Lilly is currently in the midst of shooting “The Hobbit” the upcoming hit as she is set to play an elf named Tauriel, one which is not found in the original books and when asked about her work on the hobbit, she said that preparing for the role has been different than anything else she's ever done before.
"And I'm a fairly spontaneous actor," Lilly said. "I like to keep things fresh and real and alive. And therefore, I don't do a lot of prepping." She said it was J.J. Abrams: the co-creator of "Lost" and director of its first episode, who taught her "the art of letting go." She said, "I think I was over-studying like an eager student when I first started on 'Lost.'"
Working on "The Hobbit," though, has radically changed how she readies herself for a role. "I can't just be spontaneous, because there is nothing natural about being an elf, It's not human, so I have to study to learn what it means to be this other creature."
This means Lilly has had to train to walk, talk, and, of course, fight like an elf. She said, "So, on top of my stunt training -- which I need to learn how to be proficient with the bow and arrow, and with daggers, and in fighting orcs that are, you know, ten feet tall -- I also have to learn the language of Elvish, and I have to learn an RP [Received Pronunciation] neutral English accent for when I speak English." When you add in learning to move and gesture like an elf, Lilly figures she has spent "four times as much time preparing as I do actually shooting."
Lilly also say that she'll only appear briefly in the first film, and will have a greater part to play in the second. She said her role has been expanded from the original script she read: "There's a lot more for me to do now, which is a lot of fun, but it's a little more pressure."
Just how Evangeline Lilly looks as an elf is being kept under wraps. "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" hits theaters on December 14, 2012.