The crew had been filming in China for four months, and all the indoor scenes for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring were now completed.
After giving birth, Nicole Kidman had actively worked on regaining her figure. Now, she finally arrived on set to play her role as the Elven Queen.
"Wow, Mary, you look absolutely stunning." Her assistant couldn't help but exclaim as she saw Nicole Kidman dressed in an elegant white Elven gown.
Nicole Kidman looked at herself in the fitting mirror, clearly satisfied. "This outfit is amazing. Once filming is over, I want to keep a set for myself."
The assistant director informed Nicole Kidman to get ready as the shoot was about to begin.
When Nicole Kidman stepped onto the set in her Elven Queen attire, nearly all eyes were drawn to her.
Standing beside Gilbert, the assistant director, LeBron, couldn't help but sigh in admiration. "My God, she's so beautiful. It's like Galadriel has walked straight out of the book."
Seeing the reaction, Gilbert was pleased. "Excellent. That's exactly the effect I wanted."
Honestly, despite having given birth, Nicole Kidman was still at the peak of her beauty.
Compared to Anne Hathaway, she exuded even more grace and charm.
Her noble, cold, and elegant features made her entirely convincing as an Elven Queen.
Nicole Kidman was also tall, which helped her carry the regal look of the character.
Of course, the costume had been tailored specifically to her measurements, so there was no issue with the fit.
In the original novel, Tolkien dedicated an extensive amount of description to Galadriel's beauty.
As a result, many Lord of the Rings book fans believed that no actress could truly embody Galadriel's beauty, and they weren't satisfied with the casting choice of Nicole Kidman.
But Gilbert didn't have time to concern himself with the opinions of book fans. Other than releasing images of Arwen and Legolas, the production had kept all other character designs strictly confidential.
Compared to the original choice of Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman had significant advantages.
To be honest, Gilbert felt that Cate Blanchett's features were somewhat unusual. She had a strong, almost masculine presence.
While this might suit the aura of an Elven Queen, there was something slightly off about it.
Nicole Kidman, however, had no such issues. The makeup team barely had to apply any powder—she was already incredibly fair-skinned.
To preserve the cast's sense of awe, Gilbert ensured that when Nicole Kidman arrived on set, the members of the Fellowship were kept away until it was time to film.
"Mary, are you ready?" Before the cameras rolled, Gilbert checked in with Nicole Kidman.
With an expressionless yet holy and regal demeanor, she gazed at Gilbert and said, "You should address me as Queen Galadriel."
"My apologies, Your Majesty. That was my mistake," Gilbert played along with a chuckle. "Then, may I ask if Your Majesty is ready?"
"I am," Nicole Kidman extended her hand, and Gilbert gently supported her as they stepped onto the intricately designed set.
This scene was Queen Galadriel's grand entrance, meant to be a truly breathtaking moment.
Marton Csokas, who was appearing alongside her, looked at Nicole Kidman's transformation and muttered to Gilbert, "Standing next to Queen Galadriel, I feel like a mere servant."
It was true. Playing Celeborn, Lord of Lothlórien, Marton Csokas was meant to be an equal to Galadriel. But next to Nicole Kidman, he came across as more of an attendant than a ruler.
This imbalance in their dynamic was unavoidable—Nicole Kidman was simply too commanding in presence.
Fortunately, the two didn't share many scenes together, or else Marton Csokas would have been overshadowed throughout.
The cameras started rolling. The members of the Fellowship had no idea what was about to happen. They had only been told to stand in position and await the arrival of an important figure.
Following Gilbert's instructions, the Fellowship stood in the center of the set, acting out their confusion.
Their reactions were completely genuine—they knew Nicole Kidman had been cast as Galadriel, but they hadn't been told that today was the day she would make her entrance.
The script only mentioned that they would receive aid from the Elves. Nothing more.
So when Nicole Kidman appeared, bathed in a soft glow and gracefully descending the steps alongside Marton Csokas, the actors playing the Fellowship were genuinely mesmerized by her presence.
The scene was filmed in a single take—utterly flawless.
As Nicole Kidman stepped down from the set, Gilbert joked, "Your Majesty, your charm is truly irresistible. You've enchanted everyone here."
Nicole Kidman smiled. She was deeply fond of the costume and accessories, so she asked Gilbert, "When we wrap filming, can I keep this outfit as a memento?"
"Of course," Gilbert nodded, granting her request.
In fact, Gilbert's father, who had filmed his scenes as Bilbo Baggins much earlier, had already finished shooting. Gilbert had scheduled his father's scenes in a concentrated manner, making him the first actor to wrap up.
Before leaving, the old man had taken quite a few things from the set, including a beautifully crafted Evenstar nightgown.
According to him, he planned to give it as a gift.
However, what he didn't know was that there was an even more luxurious version of the nightgown, which was quite expensive. Gilbert had plans to collaborate with Victoria's Secret to host an Elven-themed fashion show during their spring TV broadcast next year.
At that time, this Evenstar nightgown would also be featured, with Anne Hathaway wearing it as the show's finale piece.
Victoria's Secret Angels had also traveled to China and participated in several scenes.
Victoria's Secret had taken advantage of this collaboration for promotional purposes, even releasing a photo on their official website featuring forty Angels dressed in Elven costumes. This attracted significant attention from fans who appreciated beautiful women.
Compared to traditional fashion week models, Victoria's Secret models had a distinct advantage.
Not only did they have the classic tall and slender figures of runway models, but they also had refined facial features, sweet smiles, and a warm, approachable charm.
For this reason, Victoria's Secret models were undeniably more popular and beloved.
This was precisely why Gilbert chose to collaborate with Victoria's Secret—after all, visual allure was always a top priority. The stunning Angels portraying Elves, with their long legs alone, were more than enough to satisfy fans who enjoyed such sights.
The next scene to be filmed was a dialogue between Elijah Wood and Nicole Kidman.
For Elijah Wood, this was a significant challenge. Nicole Kidman was in excellent form, exuding a powerful presence that made it difficult for him to hold his ground.
Sure enough, under the overwhelming aura of Nicole Kidman, Elijah Wood struggled to keep up, leading to multiple takes being scrapped.
Noticing the issue, Gilbert decided to let the actors take a short break. He then approached Elijah Wood personally to help him adjust his mindset.
From the sidelines, the other members of the Fellowship watched as Elijah Wood was completely overshadowed by Nicole Kidman and couldn't help but sympathize with him.
"Oh, poor Frodo. He's been utterly crushed by Queen Galadriel," Billy Boyd said, his eyes filled with pity.
Viggo Mortensen added, "Good thing I don't have a solo scene with Queen Galadriel. Otherwise, I'd be the one in an awkward position right now."
Elijah Wood could accept that he wasn't as experienced as Nicole Kidman, making it normal for her to outshine him in acting.
But being completely overwhelmed by her was something that was difficult to explain away.
After Gilbert coached Elijah Wood through the scene, filming resumed.
Since he had chosen Nicole Kidman for the role, Gilbert was determined to make full use of her talent. Every scene featuring her was carefully crafted to include plenty of close-ups.
This scene was no exception—Nicole Kidman received numerous close-up shots before it was time for Elijah Wood's moment.
As Galadriel, Nicole Kidman gracefully picked up a pitcher, filled it with water, and turned to face Frodo, played by Elijah Wood.
"Will you look into the Mirror of Galadriel?"
Elijah Wood's performance had improved significantly by now. "What will I see?"
Nicole Kidman infused her performance with subtle nuances, choosing not to maintain a cold expression throughout. Instead, a faint, enigmatic smile played on her lips, adding layers to her portrayal.
"Even the wisest cannot tell," she said, carrying the pitcher over to a silver basin set upon a stone pedestal. As she poured water into it, she continued, "For the Mirror… reveals many things. Things that were, things that are, and some things…" She set the pitcher down and looked at Frodo. "That have not yet come to pass."
Curious, Frodo stepped forward and gazed into the basin's water.
In reality, he would only see his own reflection. The later visions in the water would be added using CGI in post-production.
When Frodo saw the Eye of Sauron appear in the water, he instinctively clutched the Ring and stumbled backward.
Next came Nicole Kidman's most intense moment in the scene—Galadriel resisting the temptation of the One Ring and ultimately overcoming its influence.
Nicole Kidman was performing exceptionally well. The shoot was going incredibly smoothly, with almost all of her scenes being completed in a single take. Gilbert was pleasantly surprised by her consistency.
Her strong performance also helped Elijah Wood find his footing, allowing him to deliver an outstanding performance and complete the scene successfully.
Over the next two weeks, Nicole Kidman focused on shooting all her remaining scenes. The process went smoothly, and she wrapped up her role without any delays.
Although Queen Galadriel was an important character, her screen time wasn't extensive. Since Nicole Kidman was in exceptional form, her scenes were completed quickly, allowing her to return to North America.
With Galadriel's scenes finished, it was already late October, meaning the crew had been in China for over four months.
Now that most of the studio filming was complete, Gilbert finally led the crew on a journey across China to shoot the outdoor location scenes.
Although many scenes had been filmed on studio sets, Gilbert wanted as many scenes as possible to be shot on location to provide a more authentic experience for the audience.
These outdoor scenes were different from those shot by Annie Burton. While Annie Burton's footage could almost be considered a nature documentary, Gilbert's outdoor scenes would focus heavily on the characters.
Besides overseeing these location shoots, Gilbert was also keeping a close eye on Andy Serkis' performance and Howard Shore's work on the film's score.
These aspects were critical to the movie's success.
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