Dame Edna joins The Hobbit

Veteran Australian actor Barry Humphries - better known as housewife superstar Dame Edna Everage - has joined the cast of the new 3-D film version of The Hobbit.

The $500 million film’s director made the announcement on his Facebook page.

Humphries will play the Goblin King in the two-part film, which will be released at Christmas 2012 and Christmas 2013.

Sir Peter wrote: "Barry is perhaps best known for his business and social connections as the long-time manager of Dame Edna Everage. He has also been an ardent supporter of the rather misunderstood and unfairly maligned Australian politician Sir Les Patterson. However, in his spare time, Barry is also a fine actor, and we're looking forward to seeing him invest the Goblin King with the delicate sensitivity and emotional depth this character deserves.”

Also joining the cast is Lost actress Evangeline Lilly, who will play a new character called Tuariel, a woodland elf not in the original Tolkien saga.

The movie, a prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, also features Cate Blanchett returning as Galadriel, Sir Ian McKellen and Gandalf and Orlando Bloom as Legolas.

Filming on the movie began in March.

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