Christopher Lee not attending The Lord of the Rings premiere? Talk about unexpected drama straight out of Middle-earth! The legendary actor, known for his menacing portrayal of Saruman, shocked everyone when he decided to boycott the film’s big night. Why? Well, an ugly behind-the-scenes spat with director Peter Jackson left Lee feeling like he’d been dealt a bad hand.
Fans who expected to see him celebrating alongside the cast were in for a surprise when his absence spoke volumes. For an actor as iconic as Lee, skipping such a monumental event was no small deal, and it added an unexpected twist to the LOTR saga—both on and off-screen.
Christopher Lee Ditched The Return of the King Premiere After Saruman’s Scene Got Axed
Christopher Lee ditched The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King premiere. Turns out, the legendary actor was seriously pissed when his one scene in the final film—Saruman’s epic showdown at Isengard—was completely cut from the theatrical release. The decision to remove the climactic showdown at Isengard left the late actor deeply hurt. After nailing his role in The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers, Lee was left fuming. He asserted (via Looper):
Of course I am shocked, that’s all I can say. If you want to know why [it has happened] you would have to ask the company New Line, or the director Peter Jackson and his associates, because I don’t really know why.
Peter Jackson explained that kicking off the finale with Saruman’s defeat didn’t vibe with the rest of the movie’s flow. But for Lee, an OG Tolkien fan (he even met the author!), it was a massive blow. In response, the actor chose to boycott the premiere, snapping,
No, what’s the point? What’s the point of going? None at all.
Luckily, Lee got his moment in the extended edition. Plus, he returned to narrate The Children of Húrin and even came back as Saruman in The Hobbit trilogy.
Christopher Lee Named His Greatest Performance – And It’s Not What You’d Expect
Christopher Lee, the towering legend of horror and fantasy, revealed that his greatest performance wasn’t as Dracula or Saruman but in a little-seen, highly controversial biopic. “That’s the best thing I’ve ever done,” Lee declared about playing Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, in 1998’s Jinnah. Known for his iconic roles in LOTR, Star Wars, and Hammer horror classics, Lee’s pick might surprise many (via Farout Magazine).
Despite facing death threats and controversy—because people couldn’t wrap their heads around a vampire star portraying a historical figure—Lee called Jinnah his “greatest responsibility.” He even shared that having Jinnah’s relatives on set made the experience much more intense.
Sadly, the film never received a proper theatrical release, with the biopic landing straight to DVD. While Lee’s iconic genre roles made him a cinema legend, it’s Jinnah that showed his true acting depth. What a career!
Watch Lord of the Rings on Amazon Prime.
