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Elijah Wood Profile |
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Birth Date: January
28, 1981
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Birth Place: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA
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Birth
Name: Elijah Jordan Wood
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Height:
5'6"
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Biography |
Elijah Jordan Wood is a U.S. actor of English, Irish, German
and Polish descent. He is the middle of three children born
to Warren and Debbie Wood, who nicknamed Elijah "Spark Plug"
because he was a manically energetic child. He has a brother
Zack, a video game producer and seven years his senior, as
well as a younger sister Hannah, a poet and actress who has
had small roles in a number of his films.
A professional actor since the age of nine, Wood is best
known for the role of Frodo Baggins in the Lord of the Rings
trilogy. He took the stage in his elementary school's
rendition of the play The Sound of Music. The following
year, he graduated to the title character of The Wonderful
Wizard of Oz. Wood also served as choir boy during the
production of See How They Run, produced by the Marion
Creative Council.
Making his film debut with a minor part in Back to the
Future II in 1989, Wood landed a succession of subsequent
larger roles and became a critically acclaimed child actor.
His performance in The War gained him a nomination by the
YoungStar Awards (for which he was nominated five times and
won once), and Roger Ebert said in his review of the film
that "Elijah Wood has emerged, I believe, as the most
talented actor in his age group in Hollywood history."
His role as Frodo in The Lord of the Rings made him a star,
but he has thus far resisted typecasting by recently
choosing less sympathetic roles, such as a stalker in
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and a mute psychopath
cannibal serial killer in Sin City.
Wood recently won the role of a young Iggy Pop in a
yet-to-be-filmed biographical account of the rock-star.
He will also start his own record label, Simian Records,
later this year. |
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Other
Information |
Melissa Joan Hart wanted him to play the male lead in Drive
Me Crazy (1999) because she thought it would take some of
the pressure off her in her first leading role. However, she
was told that he looked too young next to her, and the role
went to Adrian Grenier.
Parents' names are Warren and Debbie Wood
Elijah has an older (7 years) brother Zack and a younger
sister Hannah Wood (born 7th November 1983).
Presented at Academy Awards in place of Macaulay Culkin
He was the first recipient of the NATO/ShoWest Young Star of
the Year Award
He heard about the Lord of the Rings trilogy while filming
The Faculty (1998). Immediately, he sensed that this was the
chance of a lifetime. Director George Huang, a personal
friend of Wood's, filmed his audition tape for the Lord of
the Rings Trilogy. He shot the scene from different angles
which were cut together for the video. They sent the video
off to New Zealand for director Peter Jackson and a few
months later, he got the part.
The Smashing Pumpkins are his favorite band.
Owns one of two prop rings used in "Lord of the Rings." The
other went to Andy Serkis, who played Gollum.
Plays piano.
As of December 2003, Elijah lived in a New York apartment
with his sister Hannah Wood. However, within a few months he
moved back into his mother's guest house in Santa Monica,
California, where he lived previously, stating he couldn't
justify the rent on the apartment since he spent so little
time there.
He became a child model when his mother wanted him to burn
off excessive energy.
Admits to owning thousands of CDs in many musical genres,
because he loves music so much.
Two of his favorite books are "The Hobbit" and "The
Hunchback of Notre Dame."
Is a fan of ex-Smashing Pumpkin Billy Corgan's new band,
Zwan.
Considers Frodo Baggins to be his best role.
Is the first member of the official "Lord of the Rings"
fanclub.
Studies singing professionally.
Suffered acute appendicitis and was briefly hospitalized
[August 2003]
Aspires to start a record company.
Wears clear contact lenses.
[about urinating in Peter Jackson's favourite fountain in
Wellington, NZ, after a night out drinking:] "We were
walking home and saw this fountain. Dom [Dominic Monaghan]
and I looked at it and he said 'We should conquer it.' Once
we got to the top, what else was there to do but urinate in
it?" [quoted in MX (Melbourne, Australia), December 11,
2003]
[hearing that Sean Astin wanted to correct rumors that his
character Sam Gamgee had a homosexual love for Frodo:]
"Yeah, we've never had that perspective on the relationship,
but there is a real bond and a real closeness. Which was
easy for Sean and I because we became so close making the
film. So it's a natural thing to display and to show and I
think it comes across without any real effort ... Frodo
really starts to fail physically and emotionally and
mentally, so Sam is there to kind of pick up the pieces and
show his affection for Frodo and really almost carry him to
the end. So that relationship is really important in this
film, particularly. ... I think it's really refreshing and
nice. I'm really close with my friends and affectionate, and
I don't think that there is anything suspicious about that,
necessarily. So it's good to show it and have it be an
unisexual thing, definitely." [The Toronto Star, December
12, 2003]
Dressed up and rode on a float as the god of wine and mirth
to head the Bacchus 2004 parade in New Orleans, Louisiana,
for Mardi Gras in February, 2004.
In the original book The Lord of the Rings, Frodo is 50
years old when he leaves Bag End, which makes him the oldest
of the four lead hobbits. Elijah Wood is actually the
youngest of the four actors.
Loves The Hives.
His favorite movie is Harvey (1950).
His uncle is Turk E. Krause from the band Molly Nova and the
Hawk.
Each of the nine Fellowship members got the same tattoo: the
number nine written in Elvish. Elijah's is just below his
waist.
Served as the Bacchus of the 2004 Mardi Gras Parade, and
returned the next year.
Received an injury under his eyebrow during the filming of
"The Yank," leaving a visible scar.
Favorite food is fried artichoke hearts dipped in ranch
dressing. During the filming of Lord of the Rings he found a
small restaurant that served him artichokes at least three
times a week.
Frequently attends the popular annual gaming convention
known as E3 (Electronic Entertainment Exposition) which
takes places in Los Angeles at the convention center. The
week long event features all of the soon-to-be-released
games and gaming systems and is open to those working in the
gaming industry.
In 2005, he started his own record label.
His favorite music groups include the Smashing Pumpkins, the
Stone Roses, the Beatles, the Sundays, Black Sabbath, and
Verbena.
Among his favorite actresses are Liza Minelli and Vanessa
Redgrave.
Was number 75 on vh1's "100 Greatest Kid Stars."
Appeared in Paula Abdul's 'Forever Your Girl' video |
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(GR)