Every Lord of the Rings Actor Who’s Also in the MCU, Ranked

Some of the most talented actors of this generation play major roles in The Lord of the Rings. They have other credits that range from arthouse dramas to other blockbuster franchises, and have countless awards spread between their many prolific careers.

A large percentage of the cast of The Lord of the Rings has also appeared in perhaps the biggest franchise in cinematic history: the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They play a variety of roles, ranging from villains to heroes and everything in between.

13 Richard Armitage Brings a Stoic Strength to His Characters

Richard Armitage played a fundamental role in the Middle-earth saga. He appears in all three entries of The Hobbit as Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of the group traveling to retake Erebor. Armitage’s performance feels lifted from the novel in which Thorin originated. He captures his stoic loyalty to his home and melds that perfectly with his endless desire to reclaim what had been so wrongfully taken from him. His emphasis on his relationship with Bilbo Baggins makes the conversation they have on Thorin’s deathbed much more heartbreaking and turns the scene into one of the strongest in the film trilogy as a whole.

He played a much smaller role in Captain America: The First Avenger, especially since he was only in one film, but he was important to the story regardless. He worked alongside Red Skull to steal a vial of the Super Soldier Serum that he would then use to destroy Dr. Erskine. However, his plan was foiled. Steve Rogers caught him. His story came to a tragic end when he used a cyanide pill to commit suicide, ending his time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

12 Marton Czokas Is Significant to Both Worlds

Martin Czokas brought one of the most influential figures in Middle-earth to life in The Fellowship of the Ring and again in Return of the King: Celeborn. He’s the husband of Galadriel, and together, the two of them singlehandedly defend their realm from the encroaching forces of Sauron and his minions. At the end of the film, he departs for the Undying Lands alongside his wife, signifying that he’s entrusting his formative role in Middle-earth to the next generation of leaders.

Like Richard Armitage, he played a fairly small role in the greater calculus of the Marvel universe, but one that left massive scars on the franchise nonetheless. In The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Czokas appears as Dr. Ashley Kafka. He created the Ravencroft Institute, which ultimately led to him experimenting with Electro and making his life exponentially more difficult in the process. Electro got his revenge on his tormentor, however. When Harry Osborn came to aid Electro in his escape from Ravencroft, the two of them put Kafka in the same harness he used to torture the future villain. Ultimately, Kafka died there.

11 Liv Tyler Plays an Excellent Love Interest

Liv Tyler’s Arwen got a much larger role in the films than she had in the novels. She took on Glorfindel’s position as the one to rescue Frodo when he’s struck with the Morgul blade, and pieces of her storyline that originally existed only in the appendices to the original novels were moved into the wider canon. Her love story with Aragorn is treated as a grounding aspect of his character, and his adoration for her helps him remember who he is when he struggles to maintain his identity in the face of all the changes he has to confront throughout his arc.

She plays a similar role in The Incredible Hulk as Betty Ross. She’s Bruce’s first major love interest, and the daughter of Thaddeus Ross, who went on to be important throughout the rest of the franchise as well. That’s never all she was, however. She worked as a cellular biologist and was such a capable scientist that she got recruited by the army to work on the research that ultimately culminated in Banner turning into the Hulk in the first place. Though she’s been absent from the films for years, she’s slated to appear in Captain America: Brave New World and fans will rejoice at the chance to see her again.

10 Dominic Monaghan Left His Mark on Both Franchises

Merry Brandybuck is one of the most memorable characters in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. He and Pippin may, at first glance, appear to be little more than comic relief; however, further exploration reveals that there’s so much more lying beneath their surfaces. He proves himself to be a great hero time and time again – most notably when he rides into battle alongside the soldiers of Rohan, fearing not for his safety, but focusing instead on that of Middle-earth as a whole. He proves himself to be a more than capable soldier a thousand times over and even plays a pivotal part in defeating the fearsome Witch-king of Angmar.

In X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Dominic Monaghan appeared as Dr. Chris Bradley, one of the scientists who worked alongside Stryker on Team X. He could control electronics, which made him particularly useful when it came to average tasks like flying the team’s jet. Eventually, he quit the team – leading him to spend years of his life working as a corrupt carnie who used his ability to cheat people out of their money. Ultimately, his DNA was used to help create the mutant Deadpool.

9 Lee Pace Commands Every Scene He’s In

Thranduil is one of the most striking figures in Middle-earth, even if he isn’t in the franchise for long. He first appears in The Desolation of Smaug and poses a massive threat to the passage of the Company toward Erebor. His relationship with the Dwarves is fraught at best, as he still holds a grudge against them for something that happened years ago, and thus is hesitant to let him go after he imprisons them. However, he proves that he has a heart. When Tauriel mourns her lost love, Kili, he validates her feelings despite his general condemnation of their relationship.

He plays a similarly threatening character in Guardians of the Galaxy. Ronan the Accuser, the leader of a radical Kree faction, aligned himself with Thanos to destroy the Xandarians – which, of course, attracted the attention of the Guardians of the Galaxy. He’s one of the most commanding villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and one of the few whose evil plan feels like it truly has galactic ramifications. Lee Pace’s incredible presence makes this all the more compelling to watch, demonstrating his power above all else.

8 Evangeline Lilly Thrills In Every Role She Takes On

Though Tauriel was one of the most controversial characters introduced in The Hobbit trilogy, she played a valuable role in the film regardless. Her relationship with Kili added a romantic dynamic to the series (though, again, it wasn’t necessarily the most popular decision in the grand scheme of things). Importantly, however, she provided someone for young girls to look up to. Whereas in The Lord of the Rings, girls could turn to Arwen and Eowyn as role models, there wasn’t someone like that in The Hobbit. Tauriel’s addition remedied that, and for that reason, she was a more than worthwhile figure to be in the franchise.

Hope Van Dyne is just as inspirational. Rather than spend her whole life waiting for her mother to come home, wasting away, and feeling like she lost the person she loved most in circumstances out of her control, she took action. She worked alongside her father, Hank Pym, in his research to bring her mother back from the Quantum Realm. This pursuit led her to Scott Lang, who her father recruited to take on the mantle of Ant-Man. Though the two of them didn’t initially get along, they eventually became friends and later fell for one another.

7 Martin Freeman Brings Nuance to His Every Performance

Bilbo Baggins is the central character of The Hobbit, and Martin Freeman was perfectly cast to bring him to life. He feels as though he stepped directly out of the pages of Tolkien’s novel. At the beginning of the franchise, he captures Bilbo’s precise nature and desire to stay at home with an attention that conveys just how much he cares about the character. Watching him evolve into the adventurous figure seen at the film’s conclusion thrills audiences who have both known and loved Bilbo for years and those who only met him when the first film was released.

He captures many of these similar neuroses in his portrayal of Everett Ross. Previously, he worked with Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross in his attempts to control the Avengers after the passage of the Sokovia Accords. He is then charged with finding Ulysses Klaue, which leads him to work closely with T’Challa. He becomes a close ally of the kingdom of Wakanda, especially during the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Ross, though he may not play the largest role in the series, is one of the most memorable characters in the series.

6 Hugo Weaving Has Such a Commanding Presence

Lord Elrond is one of the most significant figures in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and nobody could have brought him to life better than Hugo Weaving. Elrond had to capture the eye of every person with whom he came into contact and encourage them to follow his life, and therefore, he needed to be played by someone with sufficient gravitas to execute that. Hugo Weaving shines in both Elrond’s scenes as a father, when he expresses his love for his daughter and his concern that she is fading despite her immortality (which she has, unknown to him, given up), and in his battle scenes, like the Battle of the First Alliance at the start of the movie.

He puts that respect-commanding persona to good work as Red Skull in Captain America: The First Avenger. Red Skull is one of the most terrifying villains in the franchise (even though the film didn’t quite do him justice), and Hugo Weaving captured every facet of him. He was Captain America’s most significant villain, especially in his early years. Though he did get a bit more screen time in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame as the keeper of Vormir, Weaving didn’t return to the role for those appearances, making him one of the most underutilized villains in the MCU.

5 Karl Urban Has an Immense Range

Eomer is one of the most striking figures in the Lord of the Rings mythos. He’s one of the key members of the Riders of Rohan and led those who were sent into exile after they refused to show loyalty to Grima Wormtongue’s puppet regime. He wandered, doing good alongside the rest of the Riders, until the Three Hunters stumbled upon him. He played a major role in one of the most impressive scenes in the saga – when Gandalf arrives with the Riders of Rohan at dawn on the fifth day, turning the tides of Helm’s Deep in Rohan’s favor. Additionally, he fought in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields and proved a thousand times over that he’s one of the strongest fighters in Middle-earth.

He brings an entirely different dimension to Skurge, who, as a general rule, is played for comic relief throughout Thor: Ragnarok. He begins the film as Heimdall’s replacement as the guardian of the Bifrost and uses his power mostly to pick up girls rather than for any real ceremonial reasons. This leads him to join forces with Hela and become her valued Executioner, as she believes she can exploit him into upholding her will above all else. However, Skurge redeems himself, in a way. He rethinks his frequently undervalued loyalty to Hela and sacrifices his life to hold her off.

4 Benedict Cumberbatch Gives Two Distinct Performances

Though Cumberbatch may not have ever physically appeared onscreen in The Hobbit, his influence on the franchise cannot be understated. He voiced Smaug, one of the primary antagonists of the series and one of the few dragons of Middle-earth, and it’s hard to imagine anyone else taking on the role. His conversations with Bilbo after The Desolation of Smaug are some of the highlights of the series as a whole, and they wouldn’t work nearly as well if not for how incredible the performances of both Cumberbatch and Freeman are.

He brings a similar intensity to Stephen Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Strange is one of the most interesting characters in the franchise, and one who’s particularly difficult to adapt. He’s not always the most likable character all the time, and it requires a vastly talented actor to convince audiences to root for him despite his shortcomings. Benedict Cumberbatch captures this perfectly. He balances Strange’s analytical nature with his love for those around him perfectly, especially when considering his performance in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

3 Andy Serkis Is Mostly Known for Motion Capture

Andy Serkis’s performance as Gollum is one of the defining characteristics of The Lord of the Rings. He helped to revolutionize motion capture technology – and turned in one of the greatest performances of the last generation in the process. He captured both aspects of his character, Gollum and Smeagol, with equal care and attention to detail, which made his internal conflict that much more interesting to watch. The scenes he shares with Frodo and Sam are some of the most interesting in the series, and it’s a great joy to watch them get into little tiffs about everything. These then make it more painful when Gollum proves a thousand times over that his priority has never been anything but the Ring.

He uses an entirely different aspect of his talent to portray Ulysses Klaue in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Klaue, a black market arms dealer, found himself a target of the United States government when he got involved in Wakandan affairs and was branded a thief for trying to take some of their vibranium. He used to be close friends with Tony Stark before Tony got out of the weapons business and was one of his most calculating allies.

2 Ian McKellan Embodies Both Heroes and Villains With Equal Talent

Gandalf is one of the most striking figures in Middle-earth. He’s one of the fundamental embodiments of good, and one of the truest beacons of light even in the darkest times of the age. As one of the Istari, he was tasked with ensuring that the people of Middle-earth stayed on the proper path (and, it’s worth noting, was the only one who stayed true to his initial purpose, thus allowing him to ascend in the ranks of the Istari after he fell fighting the Balrog). He was one of Frodo’s closest companions and sought to ensure that the young man stayed safe throughout all his journeys. Ian McKellan captured his benevolence and love for his friends in all ways.

His character in the Marvel universe could not be more different from Gandalf. Erik Lehnsherr, also known as Magneto, is one of the most vindictive comic book characters in history, making him one of the most iconic villains ever put on the page or the screen. There’s a certain level of pain inherent in Magneto’s arc, given his backstory, and it has to be prevalent to make him the sympathetic character he is despite all his actions to the contrary. McKellan focuses on it, and it elevates his performance to the next level. He also works well with Patrick Stewart to provide a window into Erik’s friendship with Charles from their youth, making everything that happens between them both more compelling and more painful in retrospect.

1 Cate Blanchett Is the Best Actor To Appear in Both Franchises

Cate Blanchett stuns as Galadriel throughout the Lord of the Rings series. She captures the air of mystery inherent in the character, who always feels as though she’s a touch removed from reality in favor of knowing more about the spiritual realm less accessible to the rest of the population. The moment when the Ring tempts her, and it looks as though she’s going to give into darkness, is one of the scariest in the series- making it, even more, relieving when she turns it back over to Frodo. Her gentle wisdom guides the characters through all their decisions in the franchise, and thus, she’s one of the most significant figures in Middle-earth.

This contrasts well with Hela, her character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the central villain of Thor: Ragnarok. What fans saw from her in the brief moment where she held the Ring becomes her entire arc as she embodies the entity of chaos trying to destroy Asgard out of anger at how her father treated her years ago. She’s one of the most powerful beings in the universe, as she’s not only able to wield Mjolnir but even goes so far as to destroy it in one of the first scenes in the film – suggesting that she’s an opponent worthy of her godly brother.

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  Marvel Cinematic Universe

  Created by Marvel Studios, the Marvel Cinematic Universe follows heroes across the galaxy and across realities as they defend the universe from evil.

  Character(s)

  Iron Man , Captain America , The Hulk , Ms. Marvel , Hawkeye , Black Widow , Thor , Loki , Captain Marvel , Falcon , Black Panther , Monica Rambeau , Scarlet Witch

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  The Lord of the Rings

  The Lord of the Rings is a series of epic fantasy adventure films and television series based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s novels. The films follow the adventures of humans, elves, dwarves, hobbits and more in Middle-earth.

  First Film

  The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring

  Latest Film

  The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

  Character(s)

  Gollum , Sauron