Peter Jackson, who makes his home in New Zealand, has been made a knight a part of that country’s New Years Honors’ list.
Knighthood is bestowed upon worthy citizens each year, and for Jackson he is being honored for his “services to film,” as The Hollywood Reporter puts it.
New Zealand knights and dames, among the nation’s highest honors, are sanctioned by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, New Zealand’s head of state — stemming from the country’s past as a British colony.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy was a virtual postcard of New Zealand, as Jackson and his crew showcased the country’s natural scenery as the backdrop to J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy epic, filled with elves, wizards, hobbits and warriors. There was a spike in tourism after the films were released, and there will probably be another spike after Jackson finishes up a two-movie prequel of Tolkein’s The Hobbit, with Mexican director Guillermo del Toro.
Credit: The Hollywood Reporter
