# Vin Diesel



## Tabarnak Smokeblower (Aug 23, 2003)

Hehe just saw him on Conan O'Brien and he was talking about his 12th-level drow witch-hunter.

Well, good nite all.

TS


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## Wombat (Aug 23, 2003)

**twitchtwitch**

toomuchdrow

**twitchtwitch**

It's okay ... I'm taking medication for this...


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## Azure Trance (Aug 23, 2003)

Did Conan ask him what level he was, or did Vin just say it when D&D was mentioned? Is there a transcript anywhere?


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## Thresher (Aug 23, 2003)

Wombat said:
			
		

> ***twitchtwitch**
> 
> toomuchdrow
> 
> ...




Im still mentally scarred after watching the 'Fast and the Furious' and the plebs standing around a MkIV supra oggling at an aspirated 2JZ motor.
Yes, well done guys, you got the poverty-pack model...


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## Green Knight (Aug 23, 2003)

I have no idea what you're talking about. 

Anyway, Witch Hunter? The only one I know of is from Ravenloft. Any other Witch Hunters out there that I might be missing? Just wondering what campaign he might've been playing in, if he was in a published setting.


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## Hand of Evil (Aug 23, 2003)

So, how did he pronounce drow?


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## TheAntiSummit (Aug 23, 2003)

He most definitely said drow as in cow.


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## BiggusGeekus (Aug 23, 2003)

TheAntiSummit said:
			
		

> *He most definitely said drow as in cow. *




That settles it, Vin Diesel is the greatest actor alive and a man of supreme intellect.


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## Fat Albert (Aug 23, 2003)

At the beginning he also said he had a half-orc barbarian.


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## Threedub (Aug 23, 2003)

I almost never watch latenight television, but just happened to have it on last night--and there was Vin talking about D&D.

And there was Conan putting down all the "lame" geeks out there who were watching and now thought they were "cool" by association to Mr. Diesel.  Vin didn't say anything about Conan's antics, just half-smiled.  I know it was done for humor, but it is obvious Conan doesn't understand that the typical role-player is no longer 12, living at home, and dreaming about being able to go out in public.

I would think that of all people a person named Conan would understand that.


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## gfunk (Aug 23, 2003)

Threedub said:
			
		

> *I know it was done for humor, but it is obvious Conan doesn't understand that the typical role-player is no longer 12, living at home, and dreaming about being able to go out in public.
> *




Yeah, you're right.  That image was *maybe* accurate back in the mid 80s.  But now the typical role-player is 30. still living at home, and dreaming about being able to go out in public (except for GenCon and the occasional LARP).

BTW, for those of you who are interested, Vin Diesel's comments are on this website: http://www.dieselsounds.com/

Just click on the "Dungeons and Dragons" link


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## Tabarnak Smokeblower (Aug 23, 2003)

I missed the beginning of the interview, even the beginning of the part where they started talking about D&D. When I turned to NBC, Vin  was talking about a tattoo he had in XXX that read "Melchor" (sp?) and that was the name of his drow witch-hunter.

I too was surprised that Conan, whom I assumed was somewhat of a total nerd, would make such jokes on D&D players, especially when the gamer who's sitting right next behind him could easily have crushed him into a bloody red-haired pulp.

Anyways, Diesel seemed totally at ease talking about it. Later in the interview, he also mentionned that he'd like to participate in a remake of guys and dolls.

Many facets to that guy.

TS


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## Berandor (Aug 23, 2003)

Fat Albert said:
			
		

> *At the beginning he also said he had a half-orc barbarian. *




You mean he *is* a half-orc barbarian, don't you?


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## Tarrasque Wrangler (Aug 23, 2003)

Threedub said:
			
		

> *And there was Conan putting down all the "lame" geeks out there who were watching and now thought they were "cool" by association to Mr. Diesel.  Vin didn't say anything about Conan's antics, just half-smiled.  I know it was done for humor, but it is obvious Conan doesn't understand that the typical role-player is no longer 12, living at home, and dreaming about being able to go out in public.
> 
> I would think that of all people a person named Conan would understand that. *




Hey now.  Comedians thrive on exaggeration the way an accountant thrives on his calculator.  It's a tool of the trade.  Besides, all the gamers I know watch and love Conan, and were probably thrilled to see him zing us.  To me, getting zinged by Conan while hearing one of the biggest movie stars around talking about his D&D character all add up to "positive exposure" in my book.  There's a big difference between a late-night clown like Conan taking playful potshots at the gamer stereotype, and some hell-bent mother of a drug-addicted, mentally unbalanced son who killed himself unleashing a crusade on a gamer stereotype that has NEVER existed.

Regarding Conan's insensitivity: Since you mentioned you don't watch his show much, I can tell you he spends half of an average show making fun of himself.  He really rips on himself sometimes.  So I have no problem when he makes fun of something I cherish, because I know he doesn't mean any harm by it.


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## Teflon Billy (Aug 23, 2003)

Sorry, but I agree with the Tarrasque Wrangler: Conan O' Brien gets a pass at making fun of gaming/gamers. The guy is a self-admitted dork of the first order.

Hell, he wa a staff writer for *The Simpsons* at one point wasn't he?


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## Hand of Evil (Aug 23, 2003)

Have to see if it airs on Comedy Central Monday evening (6 eastern) as they have the repeats.  

I thought Conan was a gamer too?


edit: corrected time


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## AeroDm (Aug 23, 2003)

That interview was awesome-

First off the guy stood up and panomimed (sp?) a half-orc wieldign an axe.  Come on, how cool.

He admitted that one of his tattoos in xXx was the name of his Drow witch hunter.

He admitted that he played for 21 years.  Now lets remember that the guy is like 30, so this means he quit when he had to because he was famous and didn't have time to game.  He didn't play when he was a little geek, he still is a gamer.

He also said that he view D&D as the training grounds for imagination.  Something that is immensly true.  I know that growing up through middle school gaming I became much more willing to speak in front of others, was able to come up with stuff on the spot, and my vocabulary increased many times over.


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## LGodamus (Aug 24, 2003)

isnt witch hunter from oriental adventures?


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## Ranger REG (Aug 24, 2003)

Teflon Billy said:
			
		

> *
> Hell, [Conan] wa a staff writer for The Simpsons at one point wasn't he? *



Yep. He also did a short stint as a writer for _SNL._ I don't mind his jokes about _D&D_ as much as Jay Leno's. There is a saying: if a late-night talk show host mentioned it in his comedic monologue, it's very popular and very household.  

I mean, _D&D_ got a lot of exposures, especially that GE commercial, several episodes of _Buffy_ (including the series finale), _Angel, Freaks & Geeks,_ etc.


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## Ranger REG (Aug 24, 2003)

AeroDm said:
			
		

> *
> [Vin Diesel] also said that he view D&D as the training grounds for imagination.  Something that is immensly true.  I know that growing up through middle school gaming I became much more willing to speak in front of others, was able to come up with stuff on the spot, and my vocabulary increased many times over. *



Heh. A very good statement that should be posted in the following discussion thread:

What ever happened to Role Playing?


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## Klaatu B. Nikto (Aug 24, 2003)

Tarrasque Wrangler said:
			
		

> *
> Regarding Conan's insensitivity: Since you mentioned you don't watch his show much, I can tell you he spends half of an average show making fun of himself.  He really rips on himself sometimes.  So I have no problem when he makes fun of something I cherish, because I know he doesn't mean any harm by it. *




When Owen Hart aka the Blue Blazer died, he commented that the Blazer's partner the White Pullover was unharmed. That got him a lot of flak so he apologized the next day.


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## Eternalknight (Aug 24, 2003)

I thought Conan was a gamer anyway... maybe not.

Anyway, Conan was the writer for the Simpsons episode where they did the D&D quip, when Homer goes back to college and is slain by an elf.


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## Moulin Rogue (Aug 24, 2003)

Klaatu B. Nikto said:
			
		

> *
> 
> When Owen Hart aka the Blue Blazer died, he commented that the Blazer's partner the White Pullover was unharmed. That got him a lot of flak so he apologized the next day. *




I'm pretty sure that was Craig Kilborn. Entering the names "owen hart" and "craig kilborn" together on Google turns up a few references to this.


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## Klaatu B. Nikto (Aug 24, 2003)

Shows how much I watch late night shows. The only late night show I watch (semi) regularly is Space Ghost.


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## Ace (Aug 24, 2003)

Berandor said:
			
		

> *
> 
> You mean he is a half-orc barbarian, don't you? *




Vin would make a great Krusk


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## D-Man (Aug 24, 2003)

Wasn't there a thread a while back listing all the celebrities who game?  Anyone remember any of the big ones?


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## Tarrasque Wrangler (Aug 24, 2003)

D-Man said:
			
		

> *Wasn't there a thread a while back listing all the celebrities who game?  Anyone remember any of the big ones? *




The only ones I can think of offhand are Hal Sparks (comedian and actor on Queer as Folk).  It'd be fun to game with a comic.

And of course, Rivers Cuomo from Weezer, who not only name-checks the DMG in "In the Garage", but said in an interview that he randomizes his set lists for concerts by rolling percentile dice on a "song table".  That's just awesome.


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## Welverin (Aug 24, 2003)

Tarrasque Wrangler said:
			
		

> *
> And of course, Rivers Cuomo from Weezer, who not only name-checks the DMG in "In the Garage", but said in an interview that he randomizes his set lists for concerts by rolling percentile dice on a "song table".  That's just awesome. *




I suspect that the map on the inside of Pinkerton is from a game of his.


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## jdavis (Aug 24, 2003)

Have to pull this out every time good old Vin is mentioned, he is really trying to ruin gamers reputation with all this "I'm cool and I game stuff". I'd hate for people to start thinking we were cool or hip or that we didn't live in our parents basement and have no social skills. Thanks Vin your really ruining decades of tradition here.


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## Berandor (Aug 24, 2003)

jdavis said:
			
		

> *Have to pull this out every time good old Vin is mentioned, he is really trying to ruin gamers reputation with all this "I'm cool and I game stuff". I'd hate for people to start thinking we were cool or hip or that we didn't live in our parents basement and have no social skills. Thanks Vin your really ruining decades of tradition here. *




You're right. I can already see the beginning of a trend. When I mention I'm a gamer, women start watching me curiously - I even got my first girlfriend now! What's up with that?


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## Welverin (Aug 24, 2003)

jdavis said:
			
		

> *I'd hate for people to start thinking we were cool or hip or that we didn't live in our parents basement and have no social skills.*




Hey, I don't live in the basement! 

I live in the attic.


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## BrooklynKnight (Aug 24, 2003)

D-Man said:
			
		

> *Wasn't there a thread a while back listing all the celebrities who game?  Anyone remember any of the big ones? *




LEXA DOIG!

http://www.lexaonline.com/


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## Sholari (Aug 24, 2003)

D-Man said:
			
		

> *Wasn't there a thread a while back listing all the celebrities who game?  Anyone remember any of the big ones? *




On an interview In the Actor's Studio Mike Myers of Austin Powers fame admitted to having gamed in high school.  Though he did seem a bit embaressed to admit it.  His personality Lothar of the Hill People was based his D&D campaign.


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## Dark Jezter (Aug 24, 2003)

Tabarnak Smokeblower said:
			
		

> *Later in the interview, he also mentionned that he'd like to participate in a remake of guys and dolls.
> 
> TS *




Whoa.  That's like Nathan Lane saying he'd like to star in Rambo 4.

Crazy...


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## Negative Zero (Aug 24, 2003)

now, i only heard the short 2min audio clip, but it sounds to me like Threedub and Tabarnak Smokeblower may have misunderstood (or there's something else that he's referingto that i haven't heard). in fact Conan actually says "you would not let me play with you ... that guy's too nerdy" 

from what i've seen, Conan pokes fun at  everyone, himself included. and like TR pointed out he IS a comedian. poke fun is what they do. besides, i'm pretty sure Conan is or was a gamer, or at least a certified card carrying geek. and last time i checked, it's always ok for someone to make fun of his own group.

Klaatu, just coz someone gets offended, it doesn't mean that offense was intended. not to be antagonistic or anything, but no matter what you say, or how you say it, (or what you don't say or how you don't say it for that matter) in the US, _someone_ *will* get offended. i tend to side with the "grow a skin" crowd for the most part.

~NegZ


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## Barendd Nobeard (Aug 24, 2003)

Got this from an LG mail list....it's a sound clip of Vin on Conan talking about D&D.

Vin on Conan


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## Barendd Nobeard (Aug 24, 2003)

Oops, *gfunk* already posted it.  Sorry!


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## Krail Stromquism (Aug 24, 2003)

Now how do we get Vin Diesel up in this?

we gotta get him and his boys all up in Enworld.

Vin is 36 isnt he?

Anyway, He should be doing King Conan as Conans son (not conan obrien) or Hannibal (not lecter) those movies would be sweet.

anyway,

Im available to play Vin if you read this, just a short flight to cali from Tucson.


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## Klaatu B. Nikto (Aug 24, 2003)

Negative Zero said:
			
		

> *Klaatu, just coz someone gets offended, it doesn't mean that offense was intended. not to be antagonistic or anything, but no matter what you say, or how you say it, (or what you don't say or how you don't say it for that matter) in the US, someone will get offended. i tend to side with the "grow a skin" crowd for the most part.
> 
> ~NegZ *




My mistake. It wasn't Conan but Craig Kilborn.

For the most part, you're preaching to the choir. I'm more in the 'cry me a river, build a bridge and get over it' camp myself. Political correctness has gotten way out of control in the original intent to not offend anyone.

However, I thought the joke was bad taste but I wasn't offended. Most likely the people who were offended was Owen Hart's family, friends and coworkers and I'd say understandably so.

So was Vin's drow around the same time or shortly after a certain ranger that everyone just -loves- so much? Maybe Vin's covering up the fact that he played a halfling or gnome or *gasp* a bard!


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## Darrin Drader (Aug 24, 2003)

Tarrasque Wrangler said:
			
		

> *
> 
> The only ones I can think of offhand are Hal Sparks (comedian and actor on Queer as Folk).  It'd be fun to game with a comic.
> 
> And of course, Rivers Cuomo from Weezer, who not only name-checks the DMG in "In the Garage", but said in an interview that he randomizes his set lists for concerts by rolling percentile dice on a "song table".  That's just awesome. *




Wil Wheaton of Star Trek TNG and Stand By Me fame is very definitely a gamer. For a while he had a link on his website pointing to a place where one could purchase the Book of Vile Darkness. Now he's recommending people buy The Two Towers.


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## Sixchan (Aug 24, 2003)

Baraendur said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Wil Wheaton of Star Trek TNG and Stand By Me fame is very definitely a gamer. For a while he had a link on his website pointing to a place where one could purchase the Book of Vile Darkness. Now he's recommending people buy The Two Towers. *




I think Elijah Wood games (he's definitely a LARPer anyway, IYKWIM), and Robin Williams does Wargames.


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## Ferret (Aug 24, 2003)

IYKWIM?

I've never seen a vin diesel film though.


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## Magic Slim (Aug 25, 2003)

Krail Stromquism said:
			
		

> *Now how do we get Vin Diesel up in this?
> 
> we gotta get him and his boys all up in Enworld.
> *




Well, there IS someone that uses the name "Melkor". Wasn't THAT the name of the character (witch-hunter) he mentioned?

Vin is AMONG US!

Slim

Ferret: if you know what I mean


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## Teflon Billy (Aug 25, 2003)

Baraendur said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Wil Wheaton of Star Trek TNG and Stand By Me fame is very definitely a gamer...*




I read Wil Wheaton's Blog pretty often and he seems like  areally awesome guy.

I feel bad about hating Wesley Crusher so much for all those years.


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## Saeviomagy (Aug 25, 2003)

Teflon Billy said:
			
		

> *
> 
> I read Wil Wheaton's Blog pretty often and he seems like  areally awesome guy.
> 
> I feel bad about hating Wesley Crusher so much for all those years. *



Just because the actor's cool doesn't mean that the character didn't suck and suck hard.


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## Iced Tea (Aug 25, 2003)

Teflon Billy said:
			
		

> *Sorry, but I agree with the Tarrasque Wrangler: Conan O' Brien gets a pass at making fun of gaming/gamers. The guy is a self-admitted dork of the first order.
> 
> Hell, he wa a staff writer for The Simpsons at one point wasn't he? *




He also was a writer for SNL and even appeared in some skits before he made it to become host


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## Iced Tea (Aug 25, 2003)

jdavis said:
			
		

> *Have to pull this out every time good old Vin is mentioned, he is really trying to ruin gamers reputation with all this "I'm cool and I game stuff". I'd hate for people to start thinking we were cool or hip or that we didn't live in our parents basement and have no social skills. Thanks Vin your really ruining decades of tradition here. *




I dont live in my parents basement (though i would if i could, everthing i need is there or jsut a couple of stairs away  )


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## jdavis (Aug 25, 2003)

Iced Tea said:
			
		

> *
> 
> I dont live in my parents basement (though i would if i could, everthing i need is there or jsut a couple of stairs away  ) *



Well if Vin gets his way we will all be cool and hip and cutting edge, it will be stylish condo living and hot tubs full of "the beautiful people", then we will all have to get extreme (how am I going to hold on to my dice while bungee jumping?). It's a tragedy waiting to happen I tell you, we'll all crack under the pressure of being so cool and it's all Vin's fault.


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## Hand of Evil (Aug 25, 2003)

I am just glad for a positive role-model for the gaming crowd, Vin as put in his time and remained true to his hobby.


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## Beelzebub (Aug 25, 2003)

Is Vin Diesel his real name?


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## Hand of Evil (Aug 25, 2003)

Beelzebub said:
			
		

> *Is Vin Diesel his real name? *




No - he has never said what it is either, his commits on it: he has a privite life and he wants to keep it that way.


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## Zweischneid (Aug 25, 2003)

> Is Vin Diesel his real name?





His name is really Marc Vincent, and he is a man of many a strange talent...


check this .


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## Henry (Aug 25, 2003)

Moved to TV.


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## Ashrem Bayle (Aug 25, 2003)

Zweischneid said:
			
		

> *
> 
> 
> His name is really Marc Vincent, and he is a man of many a strange talent...
> ...




Yeah, I read recently that one of his hobbies is riding elephants.  I think it was on IGN.


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## Hand of Evil (Aug 25, 2003)

Henry said:
			
		

> *Moved to TV. *




Been expecting this!


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## Magic Slim (Aug 25, 2003)

Hand of Evil said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Been expecting this!   *




Not sure I understand why, though 

Slim


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## Hand of Evil (Aug 25, 2003)

Magic Slim said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Not sure I understand why, though
> 
> Slim *




Movies stars, TV stars always come to this forum.  This makes about the 3rd Vin thread to do so.


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## TheAuldGrump (Aug 26, 2003)

You know, what I based my image of Vin Diesel off of was pretty much xXx, a movie I really did not like at all.

It takes a lot of bravery for anyone, especially someone with a macho image to maintain, to stand up and admit to doing something that in the public's eye is really more than a bit geeky. My image and estimation of him has increased incredibly because of this. He has a lot of guts, of a type that is oftimes rarer than physical courage.

Hmmm, any chance of him showing up on Mortality Radio?

The Auld Grump, taking off his hat.


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## Welverin (Aug 26, 2003)

Check out his filmography at IMDB, you might be surprised.


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## Ranger REG (Aug 26, 2003)

Yep. Steven Spielberg handpicked him to appear in his film, _Saving Private Ryan._ He's also in the movie _Pitch Black,_ the first of upcoming _Riddick Chronicle_ films. He did a one-man stage play. Last I heard, he's ready to do a movie musical, trying to enlist Nicole Kidman.


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## KidCthulhu (Aug 26, 2003)

Although I have no data to support this, I wouldn't be surprised if all four of the hobbits tried gaming during their time in New Zealand.  You can just see them there in their trailer, rolling dice while someone blow dries their feet.


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## Tarrasque Wrangler (Aug 26, 2003)

KidCthulhu said:
			
		

> *You can just see them there in their trailer, rolling dice while someone blow dries their feet. *




You just described one of my typical sessions.


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## TheAuldGrump (Aug 30, 2003)

Welverin said:
			
		

> Check out his filmography at IMDB, you might be surprised.




Hmm, I didn't realize he was in _Iron Giant_.

I just listened to the MP3, and yeah, I can picture him as a half orc. (More difficulty with the Drow though...) I am glad he has had so many years in the hobby. (Heck, I only started playing myself in 1975...)

The Auld Grump


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## Welverin (Aug 30, 2003)

TheAuldGrump said:
			
		

> Hmm, I didn't realize he was in _Iron Giant_.(Heck, I only started playing myself in 1975...)




Only? I wasn't even born yet!

Sorry if that makes you feel old.


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