The Cast

 

"Amazing stuff. It's incredible to see what craftsmanship, sensitivity and attention to detail is being brought to bear on this ambitious project. Everything so far looks amazing and I can't wait to see the finished film."

Richard Taylor, Director/Effects Supervisor, Weta Workshop (2006)

Making movies is expensive. We could not have made this film without the generous donations from people from around the world. If you liked the film, why not donate money to the filmmakers to help replace the money spent and to go towards future films.

Born of Hope has a large cast of professional actors who all donated their time

and services to the project for no financial gain.

If you wish to contact any of the cast please send an email to the Born of Hope TEAM

and your message will be forwarded to the right person.

Cast & Crew for 2006 Test Shoot

Christopher Dane - Arathorn

Chris has worked extensively in independent short and feature films as well as professional theatre productions such as Mary Stuart in London's West End. Chris shares the same Scandinavian roots as Viggo Mortensen and is both proud and thrilled to be playing Arathorn in this ambitious project.

www.christopherdane.co.uk

Beth Aynsley - Gilraen

Beth trained at Lamda where she played Titania and Corday in Marat/Sade during her final year. Since leaving she has been seen in Punchdrunk's production of Faust, This Is Your Captain Speaking at The Pentameters and in The Beach at The 503. She has also worked on a number of short films.

This is her longest and most exciting project to date.

Robert "Bobble" Harvey - Aragorn

Jonah McLafferty - Aragorn

Luke Johnston - Aragorn

Luke was offered a modeling contract with Bizzy kids at the tender age of 5 months and has been part of several photoshoots for the NHS and EJ Photos.

Andrew McDonald - Dirhael

Trained at LAMDA.

Theatre includes: Equus and Born in the Gardens (Bath Theatre Royal tours); The Entertainer (Old Vic); The Alchemist, The Royal Hunt of the Sun and Tartuffe (National Theatre); Heroes (Wyndham’s); Don Carlos (Crucible, Sheffield and Gielgud, London); The Goat (Apollo, London); Art (Wyndham’s and Whitehall); Noises Off (Brewhouse, Taunton); The Alchemist, Julius Caesar and Columbus (RSC) and seasons at the Nuffield, Southampton; Chichester Festival; Orange Tree, Richmond and Finborough Theatres.

Television includes: Sex on the Bench; EastEnders; The Bill; Crimewatch UK and Death on the Mountain.

Radio includes: Don Carlos and An Eye for an Eye.

Philippa Hammond - Ivorwen

Philippa began her acting career with such roles as third field-mouse in "Toad of Toad Hall". Numerous ladies in waiting followed until her first lead role as the Witch in "The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe", at the age of ten.

Rather more recently Philippa gained critical acclaim in Edinburgh for her one woman show "Glimpse", and for the title role in the infamous midnight production of "Fanny Hill". She appeared in "Anamnesis" which previewed at BAFTA and worked on a series of recreations of saucy silent films.Later in 2006 she begun work on "Undone", a short film by the award-winning writer Judy Upton.

Kate Madison - Elgarain

It was during her Zoology degree that Kate finally realised the Arts were her main love, boosted by the fact that during an internship looking after Manatees in Florida she played Sally Brown in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. She has been involved in a number of film & theatre productions including, Crystal in Little Shop of Horrors (Arts Theatre, Cambridge), Jennifer Gabriel in The Witches of Eastwick (ADC Theatre, Cambridge), The Pirates of Penzance (Minack Open Air Theatre, Cornwall), & Feste in Twelfth Night (Bridewell Theatre, London). Kate has also done some modeling work and TV includes various commercials and BBC1’s Mutual Friends.

www.katemadison.net

Danny George - Dirhaborn

Danny hails from North London and is the son of former professional football player and broadcaster Ricky George. After completing a history degree in Canterbury, Danny decided to take acting classes at the Method Studio in Holborn. Through this connection he met acting coach Andy Lucas with whom he has been working with for a number of years. Danny gave up a full-time job to turn professional and subsequently completed a post grad course at ArtsEd School of Acting. He has since appeared in a number of successful theatre productions and independent films including the feature film 'Charlie White'.

A keen Tolkien fan from an early age Danny is thrilled to be involved with such a ambitious and exciting production. myspace.com/dannyrgeorge

Iain Marshall - Arador

Iain trained at the East 15 Acting school in 1983 and went on to play his first TV role in By the Sword Divided for the BBC six weeks after graduation. He has always been interested in period work and is a swashbuckling member of the BADC as well as a keen horseman. TV work includes: Menace Unseen, The Chief, Growing Rich and The Uninvited for Anglia, The Politician’s Wife for Channel 4, Doc Martin for ITV, Peter Warlock-Some Little Joy for Sky Arts and Wind Across the Sea for German Television. Film work includes: Ladies in Lavender and The Lark. Iain has considerable stage experience, having cut his theatrical teeth in weekly rep, and is an accomplished writer and director. His new one man show ‘Chekhov’s Shorts’ tours in the autumn of 2009. Meanwhile he is fulfilling his passion for horses by studying for a foundation degree in Equine Behaviour and Training.

http://www.spotlight.com/interactive/cv/1/a6864/M10312.html

Howard Corlett - Halbaron

Howard has worked principally in independent short and feature films, Rick Blaine in the BBC Film Club's adaptation of Casa Blanca, as well as The Photoshoot, The Secret Philosophy and recently Sweetheart Sisters due to premiere at Cannes in 2009. Theatre credits include Bill Calhoun in Kiss Me Kate at the Minack Theatre and Billy Murphy in Windermere performed at The Actors Studio, Liverpool. He has presented on Sky for a series for Life TV as well as Thomson TV and featured in the finals of BBC1's Strictly Dance Fever.

http://www.spotlightcd.com/interactive/cv/1410-8978-2044

Amani Johara - Evonyn

Amani trained at Mountview Academy of Dramatic Arts and Central School of Speech & Drama in London. Notable credits include: the independent short film, 'Voices Inside', directed by Bernard Walton, which premiered at Cannes; the acclaimed Channel 4 docudrama, 'Saddam's Tribe' and the UK Film Council funded short film, 'Beyond', which premiered at the Edinburgh Film Festival.

Raphael Edwards - Mallor

Ollie Goodchild - Halbarad

Lars Mattes - Halbarad

Lars Mattes has had a passion for Viking warriors since a young age. On moving to Cambridgeshire from his native Germany he approached leading Viking / Anglo Saxon re-enactors Ormsgard! Dark Ages Theatre to train him, and was found to have great enthusiasm, talent and skill in combat, with sword, spear and axe. He has regularly appeared at prestige venues such as Sutton Hoo, and can often be seen as 'the carpenters apprentice' carving wood when he is not fighting.

He was spotted amongst the extras from Ormsgard (www.ormsgard.org) appearing in the 'Born of Hope' film, and was offered a role as the 11 year old son of the best friend of the hero, with whom he has a swordfight. The fight director was highly impressed at his ability, and once his blonde hair was dyed brown (to fit in with an older version of himself) he fitted confidently into the cast. He was only born in 1996, but has already shown the potential for a bright future.

Phoebe Chambers - Maia

Amylea Meiklejohn - Maia

Amylea (pronounced Amelia) was born in Canada in 2001. She began taking drama lessons with PACE Theatre Company in Scotland in 2005 after moving to the UK. She has been attending Stagecoach Theatre Arts School since 2006 after moving to West Sussex. In 2006 she also joined a children’s modelling agency and has done some professional modelling work. Born of Hope is Amylea’s first taste of performing in a film and being part of a film shoot. It has been a positive, thrilling and educational experience for her.

Sam Kennard - Elrohir

Matt Kennard - Elladan

Tom Quick - Dorlad

Richard Roberts – Shaknar

Richard has worked extensively in amateur dramatics for the last 15 years, taking villainous roles in Pantomimes and playing a stylised 1930's private eye. Through dark age and medieval re-enactment he has appeared on television in historical documentaries, his interests in combat led him to apply for the fight team in Born of Hope and leaped at the chance to play Shaknar. He is hoping to train in riskier stuntwork in the coming year.

Or as some would say...

"Richard Roberts is a bizarre individual who enjoys penguins, heights, army boots and rambling conversations...in no particular order. He has a strong tendancy to complicate things needlessly, but is nevertheless cabable of dealing with the task at hand in an efficient, if somewhat lateral manner. He is consistently to be found at the centre of most dramatic moments (whistling tunelessly and looking innocently skywards) and definitely knows how to spell HEMA."

Lewis Penfold – Gorganog

Daniel Tyler-Smith – Maia's Father