Ian McKellen's Journal/Blog for The Lord of the Rings

While filming The Lord of the Rings, I began recording my impressions in The Grey Book - named for Gandalf the Grey, the wizard who leads the Fellowship of The Ring in its fight against Sauron, the Lord of the Rings.  This was one of the earliest blogs, launched before the term came into widespread use.

Originally posted like a blog, with the newest entries at top, in 2010 the entries on this page were rearranged into chronological order from 20 August 1999 to 14 December 2001. After 2001, I began an additional volume of entries called The White Book.

It is difficult to catalogue the entries (though you may search the site) but I hope reading them in or out of order will convey the fascination and excitement

20 August 1999: Casting

14 October 1999: Filming begins (without me)

8 January 2000: En route to New Zealand

25 January 2000: In Hobbiton; Beard adjustments

12 March 2000: Bag End, Studio, Dialect

8 August 2000: Ian Holm; South Island; Ruapehu

3 October 2000: Orcs and other creatures, Bill the Pony, and Shadowfax, Gandalf's horse

30 October 2000: Milford Sound and Sir Edmund Hillary

28 November 2000: Rivendell and Hugo Weaving

1 January 2001: It's a Wrap!

23 January 2001: Edoras, Bernard Hill, and Victoria Sullivan

21 May 2001: ADR, PIckups, Howard Shore's score

24 July 2001: Cannes, Pickups, and Merchandising

28 August 2001: Cannes, Christopher Lee

27 November 2001: First impressions of Fellowship of the Rings

14 December 2001: London Premiere