December 16, 2002
Getting in the Hobbit
Elijah Wood discusses his life since Rings, and
whether Gollum could beat Harry Potter's Dobby in a
fight.
By AMY LONGSDORF
One would think that after an enormous professional
Who would win in a battle between Gollum and Dobby
experience like starring in The Lord of the Rings
trilogy, an actor's life would change completely and
irreversibly. Not so for 21-year-old Elijah Wood, who
still lives at home with his mom, and calls his
life "so common and normal." Still, it did take him
away to New Zealand for more than a year. But now
that he's back in the U.S., Wood is continuing his
busy filming schedule (he'll star in next year's
Thumbsucker with Keanu Reeves and Tilda Swinton) and
ducking rumors about romancing his costars.
from Harry Potter?
Oh my God. Well, Gollum is bigger, he is wretched, he
Since the movie came out and grossed more than $860
Can you explain the differences between the first and
Viggo Mortensen was on Charlie Rose recently,
What did you think about his comments? Do you think
I don't think it is going to create a controversy. I
Do you think this is a political movie? I mean, it
But a lot of people, when they see this, they find it
What was it like in the swamps when you filmed there?
Nasty. Cold.
You are starring in a new movie called Try Seventeen
People are now saying that this three-part series may
Where is the actual ring that was used in the film?
I have the ring.
Where do you keep it?
I keep it in my office. I haven't seen it in a while.
Do you have it in a safe or something?
No.
Does it have an inscription?
No, it is just a plain gold ring. That is the irony
is heartless, he will do anything.
million worldwide, are you worried about the role of
Frodo overtaking your career? Are you concerned about
typecasting?
No, not in the slightest. My life is so common and
normal. Yes, the success of the films has changed my
life -- but not in such a way that I can't go about
my life as I had before. I go where I want to go and
do what I want to do and just deal with that extra
amount of attention.... I have been so lucky to have
worked since I was 8 and to have a career before Lord
of the Rings and have that time of gradual growth to
kind of gradually acquire those tools to learn how to
deal with this added amount of attention.
second Lord of the Rings films?
Well, I see the second film as being really the
beginning of the journey, whereas the first film is
the set-up of understanding what is at stake.
Understanding that the ring is this dangerous thing
that an potentially destroy all of Middle Earth,
establishing those that will essentially take this
ring to Mordor to destroy it and then the realization
of Frodo that he can't do this with the group of
nine, that he has to do it on his own. It takes you
to that moment where the decision is made and the
journey begins and that is where we pick up, the
journey really setting off.
discussing how important it is that America doesn't
do battle with Iraq.
that what he said might hurt the movie?
don't know, I am very proud of Viggo for saying what
he said -- I think not many people are saying that,
not many people are raising questions. I always think
it is important to question even your government --
especially your government, actually... I am not
going to sit here and agree with every single word
that Viggo said, but I think it is important to
question and I think he used a very good venue.
does sort of mirror what is going on a little bit.
It doesn't, but the themes are universal and I think
that the themes will always be relevant. And there
happens to be an intense kind of social atmosphere,
an intense kind of political atmosphere in the world
right now that is putting a lot of people in harm's
way, so those particular elements of those themes are
going to seem very relevant.
to be a pro-war movie, which I don't think it is at
all. It is really about standing up for what you
believe in, standing up against opposition, and it
doesn't necessarily mean you have to stand up and
fight, it just so happens that those are the means in
which they do that. I think the speech at the end of
the movie really tells you what the movie is
about...Sam says, Look, if you feel like you are
going to give up, don't, because there is some good
in this world and that is worth fighting for.
with Mandy Moore and Franka Potente. There have been
rumors connecting you to both actresses. Any truth?
Oh God, rumors, rumors. For a while there was a rumor
that I was married to Franka Potente. It is funny
though, my mother actually questioned it, 'Are you
married?' I said, 'Are you kidding, Mom?' I mean, I
live with my Mom, so it was like, 'What, what are
you on? No.' I love my mom.
be one of the great achievements in world cinema. Did
you know this when you started?
I knew that it was going to be special, (but) I
didn't assume it was going to be one of the greatest
movies of all time. But I knew it was completely
unique. The idea that we were doing three movies at
one time and we were going to unleash this trilogy to
the world after being in New Zealand for 16 months,
there was something very special about that. Once we
got to New Zealand and realized the environment that
we were making it in and how talented everybody was,
and the passion and love that was being poured into
it, we knew it was going to be something incredible.
Now, having seen the first one, knowing how good the
second movie is and having no doubt in my mind that
the third movie is going to blow all of them away,
yeah maybe. We will have to see.
of that damn thing, it is so simple, yet so powerful
