How cute is the casting photo at approx 1.22? .  Love the audition. 

It also reminds me that I pronounced Smaug "Smog" for half a century!!

I think it's Smowg (the "ow" as in "crowd")!  At least, that's how they pronounce it in the video, and I think I only realised when the films came out.  I was rhyming it with "dog".  For all those years!

Looks like it's a lot of English as first language speakers https://www.arrantpedantry.com/2013/12/20/the-pronunciation-of-smaug/ .  So not just me!   Apparently, it should probably be pronounced with the "ow" sound as that's how it would be pronounced in Elvish (according to to Tolkien) and most words follow Elvish pronounciation, and also becuase the root word is Old German.   A bit of googling found that there has been quite some debate (with Smay-ug being another proposed pronunciation!).

It's nice to hear Martin say "We all thought it was Smog"!


Anyway, I've learned something new.  Or possibly something I already knew but had forgotten.  I'm never sure these days. 

 

Well, hey, that's how we Americans pronounce the "au" diphthong! =)
 

Whereas, the New Zealanders (and I'm guessing the British?) pronounce it as "Smowg"! =)

You know, I think that someone really ought to write a Sherlock/Hobbit crossover in which Sherlock and John get sent to Middle-earth!  It would be most amusing to watch Sherlock attempt to take on Smaug, to see him deduce that dragon. LOL! =)
 

Considering how many other words have "au" pronounced like an "o" (though there are regional differences for whom the evolution of various long vowels did not change, or didn't change in the same way), it's understandable!