WellingtonNZ.com,
New Zealand 

HAVING A WICKET TIME IN WELLINGTON: Match Umpire Sir Ian McKellen keeps an eye on proceedings at the recent Fill the Basin for Christchurch charity cricket match in Wellington.

After playing it up for fans’ cameras about town, The Hobbit’s stars will be in front of the real deal when principal photography starts at Wellington’s Stone Street Studios on Monday.

A number of the films’ stars have been in the New Zealand capital for the past few months preparing for their roles, but it hasn’t been a case of all work and no play. Martin Freeman (Bilbo Baggins) has reportedly been seen taking time away from the office for a spot of bowling at The Lanes, while Sir Ian McKellen has been spotted supporting local thespians at Downstage Theatre. James Nesbitt has confirmed he last month dressed as a chicken for the NZI Sevens rugby tournament, also possibly the world’s largest dress up party.

Stone Street Studios and the Oscar-winning companies of the Weta Group are based in Miramar – an unassuming, family-friendly suburb a short drive from Wellington Airport and the city’s rugged coastline. Ken Stott, who will play Balin in The Hobbit, has described the credentials of the Wellington filmmakers involved in films as “second to none” and says the facilities in New Zealand’s capital are the “envy of the rest of the world”.

STAR PERFORMANCE
The Hobbit’s actors have already put forward a star performance in Kiwi eyes, recently giving up their time to be cast in roles of a cricketing kind. The Fill The Basin for Christchurch charity match at the capital of cool’s iconic Basin Reserve raised over NZD$500,000 for earthquake-stricken Christchurch. Nesbitt took charge of the Wellington Legends XI side as coach, while McKellen and Freeman oversaw the on-field antics as Match Referee and Umpire. The stars also tirelessly collected donations, signed autographs and posed with fans.

ROXY LADY
Hot on the heels of The Hobbit’s first day of filming comes the grand opening of the Roxy Cinema in Miramar on Wednesday March 30. Breathing life back into one of Wellington's original suburban cinemas has been a labour of love for a group of the city’s most successful film and hospitality personalities, including Weta Workshop founders Tania Rodger & Richard Taylor, Oscar-winning editor Jamie Selkirk and wife Ann, foodies Valentina & Daminda Dias, and cocktail bar guru Jonny McKenzie. The art deco façade of the 1928 building has been retained, with the interior completely rebuilt to feature two cinemas, a cafe restaurant and cocktail lounge that revives the style of the 20s/30s era. The Roxy joins a string of arthouse cinemas in Wellington’s city suburbs.

ABOUT WELLINGTON
The ‘coolest little capital in the world’ is number 4 on Lonely Planet Best in Travel 2011’s list of top 10 cities to visit this year. A compact urban city with a natural soul, Wellington is a harbour capital embraced by ocean at hill. Sitting at the bottom of New Zealand’s North Island, the city sets the native and historic stories of the youngest country on earth against a scene of world class filmmaking, coffee, cocktails and cuisine. The gateway between the North and South island is tucked between two of the country’s finest wine regions – Marlborough and Martinborough.
Wellington film festival attendance leads the country and in fact it’s reportedly among the highest in the world. According to organisers of the Wellington edition of the NZ International Film Festival, the local leg sees 169 film-goers per 1000 residents - more than double that of Auckland and four times the famous Sundance festival in Utah.

View Positively Wellington Tourism’s The Lord of the Rings Itinerary