Karl Urban gushes about The Lord of the Rings crew's dedication to Tolkien's books

As The Lord of the Rings hits a major milestone, one key actor is praising the unsung heroes of the movie saga.

It’s amazing to realize 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of The Fellowship of the Ring, which kicked off Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. Every fan knows the story of how this massive risk paid off with a trilogy earning billions of dollars, numerous Oscars, and is still considered the standard for fantasy films. 

Naturally, several actors are looking back on their experiences with the film. That includes Karl Urban, who debuted in The Two Towers as Eomer, the warrior of Rohan who becomes a hero in his own right. Urban has, of course, since become a genre favorite with roles as Bones in the Star Trek reboot movies, and is currently playing Billy Butcher on The Boys.

Speaking to Variety to promote The Boys season 5, Urban reflected on his Lord of the Rings experience and how he was chosen for the role of Eomer. 

“I had just done a small New Zealand film called The Price of Milk, and the director of that movie was very good friends with Peter Jackson, and he took a rough cut off The Price of Milk down to show Peter,” Urban recalled. “And I think I just sort of happened to be in Peter's face when they were looking for someone to cast in the role of Eomer. And so we got a call. ‘Do you want to come and play?’ I was like, absolutely. And that was, without a doubt, and to this day, one of the most incredible experiences that I've ever had in my career.”

It’s little wonder Jackson picked Urban as he was well-suited for the role of Eomer. He brought gravitas to the part, handling the epic battle sequences and top moments such as Eomer leading the Rohirrim to save the day at Helm’s Deep.

Urban noted that while the cast was versed in Tolkien, it was not just the cast’s, but the crew’s dedication to the source material, too, that really made the movies work. 

“Even the gaffers and the lighting guys and the catering, everyone's carrying around a copy of the book and saying, ‘OK, so today we're in Edoras.’ And ‘OK, what are we filming?’ And looking and reading about it,” Urban continued. “And everybody was so invested from every department. It was really an amazing experience.”

Those who have watched the Extended Editions and their extensive “making of” appendices know the detail that Jackson brought to the saga. He wanted to honor Tolkien and that rubbed off on the crew, who also understood the material and how to bring the story to life. It’s another reminder of why LOTR became such a massive hit, with everyone on the crew joining Jackson’s fervor to get this done right. Rather than a cash grab, this was a passion project, and that passion continues to this day.

The Lord of the Rings movies are streaming on HBO Max.

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