"Shadowfax! Show us the meaning of haste!"
When you think of celebrities best known by a stage name consisting of a single word, you think of Cher, Oprah or Madonna, but there is one more that should roll off the tip of your tongue, Blanco! He was the heart, soul and glue of Peter Jackson's
Lord of the Rings trilogy, but he tragically passed away a few days ago.
His caretaker, Cynthia Royal, explained to
theonering.net that Blanco had endured "serious issues with his intestinal tract and liver." Like a loyal friend, Royal stayed with Blanco til the bitter end. "Although my heart was breaking," she explains, "as my final gift to him, I stayed strong, balanced and focused, gently repeating “Relax Blanco. Let go. Walk into the light. Relax and let go” as the Blanco I’ve known so well and loved so deeply slipped away."
Blanco spent much of his screen time with Ian McKellen ("X-Men: Days of Future Past"). The two didn't always get along. According to sources, Ian wasn't fond of Blanco. He believed Blanco's use of a
mononym made him come off as a bit of a diva. Eyewitnesses say, Ian was always riding Blanco. Sometimes Ian referred to him by the derogatory term, "Nag."
Yet nothing compares to the time when they had a dance-off, after Ian accused Blanco of having two left feet. To this day Peter Jackson, who judged the competition, says there was no winner, they were neck and neck.
Reports are still a bit hazy about his age. Some say he was 25 years-old at the time of death, while others have compared him to a 70 to 75 year old human. We wouldn't be too surprised if Blanco, like other celebrities, had lied about his age. Either way, rest in peace big guy. Time for Blanco to gallop off
to the far green country under a swift sunrise.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Frodo Baggins and the Fellowship continue their quest to destroy the One Ring and stand against the evil of the dark lord Sauron. The Fellowship has divided and now find themselves taking different paths to defeating Sauron and his allies. Their destinies now lie at two towers - Orthanc Tower in Isengard, where the corrupted wizard Saruman waits and Sauron's fortress at Baraddur, deep within the dark lands of Mordor.
Actors: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, Sean Astin
Director: Peter Jackson