Rats

Orville's cultural legacy lives on in new pukapuka

I am thrilled to announce that I recently attended the launch of a new pukapuka that comprises the latest milestone in Orville the movie-star rat’s cultural legacy. From author AJ Fitzwater’s launch speech:

“The Cinrak stories all began with a rat called Orville covered in Marmite.

Orville became a bit of a celebrity after starring the The Hobbit movies. He performed admirably under the harsh lights and eye of Hollywood; New Zealand’s favourite breakfast spread his make-up of choice to keep him safe and amused when grooming.

In a light hearted moment barconning at Au Contraire in 2016, we all joked Orville should be the Rat Guest of Honour at the next year’s Lexicon. Trust us Kiwis to take a random joke as far it can go, and sure enough rats were on the programming in 2017. This included a short story competition – anything goes, so long as there’s a rat character ...”
“I often thought with that square jaw and a broad chest, a capybara looked like a really handsome butch lesbian, if that butch was a rodent.

And the pieces fell into place. Cinrak was born, and Orvillia became her rat queen girlfriend ...

There are people I need to thank for coming on this journey with me ...

Thanks to my queer fam all over the world, for listening to my brain farts and putting up with my flailing, sharing good times over food, sharing all the good books, the good advice – you help keep me together.

And to Orville and his tasty Marmite hobbity fur, though he has now crossed the ratty Rainbow bridge. Little do you know what you started. ”
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Orville: Ghost of Honour

As is only right and fitting, Orville has been invited to be the Ghost of Honour at LexiCon, NZ’s 38th national science fiction and fantasy convention. Here is the text of the short bio I have supplied for the con book:

“Orville: rat, film star, legend. In many ways, Orville’s is the classic rags-to-riches story. He survived a difficult kittenhood in the foster care system, eventually being adopted from the New Zealand Rat Rescue by a Wellington couple. He quickly adapted to a life of leisure and treats, but there was something missing.

And then, in early 2012, the call came: the call to greatness. Peter Jackson needed rats for The Hobbit films, and Orville was just the rat for the job. He never looked back. Orville took to the glamorous film-star lifestyle as though born to it, hobnobbing with agents, makeup artists and actors with grace and poise. He was pleased to receive fan mail from John Rhys-Davies, and condescended to appear in a short film documenting his fabulous career. He died in late 2013, the bright flame of his talent extinguished by old age.”
— Elizabeth Heritage, mortal representative of Orville the Movie-Star Rat
Fan mail for Orville the Movie-Star Rat from John Rhys-Davies. CC BY

Fan mail for Orville the Movie-Star Rat from John Rhys-Davies. CC BY