Gimli Lord of the Rings: Who He Is and Who Plays Him
Gimli in The Lord of the Rings is the dwarf warrior of the Fellowship, played by John Rhys-Davies in all three Peter Jackson films (2001 to 2003). He is the only dwarf among the nine companions chosen at the council in Rivendell.
Who Plays Gimli / Treebeard (voice)?
Who Is Gimli in The Lord of the Rings?
Gimli is the dwarf of the Fellowship, one of nine companions chosen at the council in Rivendell to travel with Frodo and the Ring. He is played by John Rhys-Davies, who is credited as Gimli in The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002) and Return of the King (2003), all directed by Peter Jackson. In The Two Towers the credit reads "Gimli / Treebeard (voice)", because Rhys-Davies also voices the Ent Treebeard whom Merry and Pippin meet in Fangorn Forest.
The nine are the four hobbits, Gandalf, Aragorn, the elf Legolas, the Gondorian Boromir and Gimli, which makes him the only dwarf in the group. He therefore travels beside an elf, a wizard, a ranger and a man of Gondor, and the company only works because they set their differences aside.
For the full cast around him, the Lord of the Rings cast section lists every credited actor, and the wider roster sits under Lord of the Rings characters.
Gimli / Treebeard (voice) Films
Gimli's Story Arc Across the TrilogySpoilers
Gimli enters the saga as the single dwarf at the Rivendell council in The Fellowship of the Ring, where the Ring is judged too dangerous to keep or use and nine companions are named to escort it. His first test is the road through Moria, which ends with Gandalf falling into the abyss while fighting a Balrog. The company then rests in Lothlorien, and Galadriel warns Frodo that the Ring will test them all. Boromir's attempt to seize it and his death defending Merry and Pippin leave the Fellowship in pieces, and Gimli chooses the pursuit of the Uruk-hai over the journey to Mordor.
In The Two Towers (2002) his story becomes a chase across Rohan beside Aragorn and Legolas, and it turns when they meet Gandalf the White. The road then leads to Edoras, where Théoden is freed from Saruman's hold, and on to the siege at Helm's Deep. By Return of the King (2003) the war has widened: Sauron prepares to assault Minas Tirith, Aragorn takes the Paths of the Dead, and the western armies march to the Black Gate to buy Frodo time. Gimli's arc, in short, runs from guarding the Ring to helping fight the war around it.
Gimli's Friends and Family: Legolas, Aragorn and Glóin
Gimli's closest ties on screen are with the elf Legolas and the ranger Aragorn, because the three leave the broken Fellowship together to chase the Uruk-hai who took Merry and Pippin. A dwarf, an elf and a future king share the pursuit across Rohan, and The Two Towers keeps them together until they meet Gandalf.
His link to Gandalf runs through the Fellowship, where Gandalf is one of the nine, and through the reunion in Rohan, where Gandalf returns as Gandalf the White. In Lothlorien the Fellowship rests while Galadriel warns Frodo that the Ring will test them, and Gimli is among the company present.
The Hobbit films follow a company of dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield. The credits of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey list a dwarf named Glóin, played by Peter Hambleton, but Gimli is not among the leading billed cast of any Hobbit film.
What Happens to Gimli? Death and FateSpoilers
Gimli does not die in the plot of any of the three films, and his on screen story closes with Return of the King (2003), the last film that credits John Rhys-Davies in the role. That film ends with the Ring destroyed at Mount Doom, Mordor collapsing, Aragorn crowned King of Gondor and Frodo leaving Middle-earth by ship for the Undying Lands with Gandalf, Bilbo and the elves.
Gimli is billed twelfth in that film, and his last scenes sit within the trilogy's closing war against Sauron.
Gimli's Best Moments
In my opinion, Gimli's best stretch is the one that follows the breaking of the Fellowship. Once Boromir is dead and the Uruk-hai have carried off Merry and Pippin, Gimli sets off with Aragorn and Legolas, and the film becomes a chase across Rohan with a dwarf, an elf and a ranger sharing the road. It is a small ensemble inside a large saga, and it gives The Two Towers its opening momentum.
The council at Rivendell is a second high point. Frodo volunteers to carry the Ring to Mount Doom, and nine companions are chosen, with Gimli the only dwarf among them. It could be argued that this is the clearest picture of what the Fellowship is meant to be, since the company brings together hobbits, men, an elf, a dwarf and a wizard.
The third is the meeting with Gandalf the White in Rohan. The three hunters find the wizard they believed lost in Moria, and the scene turns a rescue mission into the start of a wider war. If you are new to the saga, the Lord of the Rings movies in order guide is the best place to start, and where to watch Lord of the Rings shows where to stream the films.
Facts
- Gimli is played by John Rhys-Davies, who is billed eleventh in The Fellowship of the Ring (2001). TMDB, checked 2026-11-03
- The Fellowship of the Ring, Gimli's first film, was released in the US on December 19, 2001. The Numbers, checked 2026-11-03
- The Fellowship of the Ring runs 179 minutes. TMDB, checked 2026-11-03
- Rhys-Davies is credited as "Gimli / Treebeard (voice)" in The Two Towers (2002), billed sixth. TMDB, checked 2026-11-03
- The Two Towers was released in the US on December 18, 2002. Box Office Mojo, checked 2026-11-03
- Return of the King (2003) is billed twelfth for Rhys-Davies as Gimli and earned $1,138,063,541 worldwide. Box Office Mojo, checked 2026-11-03
- All three films Gimli appears in were directed by Peter Jackson. TMDB, checked 2026-11-03
- Peter Hambleton plays Glóin in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012), where the credit reads "Gloin / William Troll". TMDB, checked 2026-11-03
- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was released in the US on December 14, 2012. The Numbers, checked 2026-11-03
FAQs
Who plays Gimli in The Lord of the Rings?
John Rhys-Davies plays Gimli in all three Peter Jackson films: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002) and Return of the King (2003). In The Two Towers he is credited as "Gimli / Treebeard (voice)", because he also voices the Ent Treebeard.
Is Gimli related to the dwarves in The Hobbit?
The film credits do not link Gimli to any Hobbit character. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey credits a dwarf named Glóin, played by Peter Hambleton, in Thorin Oakenshield's company, but Gimli does not appear in the Hobbit films.
How strong is Gimli in Lord of the Rings?
No official strength rating exists for Gimli. He is one of the nine members of the Fellowship, travels through the mines of Moria, and chases the Uruk-hai across Rohan with Aragorn and Legolas.
Does Gimli die in The Lord of the Rings?
No death for Gimli appears in the plots of the three films. His last credited appearance is Return of the King (2003), which ends with the Ring destroyed and Aragorn crowned king.
What are some of Gimli's most memorable sayings?
Gimli's best remembered lines come from the Rivendell council, the pursuit across Rohan and the siege at Helm's Deep, mostly in exchanges with Legolas and Aragorn. We do not reproduce dialogue here, so the quickest way to hear them is to rewatch those scenes in The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers.
Who got more kills, Gimli or Legolas?
No film, studio or credit publishes an official kill count for either character, so any tally is a fan count and varies with what is included. In my opinion, the pairing is better read as a friendly rivalry than a scoreboard, and Legolas has his own profile on the Legolas page.