When Lost first debuted in 2004, it became an immediate success. The show premiered on September 22, 2004, which was just one year after The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King‘s 2003 release date. The extreme success of the Peter Jackson movies proved that fantasy was still a force to be reckoned with in theaters, and Lost was preparing to prove that the same was true for TV. It introduced mystery, science fiction, and fantasy — all without needing to debut on the big screen.

Like The Lord of the Rings, the show had an enormous cast. The ensemble included Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hugo, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Dominic Monaghan as Charlie, and countless others. All had storylines and arcs of their own, while they attempted to uncover the secrets of the Island. While the show largely stood on its own, Monaghan’s character had strong ties to the other world-renowned fantasy production.

Monaghan’s Lord of the Rings History

The Charlie Actor Is Best Known for Lord of the Rings

Before Dominic Monaghan starred as Charlie in Lost, the actor made his name through another beloved franchise. He debuted as Merry in Peter Jackson’s The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), appearing in all three movies in the trilogy. Filming lasted for over a year, from 1999 to 2000, though the cast was still brought back for further shoots throughout the franchise’s three-year run. While he was not the first actor to portray Merry — that honor went to Michael Collins for the 1955 radio series — his has become easily the most prominent portrayal.

Monaghan also starred in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019).

Monaghan began his career as Charlie Pace in 2004. His character was a one-hit-wonder musician, a heroin addict, and an exceptionally selfish young man. His character grew and changed throughout his three-season run. While Charlie died in Lost season 3, episode 23, “Through the Looking Glass”, he remained with the show in a few spare cameos and flash-sideways for five more episodes. His final appearance came in season 6, episode 17, “The End”, as he joined the other stars in Purgatory. Unlike Hurley, Ben, and Walt, he did not appear in the show’s epilogue. Charlie’s story ends at a natural point and concludes with a sacrifice that makes him the hero that he initially never appeared to be.

Monaghan Patterned His Performance on Andy Serkis

Charlie’s Addiction Matches Gollum’s

Unfortunately, the portrayal of drug addiction on Lost was somewhat flawed. Rather than taking the time to investigate how heroin could impact life on the Island, given their lack of resources, the show instead used it as a tool for character development. The early scenes of the show even make his heroin addiction a secret, until late in the two-part pilot episode. The lack of any true interest in the arc was made apparent when, rather than portraying a slow withdrawal, Charlie was required to go cold turkey just to recover his guitar from Locke (Terry O’Quinn). As a result, his portrayal never needed to become extraordinarily accurate.

Monaghan once explained that he based his portrayal on Andy Serkis’ Gollum. Still, Monaghan needed a basis for his depiction. Because he was portraying a man with a heroin addiction, he needed to look for an outside perspective. He found it in a surprising place: The Lord of the Rings. Monaghan once explained that he based his portrayal on Andy Serkis’ Gollum. As a creature with a desperate need to retain his grip on the One Ring, Gollum’s need to remain alongside his Precious is an addiction in itself. Recognizing the parallels, Monaghan elected to mimic Serkis’ portrayal. Every moment of Charlie’s withdrawals is based on Gollum’s reaction to losing the Ring. His anger, his duplicity, and even his physical responses all tie directly to Serkis’ depiction.

There are some differences, of course. Rather than giving in to his needs, as Gollum did, Charlie is always left battling his temptations. Much of season 1, episode 7, “The Moth” is dedicated to his journey to sobriety. Charlie eventually manages to reclaim his heroin, but he casts it into the fire. It is a moment of triumph that finally sees him overcome his addiction once and for all. That, in itself, is somewhat of a reference to The Lord of the Rings. After all, The Lord of the Rings ending saw Gollum leaping into the fires of Mount Doom while clinging to the One Ring. Unlike Gollum, who cast himself into the fire, Charlie emerges unscathed and free of his addiction.

Andy Serkis’ Performance Was Extremely Fitting

Heroin Addiction Inspired Serkis’ Gollum

Monaghan’s decision to base his portrayal on Andy Serkis’ was interesting, especially considering Serkis’ own inspiration. Rather than relying solely on Tolkien’s depiction of Gollum in the books, he elected to look to real-world depictions of similar situations. According to NME, he studied drug addiction primarily, and he let that sense of desperation influence his every action. Gollum constantly moves as if he is anticipating another hit, much like someone who depends on chemical support might. Serkis explained that the drug “controls” Gollum, forcing him to obsess over even the thought of touching the Ring. Serkis described that he needed “to find something very real“ to connect with Sméagol, and he found it in drug addiction. The depth of the tragedy of addiction, combined with the loss of psychological control, helped to make Sméagol a memorable and genuinely fascinating character.

His acting was so profound that it directly influenced Monaghan’s most recognizable role.

Interestingly, Monaghan based his addicted character on another character, who was himself based on real-world heroin addiction. Though Serkis was not involved with Lost, his acting was so profound that it directly influenced Monaghan’s most recognizable role. Serkis’ portrayal also managed to bring Tolkien’s intentions to life. Tolkien’s work always depicted darkness as a tangible and highly addictive threat, so leaning on signs of heroin addiction is a brilliant way to showcase the dangers of Gollum’s obsession. It suited The Lord of the Rings well, but it also suited Charlie Pace. Without Serkis’ stunning performance, Charlie might never have been such a fully realized character.