We managed to catch up with ‘Lord Of The Rings’ stars Ian McKellen and Orlando Bloom as they hot-footed it to the Empire Awards in London town. Find out what they had to say here…

Sir Ian, you're up for Best Actor at the Empire Awards for playing Gandalf so spectacularly, was it a fun part to play?
Yeah, that's one way of putting it. It was a year's work for me in New Zealand, a country that I had not been to before and which I fell in love with. I was working with some really spectacularly friendly people, local New Zealanders as well as visitors like Orlando, and others from around the world. And I was working on the most ambitious film ever made, three films in fact! The first of which came out at Christmas and has been so well received that it makes all our efforts seem worth while. It was very hard work, very intense, but 'fun' sums it up I think.

And Orlando, you're up for Best Debut for playing Legolas. Interestingly you're up for this category against the three Harry Potter kids...
Am I really, oh great! They just want to keep that competition going between the two films don't they. But I don't think you can really compare the two. It will be interesting to see how that pans out. I'm quite excited now that you mention it.

There are so many award ceremonies around these days, do they all still mean something?
Orlando: Well for me, this is my first nomination for any kind of award ceremony and I'm very flattered.
Ian: Well I hope you win Orlando, because the first prize you win is always the sweetest. You'll see those 'Harry Potter' kids off, they've got lots of years to have awards and you're getting on now aren't you!
Orlando: Thanks a lot. Oh, I've forgot, I've just turned 25!
Ian: Well it is a spectacular debut, and he's got fans all over the world, quite rightly, as one of the fellowship. I know about the Empire Awards because I've been to them before and very jolly occasions, and nice and relaxed, partly because I think they're not broadcast on television like a lot of other awards. Basically whatever the motives of the magazines, TV companies or the organizations who arrange these awards, for the actors it's a very good way of drawing attention to their latest film. In the case of 'Lord Of The Rings', I'm very happy to be encouraging people to go and see it, because I think it's a wonderful movie and the awards are part of that. 
Orlando: How are they nominated?
Ian: The Empire Awards, I think, are unique in this country because they are actually voted for by the public. 
Orlando: Oh great.
Ian: So if you get their approval then it really is something worth caring about.

And of course you've got another two movies in the can already. A lot of actors would love to be in your shoes...
Orlando: Yeah, it's incredible really. I was thinking, I graduated from drama school three years ago and I just walked in to this job and it's just been probably one of the most life changing, exciting and memorable experiences of my life, ever. My cousin said to me the other day "Whatever happens in the next three years, you've got a movie out for the next year", I could do anything and not have to worry because I've got all the Rings.
Ian: I thought it was rather cheeky of you when 'Lord Of The Rings' finally slipped from being No.1 in the world after about a month. It was kicked out marginally by a new movie called 'Black Hawk Down', and guess who was in it? Orlando Bloom! Anyway, I've got 'X Men II' coming up. We're going to start filming that in the Summer.
Orlando: I can't wait to see it.
Ian: It's great that we have done these three films. But I talked to Peter Jackson, the director of 'Lord Of The Rings' the other day, and we are going to have to go back because there are pick-ups to do, little extra shots. We were working in New Zealand in studios that weren't properly soundproofed and so all the dialog had to be dubbed in the first film. You can't tell, but it's true, and we're going to have to do that with the other two films, so we haven't finished. But the basic shooting is done.
Orlando: I'm quite looking forward to going back for those pick-ups. Really hard work - surfing, snowboarding, skydiving, alongside filming 'Lord Of The Rings'.

Going back to ‘X Men’...
Ian: It's quite funny, in New York where I've been working in a play, people don't know whether to call me Magnito or Gandalf. It's quite nice that they don't call me Ian! I've just had a little touch of what it might be like to be really famous and I hope I never become so, it must be absolutely dreadful, being unable to go anywhere. I went to a club the other day in New York, and was immediately given my own security guard. I wanted to go to the loo half way through the evening and he cleared everybody out of the way. There was a line for the gents and I was put to the top of the queue. Someone was almost dragged away from the urinal and when it was my turn, my security guard stood at the door protecting me!
Orlando: Mind you, at least you wouldn't get into any trouble. The security...

You say you're not used to the price of fame, but this time next week you could be in line for an Oscar...
Orlando: He should be in line for an Oscar.
Ian: We'll see about that.
Orlando: I've kept a copy of a magazine published in Los Angeles which has a huge picture of you on the front as Gandalf. It says 'Ian McKellen as Gandalf'.
Ian: The Oscars is a huge industry. The campaigning starts almost the minute one ceremony is over and there's 12 months to go until the next. Hollywood, where I've just been, gets very, very excited about it, with good reason because that's the whole industry vote of people who work in films and care about them. But, like the Empire Awards, it's all basically in the business of drawing the attention of the public to the best movies on offer, so you have to join in. But nobody makes a movie to win an Oscar. You make movies because you like making movies, because you like making a living and because you want to work with certain people on good scripts - that's why I do it. If, at the end, people like it so much that they want to give you an extra prize, then that's a lovely bonus.

You're also up for a BAFTA...
Ian: Yes, that's very nice too. It happens if your film is hugely popular, and it has been all over the world. I'm not grumbling! I have a website, so does Orlando.
Orlando: Not my own.
Ian: 12 million people logged on to it in January! It is extraordinary.
Orlando: That's a lot of people! You should make a record.
Ian: I've never been in a movie that's been so successful, I'm used to doing plays at the National Theatre where 500 people come every night for nine months, and that's it, but this is all very different, and it's all extremely interesting.

What can you tell us about 'X Men II' then?
Ian: I can tell you that's it's going to be filmed in Vancouver. Patrick Stewart and Hugh Jackman are back, and Halle Berry is with us again, I think most of the cast are going to do it. Brian Singer is directing it again, and he's overseeing the scripts at the moment. I haven't seen them, so I can't tell you any more than that.

And what's coming up for you Orlando?
Orlando: Well, I've had this incredible start to my career, and I'm being a little bit selective at the moment. I've had some very nice offers for some stuff that's coming up, both British and American, and I'm traveling between the two trying to work out which one is going to work at the right time. It's looking really good. I keep pinching myself because I just can't believe it.
Ian: And I'm going to encourage him to do some theatre before he gets swept up in movies and doesn't know the joys of a live audience.
Orlando: I am definitely going to do some theater. I want to do it. Lets do a play together!