Watch LOTR Actors Try To Stump Stephen Colbert With Obscure Middle-earth Trivia

Late night TV host Stephen Colbert is known for being a Lord of the Rings super-fan, and his knowledge was put to the test recently by actors from the series and director Peter Jackson himself. Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd, who played Merry and Pippin in the series, appeared on Colbert's late night show this week to promote their new podcast, The Friendship Onion. As part of their appearance, they quizzed Colbert on The Lord of the Rings, while Jackson, too, jumped in video a video call to try to stump Colbert.

Monaghan supplies the first question: "Who is Shelob's mother and how did she die?"

Colbert needs no time to answer, quickly replying, "Well, Shelob's mother is Ungoliant, and she died by consuming herself in her own webs of darkness."

Colbert then stands up and literally flexes, but that was the last total victory he would have in the contest. Boyd then asks Colbert to name the specific place in Fangorn Forest where the Entmoot is held. The host clearly struggles with this question, reclining back into his seat, rubbing his eyes, and asking his guests to quiet down as he searches his mind for the answer. But it never comes. The answer is Derndingle.

Then Jackson asks his question: "Is Merry and/or Pippin descended directly from the Hobbit that invented golf, and what was the name of that Hobbit who invented golf?"

Colbert immediately replies: "Pippin, and his name is Bullroarer Took."

Unfortunately, Colbert was only half-correct, as it was both Merry and Pippin who are descended directly from Bullroarer. For his smarts, Monaghan gifted Colbert a pair of Hobbit ears that Merry wore during the Lord of the Rings movies.

The Lord of the Rings film series is continuing with an animated movie from Warner Bros. that is currently being fast-tracked. Outside of that, Amazon is producing a Lord of the Rings TV show.