This comes by way of our Russan Counterparts, it’s an interview with EW done by none other that Brooke Shields for an upcoming film ‘Black and White’.
Interview With Elijah Wood
by Brooke Shields
BS: Let’s talk about the movie we did together, Black and White. Had you done a totally improvisational film before?
EW: No. And as interesting as the project seemed, I was really scared because it was so far away from anything I’d done. Then I came to the conclusion that if you’re ever fearful of taking a step forward to a place that could be better for you, you should always take it, because that’s the only way you’ll ever grow. So despite how afraid I was, I made the decision to continue.
BS: Well, fear is an incredible motivator. OK, now you can talk about kissing me. [laughs]
EW: That was an absolutely lovely day! I came to the set thinking I was filming one thing, and one of the assistant directors came to my trailer and said, “You’ve got to kiss Brooke Shields in the park today.” I was like, “I’m sorry. Run that by me again?” [BS laughs] What a great experience! I already felt very close to you, and that brought us a bit closer.
BS: The feeling was mutual. Still, I was thinking, I should be arrested for this! And you kept saying that it was legal in some states! [laughs] So I didn’t fell so bad. So next you’re doing “The Lord of the Rings.” Have you read the trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien?
EW: No, but I read “The Hobbit.”
BS: Did they suggest you read all three books?
EW: It wasn’t necessary, although I believe they’re under the impression that I have read all three. But I don’t think it really matters. The script are brilliant, and they’ve kept the tone of Tolkien’s writing, which is wonderful.
BS: How would you describe a hobbit?
EW: A hobbit is a very short, amusing character. They don’t wear shoes. They have hairy feet and pointy little ears. My character, Frodo Baggins, has a wry sense of humor.
BS: You were perfectly typecast.
EW: [laughs] How perceptive!
BS: I did kiss you, remember? I was given these Tolkien stories when I was a child. They should be required reading at an older age, just because of the lessons in them.
EW: Oh, definitely. The stories reveal the darkness of the human spirit, and where that can go, as well as extreme light.
BS: You’ll be shooting in New Zealand, right? Will you be there for a long time?
EW: Fourteen months, because we’re doing three movies. It’s going to be an adventure, a real journey. And I think that I’ll be different when I come back, as a person and an actor, and I look forward to that.