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Dominic Bernard Patrick Luke Monaghan[1] (born December 8, 1976) is an English actor. He has received international attention from the success of playing Merry Brandybuck in Peter Jackson's adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and his role as Charlie Pace on the television show Lost.
Dominic Monaghan | |
|---|---|
 Monaghan at the world premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in Wellington, New Zealand | |
| Born | Dominic Bernard Patrick Luke Monaghan[1] |
| Years active | 1996 - present |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
Biography
Early life
Monaghan was born in Berlin, Germany, after older brother Matthew, to English parents. His family first moved to Heaton Moor, Stockport, England, when he was twelve[2], then later moved to Manchester. Monaghan's first language is English, but he also speaks German. He is known for his ability to impersonate others and replicate accents. He attended St. Anne's RC High School (where his uncle taught and later became head teacher) and Aquinas College where he studied English literature, drama and geography.
Although he had many occupations when he was younger, he always wanted to be an actor. After his second year at Aquinas, he became a regular in school plays such as Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, and Bugsy Malone. He then went on to join Manchester Youth Theater where he was scouted for Hetty Wainthropp Investigates. He played Hetty's under-aged sidekick, Geoffrey Shawcross, for four seasons. He made his feature film debut as Russian sailor Sasha in TV film Hostile Waters.
Personal life
Monaghan is an adamant nature lover, and has been active in the planting trees, and he owns a small forest in India. [3] He also appeared in a PETA ad concerning treatment of wild animals.[4]Additionally, he is a Manchester United F.C. supporter and lists David Beckham as one of his favourite footballers.[citation needed]
Monaghan narrated Ringers: Lord of the Fans, a documentary about Lord of the Rings fandom. On his right arm, he has a tattoo of the Elvish word for "nine", a reference to his involvement in the Lord of the Rings and the fact that his character was one of the nine members of the Fellowship of the Ring. Several other cast members also got similar tattoos during the film's production. On his left arm is a tattoo saying "Living is easy with eyes closed", a line from The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever". He also has two stars tatooted on his left ankle.[3][5]
On Lost, Charlie's perplexing tape/bandage finger rings with individual letters (FATE) spelling out words were Monaghan's idea; he reasoned that, as an artist, Charlie would still want to express himself even when stranded on a tropical isle, this also comes from him doing this in real-life.[citation needed] Monaghan does actually play the guitar on the show, and on an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live he and Kimmel jokingly composed a theme song for Lost, a high-pitched, dirge-like number with the words, "We're lost on an island and we're far from home; we're lost on the island, but we're not alone, no we're not alone...the monster's eating us..."[citation needed] However, after spending three seasons on the show, Monaghan left, stating in a TV Guide interview that he was ready for a change and that he was disappointed by his character's increasingly small role in the second and third seasons.
During the release period of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, there was considerable fan speculation about Monaghan's sexuality and the nature of his relationship with co-star Elijah Wood, fueled by the closeness of the two actors' friendship[6] and their initial refusal to categorically deny the rumors.[7][8] Currently, Monaghan is dating his former Lost co-star Evangeline Lilly and there are rumors that the couple are engaged.[9]
Monaghan resided in Kailua, Hawaii when filming and in Los Angeles, California when in hiatus. He is currently working on a script with friend and LOTR co-star Billy Boyd.[10]
Filmography
- I Sell the Dead (2007) (Arthur Blake)
- Lost (2004–2007) (TV series) (Charlie Pace)
- Shooting Livien (2005) (Owen)
- The Purifiers (2004) (Sol)
- Spivs (2004) (Goat)
- An Insomniac's Nightmare (2003) (Jack)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) (Meriadoc Brandybuck)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) (Meriadoc Brandybuck)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) (Meriadoc Brandybuck) (Cameo voice of Gollum)
- Monsignor Renard (2000) (TV series) (Etienne Pierre Rollinger)
- This is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper (2000) (Jimmy Furey)
- Hostile Waters (1997) (TV) (Sasha)
- Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (1996) (TV series) (Geoffrey Shawcross)
Footnotes
- ^ a b Webster, Di (August 17 2005). ""Dominic Monaghan"". Who (in English). Retrieved 2006-10-09.
Dominic Bernard Patrick Luke Monaghan, named after both my parents and my confirmation name.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ "DOMINIC MONAGHAN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW at Unreal.co.uk". Retrieved 2007-06-13.
- ^ a b Leibowitz, Wanda (September 20, 2006). "Dominic Monaghan: The Hottest Guy on TV's Lost". Associated Content. Retrieved May 28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Lost Star Dominic Monaghan Appears in New PETA Wildlife Ad". HelpingAnimals.com. Retrieved May 28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Schwarz, Rae. "The Tattoos of the Fellowship of the Ring". BellaOnline. Retrieved May 28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ TV Guide Online (December 8, 2004). "LOTR's Hobbits: Are They Gay?". Retrieved May 28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Gostin, Nicki (Sept. 26, 2005). "Newsmakers: Q&A: Elijah Wood". Retrieved May 28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help); Unknown parameter|Work=ignored (|work=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Setoodeh, Ramin (September 12, 2005). "Newsmakers: Q&A Dominic Monaghan". Newsweek. Retrieved May 28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ David, Greg (February 9, 2007). "Lost wedding in the works?". Retrieved May 28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ IMDb Staff (March 2006). "Biography for Dominic Monaghan". IMDb.com. Retrieved May 28.
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