He’s Hobnobbing Among the Hobbits

The reviews of “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” are in. And they range from the breathlessly enthusiastic--”It has real passion, real emotion, real terror and a tactile sense of evil” (Newsweek)--to the ecstatic--”A great picture, a triumphant picture, a joyfully conceived work of cinema” (Entertainment Weekly).

Nice notices for any cast and crew. But at least one member of this Fellowship has grown up with wide acclaim. Elijah Wood is 20, a veteran of films from “The Good Son” to “The Ice Storm” and “Deep Impact.” From his earliest roles, Wood demonstrated an empathy with his characters and a connection with the audience that made him stand out among the child stars of his generation.

With his guileless face and otherworldly blue eyes, his roles in films seemed as symbolic as they were realistic. Here was the look of innocence threatened by malevolence (in “The Good Son”), or uncertain adolescence hoping, but failing, to survive the mistakes of Me Generation parenting in “The Ice Storm.”

Wood has become a boyishly handsome young man. And, as Frodo Baggins, the Ringbearer, he’s the center of the $300-million trilogy based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels.

“The Lord of the Rings” represents a two-year commitment for Wood. That included 16 months on location in New Zealand, wearing rubber feet “that don’t keep you from freezing, when you’re walking through snow” and acting in front of blue screens, on his knees and whatever else was necessary to make him appear 3 to 4 feet tall.

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Question: You really wanted this part. How did you get it?

Answer: My agent called me with the news that they were casting for it, and we both knew it would be the role of a lifetime. I didn’t want to go and just be put on tape by a casting director. I knew they wanted an English actor to do this, and I needed all the help I could get. I was really passionate about getting this part. So we got my friend George Huang [a director], got a basic hobbit-like costume and went out in the woods and shot some scenes, and gave those to the casting director. That’s how I got my foot in the door.

Q: Frodo has a few scenes that show him as just one of the boys, the hobbits. Then, he spends most of the film with the weight of the world around his neck as he carries this deadly ring. How do you play that?

A: It’s very internal. The relationship that Frodo has with the ring is what has to inform the performance. The ring is constantly trying to influence him, in essence to take over his soul. So Frodo keeps quiet, deals with that, takes things in and is very emotional about the burden he bears. I think it makes him wise beyond his years. As an actor, you have to just be there as a sponge, taking the experiences of the journey and adding them to the weight he carries.

And that camaraderie among the hobbits? That’s real. Those were the guys, Dominic Monoghan and Billy Boyd, that I hung around with the whole time we were making the movie.

Q: You’ve seen what happened to the “Star Trek” and “Star Wars” crews. You’re in for fan obsession that could last years. Any reluctance to take the role because of that?

A: We always knew that there are going to be people out there who never let go of us in these roles. It was never at the forefront of our minds. Primarily, we were so into Middle-earth when we were making this, that the thought of conventions and whatever other repercussions come with making a fantasy film didn’t come up.

So right now is the really frightening time, ha-ha. It’s the biggest thing that any of us have done.

Q: You’re at the age where the transition from child star to young adult actor has to be playing into what you do. What’s your strategy? Many before you have failed to make the leap.

A: I’ve never had a strategy about making that transition. To me, it was always about just moving on, getting that next job and then the next. And in doing that, I have to choose roles that challenge me as an actor and allow me to avoid being pigeonholed. In retrospect, it seems as if I’ve been managing a career. But I’m just in the moment, looking for that next good role, trying to get more passionate about what I do.

My next film, “Ash Wednesday,” was directed by Ed Burns and comes out next year. Maybe that’ll diffuse the Frodo-vision that everyone will have about me.

I look for things that are different. And I kind of think I won’t be looking for anything as massive, of this scale, ever again. I like movies that emphasize characters, and the sorts of characters you get to play in those movies.

I’ve been really lucky to have had the career I’ve had, growing up in the industry. It’s actually allowed me to grow up very quickly and learn as I do. I’ve always felt that I was, in some ways, attending a school of life-accelerated.

Q: Some young actors take time off to go to college. What about you?

A: I don’t see myself having time for that. But the movies aren’t my only interest. I’d love to study photography. And here’s a secret: What I’d really like to do is go to a good culinary school! I’m a serious foodie.