Dominic Monaghan has a soft spot in my heart, because he stars as the hobbit Merry in my favorite movie, The Lord of the Rings, and as the rock star Charlie in one of my favorite TV shows, Lost.

The problem for Dom is typecasting. The quirky and distinctive-looking actor admits he went a little wild after The Lord of the Rings because he couldn’t find work.

On the plus side, it appears Dom isn’t being typecast as a hobbit. Instead, he’s being typecast as a British rock star.

Dom will guest star on the February 2 episode of the NBC show Chuck, playing a British rock star, according to Michael Ausiello of Entertainment Weekly.

“This is a very, very different kind of character,” insists executive producer Josh Schwartz of Monaghan’s metalhead, who makes an in-store appearance at Buy More and ends up entangled in one of Chuck’s spy games. “He’s a lunatic in the best sense of the word. He’s not as dark as Charlie. And there’s no heroin [addiction].” Adds Monaghan, “He’s like Charlie in a hallucinogenic dream.”

Still, Monaghan admits he had some trepidation about channeling someone who, at least on paper, so closely resembles his ill-fated Lost castaway. “I never want to play the same thing twice,” he admits. “But Charlie could never be this person.”

[From Entertainment Weekly, print edition, October 31, 2008]

The episode will air partly in 3-D, just like the Super Bowl half-time show the night before.

Dom dated his Lost co-star Evangeline Lilly for several years before breaking up in late 2007. They may have reconciled this year and may possibly be engaged (take that with a grain of salt).

I’ve only seen one episode of Chuck, and it didn’t grab me enough to keep watching.

Dom will also star as Beak in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, to be released next year. It’s sure to be a huge blockbuster.

Ausiello also has some scoop on Lost.

Brotherhood’s Fionnula Flanagan, who played the omniscient ring-seller who spooked Desmond in year 3, will be back this season to unload a humdinger of a secret: She’s related to a major character. And it’s not Des. Or Vincent.

[From Entertainment Weekly, print edition, October 31, 2008]

Off the top of my head, I’d guess Charlotte.

Lost won’t be back to answer our questions with more questions until early 2009.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Dominic Monaghan is shown out on LA on 10/3/08. They say he had pink nail polish on, but it looks like it’s only on the index finger of his right hand and that he just pained that one nail. Credit: Fame Pictures.