Red carpet commentary: Wellington celebrates the world premiere

Herald journalist CATHY ARONSON reports from the red carpet as Wellington celebrates the world premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

7.00pm

Over 2000 invited guests are now heading into the first screening of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. To accommodate such large numbers, guests will be seated both in Reading Cinemas and the Embassy Theatre.

An after-party is being held at Taranaki Wharf, which will begin with a powhiri and include The Ring of Fire – a showcase of music, dance and imagery from around the Pacific Rim.

At 9.30pm New Zealand's first public outdoor screening of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, the 2nd film in the trilogy, will begin.

6.57pm

The stars have finished the speeches and are now posing for photos.

Girls screamed the whole time while Viggo and Orlando had their photos taken. When finished, the stars headed over to sign autographs, much to the girls' delight.

The stars walk off the podium, finishing with Orlando Bloom, who flashes his 'I love NZ' T-shirt to the crowd one more time.

A play has started, with two characters standing on top of the Embassy Theatre, one on either side of the fell-beast. They are scaling down the walls of the theatre, attached by harnesses. One is wearing a black suit and the other a red suit.

Half of the stars (including Viggo Mortensen, Billy Boyd and Bernard Hill) are in a golf cart, heading away from the Embassy Theatre. They are going to the other showing of the film at Reading Cinemas.

The crowds start to disperse almost instantly - just as the wind begins to set in.

6.50pm

Speeches continue.

Hugo Weaving (Elrond): "I love working here so much. I secretly switched allegiance to supporting the Kiwis in the World Cup"

John Noble (Denethor II): "I would like to thank you for the welcome you gave me and my family."

Andy Serkis (Gollum): "Please have us back very soon." Serkis says that everybody should send a letter to Helen Clark saying that they should make every cast member a NZ citizen.

6.45pm

The speeches continue.

John Rhys-Davies (Gimli): "You let us in your hearts...we will miss you all so much."

Bernard Hill (Theoden): "Nobody could have given us a reception like today apart from NZ and Wellington."

Billy Boyd (Pippin) - "Hello Wellington, thanks for coming out to party". Boyd has tears in his eyes.

Dominic Monaghan (Merry) - "We worked hard on this job, and being welcomed by people here made it that much easier. We'll be back, see you round."

Orlando Bloom (Legolas): "Peter Jackson is the most amazing man in the world. This has been hands down the single most amazing time in my life, thank you." (He hugs Peter.)

6.40pm

All the cast and crew are now up on stage (picture).

Elijah Wood: "Thank you so much for being here, it's been a long journey and you have all been a part of it."

Sir Ian McKellen: "Peter Jackson has put the Kiwis into Middle Earth." Sir Ian kneels down to shake Peter Jackson's hand.

Liv Tyler: "Today has been incredible, thank you so much."

Viggo gives Peter Jackson a hongi - "Thankyou Wellington."

Sean Astin walks up to the podium with his daughter. "When we came down here the first time Alexandra was 2 years old. (She is now 7) Almost half of her birthdays have been in this country. This city and country are a beacon of hope, warm bright smiling faces, huge hearts and welcoming spirits. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. God bless you all."

6.34pm

Peter Jackson steps up to the microphone to massive applause and cheers.

"We made the movie but you guys have given us the party. Thank you very, very much," says Peter.

"For all of you who helped, extras, in props, thank you so much, thank you very much.

"New Line Cinema have been wonderful collaborators and supporters, and are incredibly brave for doing what they did. I salute them tonight.

"I am just the front person for a huge team of people, I would like to thank Barrie Osborne (Producer).

"The person that I owe the most tremendous thanks to is Fran Walsh. I really couldn't have done it without Fran. She has been my absolute collaborator...she is my other half, thank you so much.

"I want to thank the City Council and the Government for throwing this party.

"The Embassy Theatre Trust, I just want to thank those guys very, very much for what they've done.

"The Lord of the Rings couldn't have been made without Richard Taylor and his team from Weta Workshop."

Jackson then names all the New Zealand actors and thanks them.

6.25pm

The Mayor of Wellington, Kerry Prendergast: "We are the centre of New Zealand and today we are Middle Earth. What a red carpet journey we have had and what fantastic people we have met along the way.

"The most wonderful movie trilogy ever made and in Wellington - New Zealand's centre for creativity and innovation. We have been fortunate to share you - thank you for that."

Of Peter Jackson, she says "Wellington's favourite son (the crowd goes wild), without you the world would be poorer. Your contribution is immeasurable, our appreciation is overwhelming. You believed in this city and this country.

"Bring on the Oscars, Wellington is with you all the way".

Helen Clark: "Tonight the world is focusing on our capital city for the premiere. We are here to congratulate everybody who has been part of making these amazing movies. This is the culmination of simply years of work...These movies have done so much for our country, we are the home of Middle Earth. The Lord of the Rings, the movie, has done New Zealand really proud, and we are very proud of you...Kia Ora."

6.10pm

Speeches begin on a podium outside the entrance to the Embassy Theatre.

6.02pm

Mandy Smith and Dean Barker have arrived and Mandy looks gorgeous, wearing a silver dress.

Elijah Wood stops to talk - "Four years of my life, and now here in Wellington for the last premiere, it's pretty extraordinary.

"It's the end of each of the journeys, emotionally and dramatically - I'm sort of in denial I think."

He says the best part of making the film was the friendships and the sense of family he developed.

Orlando Bloom also stops (Picture). He speaks of the reception from fans - "It feels like the whole of NZ descended on Wellington" - and of the film screening, "It will be great to see how the audience responds".

5.55pm

Viggo Mortensen is stopping to talk to everyone, not just the media. At one stage he was pulled back by his minder when he attempted to give autographs to people in the grandstands.

When he stops to talk to us he says "I feel very comfortable here, better than the last four years. I think the people in Wellington and New Zealand had faith in us that we could pull this off."

5.50pm

Billy Boyd is overwhelmed by the crowd. "The energy is inspiring here." He tells us the reaction of fans is a huge contrast from when he first arrived in NZ (when filming began in 1998) when he could walk around and no one would recognise him.

5.40pm

Bernard Hill, who plays Theoden, says of the red carpet turnout: "I'm really cock-a-hoop. We're not going to get it better than this anywhere we go."

And of the film: "I wanted to see it again almost immediately when I saw it the first time."

5.37pm

The stars are coming past thick and fast, some are stopping to talk to us.

John Rhys-Davies, who plays Gimli in the film, asks: "How are you? - I'm pretty damn good!

"I actually expected it, honestly, for a long time, that when you New Zealanders realised what a megastar you had in Peter Jackson and what a giant of film-making he is that you would have the generosity to come out."

"Peter Jackson is like Edmund Hillary," he says.

5.26pm

Andy Serkis, who voiced the computer generated character Gollum in the film, tells us the red carpet welcome has been "Very, very good indeed, only 20 feet to go!

"I can't wait to see it (the film), there is such a lot to take in for us all, it will be good to sit down and watch it with an audience."

And of the parade he says "I have never ever experienced anything like it in my life."

5.18pm

Those on the guest list are continuing to walk through.

Liv Tyler is back: "I can't believe it, everything is happening around us so fast, it's incredible," she says.

5.11pm

Phillippa Boyens says that parades like this don't normally happen for screen writers, and that it was excellent that writers and everyone involved was being recognised. "Good on you NZ!"

David Wenham, who plays Faramir in the film, says: "I'll go on till I drop tonight."

5.00pm

Sean Astin's 7-year-old daughter Alexandra is with him (picture). She says that this is the first premiere she had been to, and says "thank you for making it really nice for me to stay here." His wife is here as well.

Sean says "I'm so proud and grateful, I've been going round the world for the last several years telling people that these movies are a great national project. Look around at these people...what I've been saying is true."

The stars are very close to the Embassy Theatre, slowly making their way to the podium, where nearby there are grandstand seats.

Liv Tyler has just walked past, but she is going in to refresh her makeup before coming out on the red carpet for interviews.

4.55pm

Hugo Weaving (who also stars in the Matrix trilogy) is asked: "What's your favourite trilogy?" he laughs at the question and says "I can't answer that!"

Hugo is wearing his bone carving over a blue turquoise shirt, under a black jacket. All the stars are continuing to sign autographs.

4.45pm

Liv Tyler tells the crowd: "I do have shoes, I just took them off so I could run around and talk to everyone."

Shes says she thinks Wellington is "incredible, beautiful", and that although they leave tomorrow "there will be a huge party tonight!".

4.42pm

Viggo Mortensen begins with a Maori greeting - "Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa. From the first day we got here we felt like you embraced us as one of your own and we appreciate that. Thank you for coming out and waiting for us. Without NZ tax dollars none of this would have happened". (Picture)

Scriptwriter Phillipa Boyens also thanks the city. "Wellington is an incredibly beautiful city. They said come to Wellington for about 6 weeks, about 6 years ago."

It seems Boyens joked that Peter Jackson said that they all had to come out wearing bikinis so Fran Walsh stayed home.

Bernard Hill, who plays Theoden, says "Thankyou very much Wellington". He said it was a "fantastic parade".

4.38pm

Orlando Bloom is again showing off his red 'I love NZ' T-shirt, underneath a black jacket, wearing sunglasses. (Picture). "It's amazing to be here," he says. "We're so grateful to NZ and Wellington in particular. What is weird is having your mother fly in on a plane with your face on the side of it."

Orlando is signing as many things as quickly as possible for groups of young girls, who look overwhelmed with excitement. The stars have black marker pens, and they are taking their time to sign as many autographs as possible.

People are holding signs saying "Peter Jackson for Prime Minister".

4.30pm

"It's fantastic, unbelievable," says Dominic Monaghan (Picture). The crowd screamed when he said that they were leaving tomorrow.

The stars are slowly walking up the 470m red carpet and at the top end of the carpet by the Embassy Theatre the crowd are watching interviews on the big screen while they wait for the stars to appear.

4.25pm

Peter Jackson is walking down the red carpet slowly, signing autographs for fans.

The Hobbits are at the end of the red carpet leading the parade to the Embassy.

It is a hot day in Wellington, with only a slight breeze.

Composer Howard Shore is now on the big screen. "We did a performance in Wellington on Saturday night with the NZSO."

4.22pm

John Rhys-Davies says that Orlando Bloom is here with his mum. Rhys-Davies says "Thank you Wellington, you are the real stars of the show!"

Mrs Bloom says she is "fantastically proud of Orlando". She says: "watch this space" in regard to the many marriage proposals to Orlando today and that LOTR is the 8th wonder of the world.

4.17pm

"It's been the most amazing country to work in, a wonderful experience." He gives a greeting in the Gollum voice, the crowd goes wild.

"It's a wonderful day for us says Richard Taylor from Weta Workshop. He is wearing a jacket with elven scripture on the collar.

"Well I always thought it was the biggest most ambitious movie ever made," says Ian McKellen.

4.15pm

Liv Tyler (who plays Arwen in the movie) has no shoes on. She says it's something she learned in NZ (Picture). She was a little late for the parliamentary reception. "I cried for the whole last hour of the show."

4.12pm

"It's more intoxicating than the ring of power," says Andy Serkis, who voiced the computer-generated character Gollum in the movie. People are holding a sign saying 'Gollum is a sex god'.

4.10pm

"Normally I walk up and down here, but today there is a red carpet out for me. It's slightly surprising, I can't believe so many people came out. I know I'll be back. NZ is such a beautiful country," says Billy Boyd.

4.05pm

Outside the Embassy Theatre the crowd is watching a big screen interview of the stars as they walk past.

On the corner of Courtenay Place, outside the Embassy Theatre, all you can see is people for miles. They are standing on top of every balcony and roof, girls with writing all over them saying "I love Orlando". Billy Boyd says "It's fantastic, it's unbelievable!"

3.55pm

Tickertape is hanging from every pole and building, and the ground is covered in yellow and black streamers. The crowds are starting to leave the parade route and head toward the red carpet on Courtenay Place.

"Fantastic, I managed to get photos of everybody hopefully. All the stars looked fantastic," says Caroline Horton from Wellington.

3.50pm

A band is passing, playing the theme from The Lord of the Rings, which finishes the parade.

3.48pm

Sir Ian McKellen is standing up in his car holding his hat above his head (picture), followed by John Noble. Oscar winner Richard Taylor and his beautiful wife are next.

Tickertape is falling from the sky, the streets are littered with yellow and black tickertape.

More Orcs are appearing, holding banners.

3.47pm

Next comes Screenwriter Phillippa Boyens and composer Howard Shore.

Sean Astin goes past with John Rhys Davies, otherwise known as Sam and Gimli, followed by Riders of Rohan, shouting out "Rohan!"

3.45pm

Peter Jackson has just come past followed by Elf warriors, and Viggo Mortensen in the back of a red cadillac, followed by Hobbit Billy Boyd as well as Orcs grunting at the crowd (picture).

Liv Tyler is approaching and the crowd is going wild. She is wearing a black dress, with her long hair out loose, swept over her shoulder (picture).

Elijah Wood, a favourite with the crowd, has appeared, followed by Ring Wraiths on black horses.

3.40pm

People are peering out from every balcony and window lining the streets and streamers and tickertape are already pouring from the sky. The noise of the crowd is almost deafening as the excitement builds waiting for the stars to arrive.

The crowds are cheering and clapping as Maori warriors blow horns and the crowds go wild and start cheering.

3.30pm

About 100,000 people have crowded the streets in central Wellington to catch a glimpse of the Lord of the Rings stars as they head to the premiere at the Embassy theatre. In Courtenay Place alone it is estimated that 30,000 people are crowding in to catch the stars on the red carpet at about 5pm.

Down at Lambton Quay the streets are also packed. One Wellington family have taken the day off work and school to see the parade - Nicole Cam said it was worth taking her son Nijat, aged 8, out of school for the day to see the parade.

Nijat said LOTR was his favourite movie and he especially liked Legolas and wanted to see him today. He had a collector's statue of Legolas at home.

His Grandmother, Jan Wachswender had also joined the family for the parade, "I think it's a one in a million event and it's tremendous for New Zealand. People of Nijat's age group will remember this forever."

* Return Of The King opens in New Zealand on Dec. 18.

Herald Feature: Lord of the Rings