Watch: Willie Nelson’s ‘Smokin” Audition for ‘The Hobbit’
During a recent trip to Conan, Willie Nelson took some time to put together a sizzling audition reel for Peter Jackson, in the hope that he might be able to steal the role of Gandalf away from Ian McKellan in the upcoming sequel to The Hobbit. Any audition that starts with a giddy, "Hey! Look at that dragon!" can only signal good things to come, and Nelson lived up to that early promise, showcasing his acting chops by nailing lines like, "You shall not pass an unlit joint – that's just not cool" and "That giant flaming eye is freaking me the fuck out!" Nelson and Michah Nelson (reading for Bilbo Baggins) also performed a bit of The Hobbit 2's inevitable musical number, "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Orcs." (And if Gandalf doesn't work out, Nelson notes he'd also make a mean Magneto.)