The Hobbits: full interview

Updated 11 December 2002, 14.26

Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd tell CBBC Newsround's Lizo Mzimba that hobbits are the best characters - and they're sexier than Orlando Bloom!

Do you think Merry and Pippin come into their own in this film?

Billy Boyd: I think this movie for Merry and Pippin is about growing up, maturing kind of coming of age. And starting to understand the size of what's happened.

Especially for Pippin, I think, who's quite naïve to these things. It takes Merry to explain to him that this is going to effect everywhere in Middle Earth.

This war is affecting everyone and if you have a chance to do something to change that then you should. Yeah, it's definitely a coming of age for Merry and Pippin.

Was it dangerous to film?

Dominic Monaghan: It was good fun. I think guys in general like the action part of things.

We were lucky enough throughout the whole of the filming to have a personal trainer who went to the gym with us. We learnt how to kayak, learnt how to sword fight and a little bit of archery, all that stuff, horse riding and things.

That's what us guys tend to really enjoy doing. Nothing too dangerous although there were some broken bones along the way

BB: Especially with the horses. When you're doing scenes with horses no matter how well they're trained there's always a chance they'll kick you. Never get kicked by a horse though!

DM: You got kicked didn't you?

BB: Yeah, and it was very, very painful. I got kicked in the bum.

What was it like filming in New Zealand all together. Was it like living in Big Brother? But 50 times worse?

DM: We actually watched Big Brother in New Zealand while we were in New Zealand.

BB: We did! Someone sent it over on tape and we'd never seen anything like it so we sat and watched one episode and 24 hours later we were still watching it!

DM: We did all live in each other's pockets quite a lot but we had to work quite closely so it was nice to see each other off set. It was interesting that we worked for 12 hours a day, sometimes seven days a week yet we chose to spend our evenings hanging out together, but then we went on holiday together. So we're all just really, really good mates.

There's a rumour that Orlando Bloom is the most popular sexy lead character. What do you think?

BB: That's actually untrue. I don't know where you get that. That's a statistic you've made up.

So you're saying the hobbits are sexier?

DM: The hobbits are the heart of the movie - they're the emotional core for goodness sake!

BB: And we're handsome for God's sake. [points to Dominic] Look how pretty this man is!

DM: I mean Orlando Bloom - what are you talking about? They [the hobbits] are what the audience love, they're what the people really, really hang onto. They're the last character the audience want to die!

This Legolas guy - I hope he gets killed by an arrow in the next movie. Vroom... right through this eye!

BB: It's all make up anyway.

DM: Yeah you should see him when he's got his wig off. It's disgusting. Big open weeping warts on the top of his head.

BB: Covered in warts.

DM: Smells of elderberries.

BB: Oh, he smells!

DM: He can't defend himself [laughs] Hi Orly!

BB: Hi Orlando!

DM: How you doing mate?

Source: CBBC Newround Site