From The Lord of the Rings: The Making of the Movie Trilogy by Brain Sibley:

"Hobbit Talk"

A conversation with Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd

Q:  How do Merry and Pippin develop as the story unfolds?

Dom:  Basically they are forced to grow up - grow older - a lot quicker than, as hobbits, they normally would... And, in doing so, they learn to embrace what's happening to them... Merry, Sam and PippinMerry becomes a lot more serious and thoughtful and, later, although, he becomes incredibly damaged, psychologically by the war, he finds a courage that surprises even him...

Billy:  Even though Pippin also matures, he still finds a time and a place for humour.  The difference is that whereas in the first movie he's a source of unconscious comedy, it's something he grows to understand; to begin with, he doesn't know that the things he's doing are funny, later he says things to intentionally lighten the mood...

Dom:  Actually, it was a bit of a 'group-project', getting Merry and Pippin to grow up! Merry and Pippin in Lothlorien Make-up and costume helped a lot - especially wearing armour: the moment you put on gauntlets, strap on a breastplate and start carrying a sword, you not only stand and walk differently, you feel different...

Billy:  And the armour worn by the men (and hobbit) of Gondor was fantastic!

Dom:  But not as good as that of Rohan!

Billy:  You say that, Dom, but I did notice the girls on set looking at me quite differently when I had my Gondorian uniform on...

Dom:  Hmmm...

Galadriel giving hobbits giftsQ:  What about Dominic and Billy?  Did you feel that you changed or developed?

Billy:  Everyone changed!  And, because we were so close, everyone borrowed from each other - took on some of those qualities that we respected and admired in other people...

Dom:  I'm sure that in casting us all they must have asked themselves: 'Can these people survive this ordeal?'  Do they have the strength of character go get through a year and a half together?'  But we did!  Elijah was inspiring because he was so incredibly resilient and hard-working;  Ian McKellen was like a father figure to whom you'd turn for advice;  ViggoBilly surfing was such a strong, powerful character who was always there for people;  Bill always made people feel good making them laugh, and-

Billy:  And Dom always made the girls feel good in a special way!  No idea how he did it!

Dom:  Peter was a good judge of character: sensing that this group could work together and complement one another - not for four or five weeks but, by the time we're finally done, four or five years...

Q:  If it hadn't worked you could have ripped yourselves apart...

Dom:  There'd be times when someone would get tired and lose their temper, but we Merry and Pippinbecame such good friends that we got to know when someone was at breaking-point and whether they needed a night out or just a good night's sleep, whether they needed to be left alone or given a hug-

Billy:  I need a hug!

Dom:  Not now!

Billy:  The great thing was: if there was any danger of losing it, you really only had to remind yourself that you were making The Lord of the Rings and that was enough to make Pippin holding swordyou focus: knowing that you are making this movie and that's going to be seen by generations...

Q:  Which could be enough to terrify you out of your wits!

Billy:  That's true!  In fact, for the first three months, I couldn't think about it, every time I did I'd just pass out!

Dom:  Fall down, flat on his face, he would!

Billy:  One time, in a cactus!

Dom:  It was like an 'Itchy & Scratchy' cartoon on The Simpsons!  Personally, I think it's too dangerous to keep thinking about the future.  I'm all about living for the moment and Merry and Pippinbeing in the now... If you plan too much it's boring simply because you know what's coming up next.  I always want to be interested in what's happening;  I want things to surprise me.

Billy:  I think if you're lucky enough to have a choice in life then you have to choose what you feel, in your guts, is right for you at the time... This film, this experience, was right for me - for us!  There's one day that sticks in my mind: we were on Mount Cook - this incredibly beautiful place where, because of environmental rules, people normally aren't allowed... There was just the Fellowship and a very small crew and I remember sitting, eating lunch and looking Orlando, Billy & Elijahover and seeing Aragorn, Frodo, Sam, Merry and these other characters that I'd read about in a book and there they all were - and I was one of them...

Dom:  I'm the same as Bill-

Billy:  Are you, really?  Well, I'm tired and I could do with a bath...I stink!

Dom:  That's true!  You do!  You stink of elderberries and wizards!