'Tolkien' star Lily Collins recalls 'awful' audition for 'The Hobbit'

May 3 (UPI) -- Tolkien star Lily Collins says her audition for The Hobbit didn't go as planned.

The 30-year-old actress recalled in a joint interview with Tolkien co-star Nicholas Hoult during Thursday's episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert how she tried out for Tauriel in The Hobbit.

The role of Tauriel ultimately went to Evangeline Lilly, who played the elf in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. The movies were directed by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson.

"I was a huge fan of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. I love magic and fantasy," Collins told host Stephen Colbert.

"I had actually, ironically, auditioned for I think it was Evangeline Lilly's role in The Hobbit," she said. "I don't think it ever even made it to Peter Jackson. It was awful. But then years later, ironically, I end up playing the woman who inspired that character."

The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings films are based on the works of the same name by author J.R.R. Tolkien. Collins plays Tolkien's wife, Edith Bratt, in Tolkien, which explores Tolkien's formative years and relationship with Bratt.

"It's the buildup to him writing The Hobbit," Hoult, who portrays Tolkien, said. "He was orphaned at a young age and it's about him finding friendship, fellowship and love with Edith. And then his experiences during World War I. And his love of languages as well."

Tolkien opens in theaters May 10. The movie released a new trailer in March showing Tolkien's early romance with Bratt.