Left: Headshot by Albert L. Ortega © 2012. Top Right: 'Spartacus' photo by 2011 Starz Entertainment, LLC. Bottom Right: 'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' © 2001 New Line Cinema. Photo: Armageddon Expo NZ
Twenty years on from starring in The Lord of the Rings, Craig Parker's role in the iconic movie continues to garner attention for the New Zealand actor, who has returned for the Armageddon expo this weekend in Auckland.
Parker has spent his career playing villains with great hair, lycans, gladiators, and even the greatest lover in the French court, Stéphane Narcisse.
The Fiji-born actor started his career when he was 17, working on the TV series Gloss, and went on to play the popular Guy Warner on Shortland Street.
Parker, who now lives in California, says Armageddon is celebration of "everything geek-y and collectable", with a wide array of stalls, autographs and panel discussions with stars, including Jason Momoa.
Geeking out with Craig Parker
"Generally, I just throw it open to questions. There's still - 20-something years later - there's still a very strong Lord of the Rings interest," Parker, who played Haldir the elf in the trilogy, tells Saturday Morning.
Although the event is known for the cosplays, Parker will not be dressing up himself because he does enough of that while working.
"You see these amazing cosplays where people build replicas of things and their own ideas. It is joy of creativity really. It's easy to sort of externally have a cynical idea about it but when you go it's just fantastic."
Photo: Armageddon Expo NZ
Starring in an array of fantasy and historical series and movies, including The Lord of the Rings, Spartacus and Reign, Parker found joy in the "thickness of those worlds" and the operatic acting involved, but says there was nothing glamourous about the process.
"I did a show, Reign, for four, five years in Toronto and we would shoot in winter a lot because it looks so beautiful and we would be in sort of these, 16th century I think it was, furs and things but they don't actually keep the cold out ... but the crew would be in full polar gear and it would be -30 Celsius, it would be so cold, your brain is freezing ... then you'd be in the studio and you're hot.
"I'm not moaning, it's not digging a ditch, but it's so much fun to be there, it's the best place in the world for me, but you're always wet, you're always dirty, you're always uncomfortable, you know, there's no glamour in it, but it's fabulous."
Although he had a tough time shooting for Reign, it was also his favourite role to play, he says.
"The show was just silly and wonderful, it was just the best dress-ups, the crew and cast were amazing so that was a very happy time."
As for Shortland Street, it is a show he will love forever, he says. He still values his time on that set "enormously".
"I still believe Shortland Street is the most successful TVNZ On Demand show. It's just you can't guarantee half a million people sitting down at seven o'clock to watch a show anymore because no one does."
Parker hopes to be back on screen next year as things ramp up in the industry after the SAG-AFTRA strike in 2023.
The Spring Armageddon expo is being held from 25-28 October at the Auckland Showgrounds.