Martin Freeman Comments on Hobbit

Martin Freeman, currently starring as Dr. Watson in the excellent Sherlock BBC series, commented to Empire Online on his near casting as Bilbo Baggins for the two The Hobbit films. Sadly his commitment to the second season of Sherlock forced him to turn down the role. He comments about that and the small possibility he could still sign on depending on how the schedules work out. Sherlock is filming now, The Hobbit starts in January so...

"I did have to say no to it for the second series of Sherlock," he says of the BBC 1 show in which he plays Dr. Watson. "But if something could be worked out, that would be great." But it must have been tough having to turn down such a plum part? "Oh yeah, I did it with a heavy heart, definitely."

But with The Hobbit’s starting date still up in the air, it seems there may still be room for manoeuvre. "I’d like to think so. If there is any outside possibility, then that would be great. But I’ve learned not to think too much or hope too much about stuff. It will happen if it happens."

Freeman also agreed that it would be refreshing to see Bilbo played by a slightly older actor, rather than someone fresh out of drama school (he's 39). "Absolutely, because Bilbo isn’t 20 at this stage of the story,’ he said, ‘and I reckon I could do a young Ian Holm. I think I could give that a go."