Evangeline Lilly on playing a grittier type of Elf in The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug

In Total Film magazine issue 207, we profile the most exciting movies, stars and trends heading your way in the Future 100.

Evangeline Lilly is playing an entirely new character (ie. not in the book) in the upcoming Hobbit sequels, so it should come as no surprise to find out that the former Lost actress scores a place on our list.

You can read the full feature inside the issue, but here’s a sneak peek at what Lilly had to say about playing Peter Jackson’s woodland Elf, Tauriel.

“She’s a very, very young elf,” Lilly told us. “She’s only 600 years old, unlike Legolas who’s like, 1,900 years old and Thranduil who’s about 3,000 years old. She doesn’t have quite the wisdom and pose that those two boys do; she’s a little more... gritty. A little more spontaneous, passionate perhaps.”

Taking her bow in The Desolation Of Smaug , Tauriel is a fighter who makes a mess with finesse. “To play this character I need to have a certain amount of grace,” said Lilly. “But I’m also supposed to be an absolutely ruthless, deadly killer."

The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug opens in the UK on 13 December 2013.

For more from Lilly, pick up pick up issue 207 of Total Film magazine, which is out now!

(Posters only available with the magazine edition. Not available with digital tablet editions)