The Hobbit trilogy finally comes to a close this Friday, bringing Bilbo’s journey to an end. But after playing the pint-sized burglar in one of the biggest film series of the century, Martin Freeman (Sherlock, Fargo) has risen to superstardom. So much so that he can’t walk more than a couple of paces this time of year without seeing his own giant face on a bus or a billboard.
“To be honest, I am used to it,” says Freeman. “I mean, it’s always strange, but I’m used to the strangeness now.
“I remember when The Hobbit opened in New Zealand, and it was in every street in Wellington. It was like I was an Eastern European dictator or something. Every lamppost had an image of me looking stern or something. Actually, not stern. I’m not stern. I would be the nicest dictator in the world. A gentle dictator.
“It was everywhere. We flew out on a fucking plane with my face on it. In first class of Air New Zealand, the menu for the food was Bilbo’s green door… The flight socks that you were given were hobbit feet.
“But again, fortunately for my sanity, I know that has nothing to do with me. It’s like, this is a film that I’ve directed and produced… and no. I got on a train that was already moving from Lord Of The Rings, and yes, I’m an important passenger on the train, but the train was always going. It was always going.”
The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies is in cinemas 12 December. You can buy The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug Extended Edition for £19.99 from Amazon.co.uk. For more on The Hobbit, get the latest issue of SciFiNow.
