What Sauron From Lord Of The Rings Looks Like Out Of Costume
Director Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy successfully introduced a new generation to the literary works of the late J.R.R. Tolkien — turning them into a pop-culture force in the process. To this day, the tale of Frodo Baggins' (Elijah Wood) trek to Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring continues to resonate with viewers, new and old alike, maintaining his and the rest of the Fellowship of the Ring's status as some of media's most beloved heroes. At the same time, the villainous one responsible for the Ring's creation and, in turn, the entire "Lord of the Rings" story refuses to be forgotten either.
The Dark Lord Sauron wasn't a direct threat throughout the film series but rather presented himself as a looming evil whose influence spread all over Middle-earth. Though his physical body was destroyed during the War of the Last Alliance by Aragorn's (Viggo Mortensen) ancestor, Isildur (Harry Sinclair), he plagues Frodo and his companions as the all-seeing Eye of Sauron. However, audiences get a glimpse of him in his armored, human-like form through several flashbacks that took place at the height of his power, wielding the Ring with absolute authority over everyone and everything.
The late Alan Howard is credited as the threatening voice behind Sauron, but he wasn't the person inside of the imposing costume. That honor belongs to Sala Baker, who, unsurprisingly, looks quite different outside of his "Lord of the Rings" wardrobe.
Sala Baker is all over Hollywood, even though you rarely see his face
A native of Wellington, New Zealand, the 6'2" Sala Baker made Sauron a truly fearsome foe, even if he didn't spend much time on screen throughout the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Although, the Dark Lord wasn't the only part he took in Peter Jackson's Middle-earth adaptations, portraying several different orcs, a soldier of Gondor, and even a Rohirrim rider thanks to his talents as both an actor and a stuntman.
In the years since the "Lord of the Rings" series arrived, Baker has taken part in some of the biggest titles to ever hit the big screen as a key stunt performer. He lent his talents to the first three "Pirates of the Caribbean" films and joined the cast list of "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" and "Star Trek: Into Darkness," among other hits of the 2010s. He's even a regular in the Marvel universe through "Iron Man 3," "Ant-Man," "Captain America: Civil War," and both "Deadpool" flicks.
Sala Baker remains a prolific stuntman, most recently popping up in the live-action "Mulan," two episodes of "The Mandalorian" Season 2, and "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order" as a motion capture performer. He's also set to appear in both "Malignant" and "Bullet Train" in the coming months, so if you plan on checking any of these titles out, be sure to keep a sharp eye out for one of the unsung heroes of the Hollywood scene.