It’s been 15 years since the Fellowship of the Ring was released to audiences around the globe. The Lord of the Rings saga has had such a deep impact on our world, that it’s impossible to think any other actors could have been chosen to play these iconic characters. Not too long ago, it was stated by Dominic Monaghan (Merry Brandybuck) that David Bowie had actually auditioned for the role of Gandalf!

Well… no, that’s not quite what happened. After the seemingly shocking revelation that we might have experienced a very different version of the great Wizard, it turns out David Bowie didn’t lose out the role to (the very aptly suited) Sir Ian McKellen… he simply didn’t audition at all. He didn’t have time!

The truth of this situation came out in an interview when casting director Amy Hubbard spoke with Huffington Post about the alleged auditioning process. According to her, it had originally been Peter Jackson’s idea to hire Bowie for the part of Gandalf, and Hubbard and company had approached the late singer for the role. However, during that time, Bowie simply had too many other obligations on hand during the auditioning and filming process, and simply couldn’t do it.

He was unavailable. It was a very quick conversation with the legendary Chris Andrews at CAA. I do believe that David Bowie went over and played for everybody at the Millennium party. That would’ve been New Year’s Eve in the year 1999, which was when the films were being shot. He went over and entertained everybody, but he never auditioned. That’s for sure. ~ Amy Hubbard, LOTR Casting Director”

It certainly would have been a different film if Bowie had found the time to portray Gandalf, but we can’t argue that McKellen had been born for the role. 15 years, and 6 Middle-Earth films later, it’s nearly impossible to imagine anyone else portraying the goodly wizard from Tolkien’s world. No disrespect to Mr. Bowie at all!

For those fans out there who appreciate and adore the films exactly as they are, and are missing out on some Tolkien inspiration, you can always continue the adventure of a lifetime by trying out Lord of the Rings Online. Immerse yourself in Middle Earth’s history as you assist the Fellowship in their quest to save the land from Sauron’s rule and create your very own warrior to do the job for you. It’s an incredible adventure for gamers of all kinds so if you desire to assist in destroying the One Ring, it’s a great adventure to pick up. Just don’t expect to hear any of Bowie’s greatest hits while you’re playing!

What do you think of this revelation? Do you believe David Bowie could have pulled off playing Gandalf? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!