclaimed role in the last few years? A cross-dressing teacher in the UK series Accused. Which he totally pulls off.

Gimli, aka John Rhys-Davies

What's He Been Up To? Rhys-Davies (now 70) has largely been appearing in the made-for-TV and straight-to-DVD realms since Lord of the Rings, with Anaconda 3: The Offspring a particular highlight. He also got into some trouble back in 2004 for some pretty out there politic views.

And... wait, did we say Anaconda 3: The Offspring was a highlight? We clearly meant to say Apocalypse Pompeii, a mockbuster of that movie starring Kit Harrington nobody watched.

Legolas, aka Orlando Bloom

What's He Been Up To? Other than marrying, and later separating from, Miranda Kerr? Bloom (now 37) broke seriously big with thePirates of the Caribbean series, but since then has worked mostly in smaller movies (The Three Musketeers notwithstanding). He also, of course, snuck into the Hobbit movies, despite Legolas very much not being in the books. Which is a neat play, really.

And... Bloom's theater work has drawn more critical acclaim than his work in films - in particular his performance as Romeo in 2013'sRomeo and Juliet on Broadway.

Gandalf, aka Sir Ian McKellen

What's He Been Up To? Generally being Ian McKellen, and thus the coolest man alive. McKellen (now 75) has continued to play Gandalf in the Hobbit movies, as well as returning to the X-Menfranchise on a number of occasions to define Magneto for a generation.

And... his adorable bromance with Patrick Stewart has continued unabated, with their recent Broadway double bill of No Man's Landand Waiting for Godot proving hugely successful - and almost bringing down the internet with their cute-ness on several viral occasions.

All of which makes me feel...really, really old.

But, on the plus side, Ian McKellen is still awesome...

Plus, bonus picture of the Hobbits just hangin' out, chillin', starin' at us all with their terrifying Hobbit eyes:

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is set for release December 18, 2014. And then we can all meet back here in 13 years to get all nostalgic again...