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Lord of the Rings stars Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan have new TV and film recommendations for you to try

From Apocalypse Now to West Wing, these are your new watching recommendations from Merry and Pippen themselves.

News by Trent Cannon, Senior Contributing writer

Additional contributions by Ashley V. Robinson

Published on Tue Jul 22 2025

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You can tell a lot about someone by what their favorite movie or TV show is, which is why we love to ask. During C2E2, our very own Ashley V. Robinson got to see how well two of our favorite Lord of the Rings actors, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan, knew each other. Could they guess each other’s favorite movie and TV show? If you’re hoping to get some insight into your favorite hobbits, we have some shows to add to your watch list.

During an interview that ranged from what you should (and shouldn’t) put cheese on and where the pair loved to travel together, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan were asked if they could guess what the other’s favorite movie and TV show was. Some answers they were quick to give, while others took a bit more coaxing.

“Movie: Apocalypse Now,” Boyd answered almost immediately, which Monaghan confirmed is, indeed, his favorite movie. However, it proved slightly more difficult for him to remember his Lord of the Rings co-star’s favorite TV show. Not because he didn’t know it, but because he couldn’t quite remember the name. “It’s like a pretend nighttime show,” Boyd mused, trying to remember. “And I’ve never watched it.”

“I keep telling him to watch it,” Monaghan stressed, trying not to tell Boyd the answer immediately.
“You keep telling me and I almost do…” Boyd said before he was finally put out of his misery. The answer, of course, is The Larry Sanders Show, an iconic parody of late-night talk shows starring Garry Shandling that ran from 1992 to 1998.

Similarly, Monaghan quickly knew what Billy Boyd’s favorite movie was. “Billy’s favorite movie is Gregory’s Girl,” he said, to which Boyd nodded. However, coming up with his favorite show was also tricky. Not because he couldn’t remember the name, but because he had a few options. “His favorite TV show… he can be a little bit slippery with this,” Monaghan admitted. “Because he likes the West Wing and he likes Grey’s Anatomy and he likes Star Trek. I’m gonna say if he was having to choose one of them… West Wing?”

Which was, of course, the right answer. So, if you want to get into the heads of Merry and Pippin’s actors, you don’t need to just watch The Lord of the Rings. You need to check out a couple of other movies and TV shows as well.

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About C2E2 2025

Comics, cosplay, gaming, authors, and anime abound in the only pop culture convention in the heart of Downtown Chicago! We've gathered your favorite celebrities, unique exhibitors, incredible comic creators, and larger-than-life literary authors into one place to celebrate the fandoms you love. From the halls of Artist Alley to the depths of the Show Floor, our goal is to provide a space of creativity and fun, but most importantly, one that cultivates a sense of belonging, safety, and inclusiveness.