The Australian actor behind the outrageous television and stage character Dame Edna Everage will play the part of the goblin king in the Hobbit movies.
Sir Peter Jackson, who is directing the films, has announced on his Facebook page that Barry Humphries, best known for his purple haired housewife persona, has taken the role.
The goblin king will be based on the same motion capture technology that produced the character of Gollum for the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Sir Peter says first block of filming for the first of the Hobbit films has finished and he is now location scouting for the second block.
