Fingolfin

MithLuin

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Fëanor's younger half-brother and Finarfin's older brother, this brother is the most physically imposing of the three. He's kingly in a way the others are not. He'll be born around episode 7, and be one of the key characters in episode 10 (the Kinstrife) when the feud between him and Fëanor comes to a head. Fëanor is banished for holding his brother at swordpoint publicly and accusing him of trying to usurp his place. The key point of the reconciliation between Fëanor and Fingolfin will be Fingolfin's heartfelt pledge in episode 12 ('you will lead; I will follow'). He will be a key character throughout Seasons 3 and 4, with Season 4 ending with his one-on-one duel against Morgoth before the gates of Angband.

Fingolfin becomes Finwë's heir after the death of Fëanor (and after Maedhros recognizes him as such, despite the opinions of the other Fëanoreans). He is High King of the Noldor in Middle Earth until FA 455, so nearly the entire first Age.

I want someone who, though perhaps not the charismatic equal of our demagogue Fëanor, has a strong screen presence and is a 'natural leader'. Someone who naturally bends others to his will and is able to get a disparate group of people to work together. Loyal in the face of betrayal should be his politics.


My first suggestion for an actor for this role is Oscar Isaac, aka Poe Dameron from the Star Wars reboot. He's lovely enough for an elf, certainly, but I think he has some of that nobility/natural leader screen presence going for him. He's 37 years old, and only 5' 8 1/2" tall (you know that is on the short side for an actor when imdb includes that 'and a half'). But he doesn't seem short on screen, somehow, so it should work.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1209966/?ref_=nv_sr_3

MV5BMTg5MzA3OTc0NF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMDg3NjA4ODE@._V1_SX684_CR0,0,684,999_AL_.jpg


Other suggestions?
 
I had Oscar Isaac in mind for Fingon, but also as a possible Fingolfin. I was also considering Henry Cavill, but I'm not entirely convinced that he'd be able to pull it off.
 
Hmm... I just realised I suggested Oscar Isaac should play Fingolfin back in January, in the Elves thread....
 
My first suggestion for an actor for this role is Oscar Isaac, aka Poe Dameron from the Star Wars reboot. He's lovely enough for an elf, certainly, but I think he has some of that nobility/natural leader screen presence going for him. He's 37 years old, and only 5' 8 1/2" tall (you know that is on the short side for an actor when imdb includes that 'and a half'). But he doesn't seem short on screen, somehow, so it should work.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1209966/?ref_=nv_sr_3

MV5BMTg5MzA3OTc0NF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMDg3NjA4ODE@._V1_SX684_CR0,0,684,999_AL_.jpg

This is quite possibly my favourite nomination of them all. I am in 5000% agreement with this choice, basically for all the reasons listed and then some. I could really see him excelling in this role.

I had Oscar Isaac in mind for Fingon, but also as a possible Fingolfin. I was also considering Henry Cavill, but I'm not entirely convinced that he'd be able to pull it off.

Maybe this guy as Fingon? But this is sheerly based off the hopes of Isaac getting cast as Fingolfin. There's a workable resemblance, I think. He would have been one of my contenders for Fingolfin but Oscar has pretty much taken over. :)

Joshua-Sasse.jpg
Joshua Sasse
 
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I'd like to see Hiddleston play a good guy for once! :)
Give him some long blonde hair and he'd be a great Fingolfin.IMG_1431.JPGIMG_1432.PNG
 
Finarfin, the youngest of the 3 brothers, can be blond. Fingolfin must be dark-haired.

The idea of Hiddleston playing a good guy younger brother is interesting, especially if we're committed to the bratty teen who grows up and eventually becomes more awesome than you can possibly imagine. The transformation in...the other direction from Loki, with similar big-brother issues, but less daddy issues.
 
I know we can change hair colour but it's best if we don't I think, it's almost always detectable when someone has a wig or dyed his hair - it might look really good but a natural hair colour always looks better. If we want Hiddleston to play a good guy - and I vote for that - we have other opportunities. Hiddleston as Finrod would be great, for example.
 
While I hear you...I don't think it's a problem to change hair color. People dye their hair all the time in real life. I think that their can be issues when someone with dark eyebrows is put in a blond wig, but aside from that, it can look very natural/good, and many actors have roles with a variety of hair colors.

Hiddleston, for instance, looks great with black hair:

tom_hiddleston_loki_20130704_1731834855.jpg
 
As I said, it can be done in a great way but it's not as good as natural hair. Hiddleston looks obviously dyed.
 
Huh, I could have sworn both Fingolfin and Finarfin were blond, being children of Indis the Vanyar.

I also had this painting in my head:
IMG_1438.JPG

Either way, Hiddleston would be great, regardless of hair color.
 
John Howe painted that before the 12th volume of HoME came out; in 'the Shibboleth of Fëanor' we have called out that Finarfin is blond, but Fingolfin is not. I'll look up the passage again to make sure I'm not misremembering, though! Also, Fingolfin is portrayed as dark-haired in every other bit of fan art that I can think of ;) But of course Howe isn't the only artist to have made him blond:
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Category:Images_of_Fingolfin
 
Here is the passage from the Shibboleth of Fëanor (in which Tolkien describes the politics of the Noldor via their linguistic choices, because of course he does.)

Fingolfin was his father's son, tall, dark, and proud, as were most of the Noldor, and in the end in spite of the enmity between him and Fëanor he joined with full will in the rebellion and the exile, though he continued to claim the kingship of all the Noldor.

The case of Galadriel and her brother Finrod is somewhat different. They were the children of Finarfin, Indis' second son. He was of his mother's kind in mind and body, having the golden hair of the Vanyar, their noble and gentle temper, and their love of the Valar. As well as he could he kept aloof from the strife of his brothers and their estrangement from the Valar, and he often sought peace among the Teleri, whose language he learned.

"The Shibboleth of Fëanor" HoME XII: The Peoples of Middle Earth
 
I do like Oscar Isaac - he's just lovely for a role like this. But...he is a bit short. So, if he doesn't get cast as Fingolfin, I'll be happy to re-nominate him for Fingon - he's got the singing voice and his bromance with Finn played out so well, that I imagine he'd work well with Maedhros, too.
 
I do like Oscar Isaac - he's just lovely for a role like this. But...he is a bit short. So, if he doesn't get cast as Fingolfin, I'll be happy to re-nominate him for Fingon - he's got the singing voice and his bromance with Finn played out so well, that I imagine he'd work well with Maedhros, too.
He's good. Another idea: I could see him as Túrin.
 
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