Dougray Scott has revealed he was approached to play the role of Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The role was famously portrayed by Viggo Mortensen in the three blockbuster films, who himself replaced original casting Stuart Townsend right before filming began.

However, Scott — who recently starred in Sea Fever — has admitted that he himself was in line for the part when casting was still underway, though the prospect of spending two years in New Zealand put him off.

“They sent [the script] to me,” the Mission: Impossible 2 actor told NME. “They wanted me to go meet Peter Jackson in New Zealand, but to be honest with you I’d just finished doing MI:2 and the idea of spending two years away in New Zealand I just couldn’t quite contemplate.

“I read it,” he added. “I thought it was great, and I thought the movie was terrific. Like everyone else, everyone’s agents were getting sent the script. They didn’t offer it to me, but they sent me the script to read for sure.

“Then I had to go meet him in New Zealand, but the idea of spending that amount of time away in New Zealand at that particular time, I didn’t want to do.”

Scott explained that he “didn’t” discuss it with anyone involved with the film on the phone at the time, adding: “They never offered it to me, but I read the script.”

Asked how his agent reacted to him turning down the role, the actor recalled: “She said, ‘are you sure?’ She got it, she understood. But I thought Viggo was great.”

He also said he had no regrets about rejecting the role, noting: “I don’t have regrets about anything.”

Lord of the Rings is due to get a new TV series on Amazon Prime, which will be set thousands of years prior to the events of the main trilogy.

Signature Entertainment presents ‘Sea Fever’ on Blu-ray & Digital HD from April 24