Who was the only actor in "The Lord of the Rings" to meet J.R.R. Tolkien?

When Peter Jackson assembled his cast for "The Lord of the Rings," most had only read Tolkien's books. But among the entire fellowship, orcs, wizards, and elves, only one actor could claim they'd actually met the master of Middle-earth himself. Which member of Jackson's cast had this unique connection?

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The answer is: Christopher Lee

Christopher Lee wasn't just Saruman the White. He was also a massive Tolkien fanboy before it was cool. Back in the 1950s, Lee bumped into Tolkien at The Eagle and Child pub in Oxford. Lee, being a total Lord of the Rings nerd, actually recognized the author and couldn't resist going up to chat with him.

This was the same guy who would later play Dracula and become a heavy metal singer, but meeting Tolkien left him completely tongue-tied. Lee spent the next few decades reading "The Lord of the Rings" over and over, becoming such a superfan that by the time Peter Jackson's films rolled around, he was probably the only actor who could speak elvish.

Lee desperately wanted to play Gandalf, but Jackson had already picked Ian McKellen for the role. Still, Lee wasn't about to pass up a chance to finally be part of Middle-earth. As Saruman, he'd regularly corner Jackson to explain why his character wasn't just some cartoon bad guy but a tragic figure corrupted by power. Here was an 80-year-old screen legend, still geeking out about Tolkien just like he did that day in the Oxford pub.