<Tr> <Th> Occupation </Th> <Td> Actor </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Years active </Th> <Td> 1996--present </Td> </Tr> <P> Dominic Bernard Patrick Luke Monaghan (/ ˈdɒmɪnɪk ˈmɒnəhæn /; born 8 December 1976) is a German - born English actor . Monaghan first gained fame for being Hetty Wainthropp's sidekick Geoffrey in Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (1996 - 98). He then played Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck in Peter Jackson's epic film trilogy The Lord of the Rings (2001--03) based on the novel of the same name by J.R.R Tolkien, Charlie Pace on the television show Lost (2004--2010), and Chris Bradley in superhero film X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009). He currently hosts the nature program Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan (2012--present). </P> <P> Monaghan was born in Berlin, West Germany, to British parents: Maureen, a nurse, and Austin Monaghan, a science teacher . He also has a half brother named Luke Twardowski - reid . His older brother Matthew is the main songwriter and co-lead vocalist of the indie band Radiosepia . Monaghan's family lived in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart and Münster, moving about every four years . When he was about 11 years old, his family moved from Germany to Heaton Moor in Stockport, England . In Stockport, he attended St Anne's Roman Catholic High School (where his uncle taught and later became head teacher) and Aquinas College, where he studied English literature, drama and geography . </P>

Who plays mary in lord of the rings