So, Thorin Oakenshield was... devastatingly handsome?

Casting news for The Hobbit is obviously exciting for many reasons, not the least of which is, if they're casting people, it indicates they're actually planning to make the movie. Martin Freeman landed the choice role of Bilbo and I couldn't be happier. Aside from being perfect for the role, he actually kinda looks like a young Ian Holm. Most promising. I hope he is practicing his "flummoxed" looks as I type.

"What has it got in its pocketses, precious?"

There were announcements of scads of British and Irish actors I've never heard of for the roles of Kili and Fili and etc. Dare I hope for John Rhys-Davies to change his mind and come back and play Gloin as nature intended? I do dare, indeed. Let's all hope together. Make sure you hope hard, because if this doesn't work, we'll all know whose fault it was.

Now for the surprising news that left me flummoxed for a moment and then elated for all the moments after it. Thorin will be played by Richard Armitage! Whee! If you're sitting there saying, "But Allison, who the crap is Richard Armitage?" then I pity you, because he is awesome in dozens of ways and dreamy to boot. Go Netflix Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South or the BBC's Robin Hood and then return here and agree heartily with me re: his talent and his dreaminess.

To quote horrible, awful Rachel Zoe, "I die!"

Also, this puts a whole new spin on Thorin for me. Now I'm thinking of him as the James Bond of the dwarven race.

How they're going to transform this dashing face into a dwarf is beyond me.

Why, hello, Mr. Thornton.

But I look forward to finding out.