Ed Sheeran On Using Thorin Oakenshield’s Journey As Inspiration For His Hobbit Song

Ed Sheeran was celebrating a friend’s wedding recently when he received a request from Peter Jackson to pen the closing credit song for “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.”

“It was four o’clock in the morning in Ibiza. I was at a friend’s wedding out of my mind. Got the e-mail. Didn’t really clock it because my mind wasn’t piecing things together at that point, and then, woke up in the morning, read the email and was like, ‘Oh! That sounds very cool,’” Ed recounted to Access Hollywood of how the call came through that lead to him writing “I See Fire” for the film’s closing credits. “So I got on a flight to New Zealand, and did the song.”

Getting the request from Peter, who Ed previously met in Wellington, New Zealand, brought joy to the Grammy nominee, who counts himself as a big fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s works, and Peter’s films based on those works.

WATCH: Ed Sheeran Discusses Writing ‘I See Fire’ For ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug’

“I was just so happy to even be thought [of] to even be involved in ‘The Hobbit.’ I’m such a massive fan of all the Tolkien films and books, so to be involved – I wanted to be an extra, like just as a Hobbit walking in the background,” Ed told Access. “So to be involved in it like this is pretty cool.”

After watching the film, Ed channeled the journey of the dwarf Thorin Oakenshield, played by statuesque British actor Richard Armitage, for the lyrics of “I See Fire.”

WATCH: Richard Armitage Talks Thorin & Gandalf’s First Meeting Flashback In ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug’

“Thorin was the one that I wrote from the perspective of. It was from him standing on the mountain viewing what was going on,” Ed said of his inspiration.

At the Hollywood premiere, Ed spotted Richard, but didn’t get to probe the actor’s brain about his Thorin-motivations.

“I wanted to have a longer talk with him. I didn’t recognize him instantly ‘cause obviously he has a big beard in the film and doesn’t in real life,” Ed laughed.

“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” hits theaters on December 13.

Jolie Lash

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