William Kircher Biography

Fast Facts

• Produced an award-winning short film while working as the head of Cloud 9s commercial division
• Was nominated for a 1987 New Zealand Film and TV Award for Best Performance by a Male in a Leading Role for "Cuckoo Land․"
• Lied about his age to get into the New Zealand Drama School when he was 16, and graduated two years later
• Quote: "[on "The Hobbit"] "It's a different kind of challenge, because you might be off to the side doing something, but you've still got to do something interesting․""
• Quote: "The thing about working with Peter Jackson is that at the end of the day, he is a passionate artist․"
• Shifted his focus to production and executive management in the late 1990s, but returned to screen acting in several notable roles
• First became known for his role in the New Zealand television police drama "Shark in the Park․"
• His hobbies include spending time with his family, walking his dogs, fishing and enjoying the beach
• While preparing for his role in "The Hobbit," he and the other actors playing dwarfs had to tromp through the forest around their building, pretending to light fires, often confusing the general public
• Learned to speak Khuzdul, a dwarvish tongue created for "The Hobbit" film franchise, to prepare for his role as the dwarf Bifur