The first look at Evangeline Lily as Tauriel in Peter Jackson’s Hobbit films comes from the packaging of a Hobbit movie-inspired 2-figure "Elf set" that includes action figures of Legolas Greenleaf (Orlando Bloom) and Tauriel (Evangeline Lily).  While the likeness of the action figure itself is only approximate, a photo of Lily, who starred as Kate Austen in Lost, also graces the package providing the first real glimpse of Lily as Tauriel.

 

Tauriel, whose name means "Daughter of Milkwood," is the head of the Elven Guard.  The character of Tauriel does not exist in The Hobbit. It was invented by director Peter Jackson and his writing partner Fran Walsh to provide a little bit of gender equality to Tolkien’s saga by giving the story a powerful warrior woman to balance at least to some degree the saga’s numerous male warriors and protagonists.  During The Hobbit’s climactic Battle of the Five Armies dwarves, elves, and men band together to fight an army of wargs and goblins.