Slipping under the radar of yesterday's movie coverage was a little story out of New Zealand concerning production of The Hobbit.

Wanna-be Hobbit Naz Humphreys
  • The Waikato Times
  • Wanna-be Hobbit Naz Humphreys

The Waikato Times, a New Zealand paper, reported that Briton Naz Humphreys was denied a role as an extra in the film due to her skin color.

"It's 2010 and I still can't believe I'm being discriminated against because I have brown skin," said Ms Humphreys. "The casting manager basically said they weren't having anybody who wasn't pale-skinned."

According to Humphreys she waited three hours in line to only be told that she there was no point in her trying out for a part.

The newspaper supposedly had video of a representative for the film telling auditioners that they were only looking for pale-skinned people (they did not have said video posted online).

"We are looking for light-skinned people. I'm not trying to be — whatever. It's just the brief. You've got to look like a hobbit."

A spokesperson for Peter Jackson responded to the incident saying that Jackson nor the producers were aware of a directive to only cast pale-skinned Hobbits. He stated that anyone who fit the age and height requirements were allowed to audition.

Humphreys is 5'0" and of Pakistani heritage.

On a side note, Ian McKellen put up some information on his website indicating that he would be returning as Gandalf for the film.

Also, it was reported that Jackson will be shooting the two-part film in 3D. So... there's that.