Where was Elijah Wood filmed? Elijah wood personal life

We also managed to meet a Hollywood celebrity, personally ask the actor what he managed to do in the Russian capital, and were surprised by the unexpected change in his role.

Elijah Wood.

Gennady Avramenko

— Elijah, the film “Maniac” in which you played main role, is a remake of the 1980 thriller of the same name. Have you seen that movie?
“I’ve heard a lot about him, but I haven’t seen him.” The script for the new film was given to me through a friend of mine. He said that the entire film would be shot in first person; the authors want me to play a serial killer, and the audience will only see me in the reflection. I was intrigued. Tell the story from the killer's point of view - unusual idea. I liked the script, although I don't usually like the idea of ​​remakes, especially horror remakes.

— Can you briefly tell the plot of the film?
“It’s a movie about a guy named Frank who owns a mannequin store that used to belong to his mother. He kills women and scalps them. And after a sea of ​​blood, after all these murders, he suddenly falls in love with an artist named Anna, who comes into his store. He feels a connection between them that he has never felt with other women. She reveals in him the ability to love. With her, he sees himself in a new light and, I think, feels that he is able to leave everything behind. But that's impossible because of everything he's done and who he really is. And this is his tragedy.

— Viewers see your hero only through the mirror. Were you not afraid to look in the mirror later?
- No, I wasn’t afraid. But I was talking to my reflection, I still had to play a mentally unstable person. (Laughs.)

— When preparing for this role, did you study the biographies of any serial killers?
— At one time I read many articles and books about serial killers. This was interesting to me from a psychological point of view. But during pre-production, I didn't use any specific character as a reference point. It's more likely collective image, created by me based on my impressions of what I read once.

— If you met a maniac in your life, what would you do?
“I probably would have run as fast as I could so that he couldn’t catch up with me.” (Laughs.) Although there are so many maniacs in our lives that you can’t run away from them all.

— Yes, news from the United States has been frightening lately with the frequency of armed attacks. Do you have a weapon?
- No, I don’t need it. (Smiles.) But in general this is a very serious topic. And here are two sore questions. The first is regarding the introduction of restrictions on weapons. I personally think that free access to weapons, when any child can get a machine gun with almost no problems, is not entirely normal. The second is where this desire for violence comes from. And here you need to study the psyche, learn to recognize mental health problems at the very beginning stage, which can develop into something terrible. Cinema, music, and the media are often blamed for the spread of violence. But I don't see the connection here. It seems to me that this is already a hackneyed argument, which is given only because they cannot find others, true reasons.

— And are you going to look for these reasons with the help of your future films? I know that you, as a producer, began working on the film “Henley” about a 9-year-old sociopath who discovered his passion for murder. How did it happen that the most famous hobbit in the world became interested in the horror genre?
— I have been a fan of the horror genre since childhood. And I have long dreamed of becoming a producer. At some point, these two components came together, and my friends and I formed a production company, Woodshed, which would specialize exclusively in thrillers. We currently have several films in production. We recently finished working on a film called A Girl Walking Home Alone Late at Night, the first Iranian vampire film shot entirely in Farsi. We will soon begin filming the film “Lice,” co-authored by Leigh Whannell, known for the scripts for “Saw” and “Insidious.” There I will play the role of a teacher who has to fight with students who have become infected with a mysterious virus and turned into zombies. And yes, work has begun on the film “Henley,” which is based on a short film of the same name that was shown at the Sundance Independent Film Festival. But mine scary movies do not reflect the whole of me. As an actor, I am still open to any offers. So don’t think that from now on I will only act in thrillers.

— And as a person, you not only play in films. In Moscow you managed to play a DJ set. What else did you manage to do? Is this your first time with us? What did you like, what surprised you?
- I've never seen so much beautiful women in one place. It was like I was in a parallel universe. Russian girls are the most beautiful in the world. It's true, don't laugh, I'm just stating a fact. (Laughs). Yes, this is my first time in Moscow. My profession requires frequent travel, I have been to many places. But most often I don’t have enough time to see everything. And I managed to come to Russia for a few days. I visited Red Square and the Kremlin. These are very famous landmarks, I have seen them many times in films, on TV, in photographs. But walking here in person is something amazing. I even went skating on the Red Square - it was fun. I walked along the old streets. I looked at different monuments. What shocked me most was the monument to the first man in space. Although I must admit, your whole history of space exploration is very interesting to me. I visited a bar stylized as Soviet era. I tried vodka there and got a classic Russian experience. (Laughs.)

— Did you spend a lot of money?
- No, a little. A couple hundred dollars.

- Here it is, your personal manic passion - music.
- Yes, in this regard I am a maniac. I buy a lot of records. I'm a music fan.

- Which?
- Any. I listen to absolutely everything, from dance to psychedelic, soul and funk. I love ethnic music from France, Turkey, Indonesia, Brazil...

— Do you sing yourself?
- Let's put it this way - I can sing. I get into the tune. But still, I mostly sing only in the car, when no one can hear me, when I’m alone. (Laughs.)

— Your hero in the film is very lonely. Do you know the feeling of loneliness?
- No, I'm never alone. I love loneliness, but not in a global sense, but I just like to be alone sometimes. Fortunately, I have many friends and close people. And I feel their care and support. So I am lucky: I am surrounded by love in my life.

Elijah Jordan Wood(Elijah Jordan Wood, born January 28, 1981) is an American film actor, best known for his role as Frodo Baggins in the director's trilogy Peter Jackson(Peter Jackson) " Lord of the Rings"(Lord of the Rings, 2001-2003).

Elijah Wood- winner of several film awards and prizes at various film festivals. In addition to acting, Elijah Wood is involved in music; in 2005, Elijah Wood founded his own record company Simian Records.

Elijah Wood's childhood

Elijah Wood born in 1981 in Cedar Rapids(Cedar Rapids), second largest city American state Iowa. Elijah has a brother Zechariah(Zach) Wood(Zachariah (Zach) Wood), who is 7 years older than him, and a sister Hannah Wood(Hannah Wood), two years younger. Elijah's parents Warren Wood(Warren Wood) and Debbie Wood(Debby Wood), have Austrian, English, German and Danish roots.

As a child, Elijah Wood received the nickname “little monkey” from his mother because he loved performing in public. Later the boy was found to have musical abilities: When he was 7 years old, Elijah Wood performed with a local choir, and a year later he also played in theatrical productions.

Acting career of Elijah Wood / Elijah Wood

In 1988, looking at his son’s talents, Debbie Wood decided to send him to a modeling agency, and within six months Elijah Wood conquered Los Angeles at the conference International Association of Models and Young Talents. He was noticed and began to be invited to appear in commercials and small roles in films. This is how Elijah Wood found himself in the attractive, but difficult and sometimes cruel world of show business. Elijah Wood later recalled that during this difficult time he received great support from his family, in particular from his mother and sister.

Elijah Wood: “This is very complex world, it’s not so easy to survive in it if you don’t have reliable support behind your back. My mother always wanted me to have a normal childhood, to grow up like ordinary child. I have rarely met families that were as close as we were. I'm really lucky."

Starting with small cameo roles, Elijah Wood gradually matured for large and serious characters, receiving admiring reviews from critics. His appearance in the film " Paradise"(Paradise, 1991), where he played with Melanie Griffith(Melanie Griffith) and Don Johnson(Don Johnson), was a huge success, and some even called the young actor one of the best in this movie. This was followed by roles in a number of commercially successful films, the most important of which was the film “ War"(The War, 1994), in which Elijah Wood was a partner Kevin Costner(Kevin Costner). After the film was released, the famous American film critic Roger Ebert(Roger Ebert) called Wood "the most talented actor in his age category throughout the history of Hollywood."

1999 brought Elijah Wood role Frodo Baggins in the film " Lord of the Rings"(Lord of the Rings), which forever inscribed his name in the history of world cinema. Elijah Wood learned that Peter Jackson is going to film the work Tolkien, and persuaded his friend, the director John Hong(John Hong), do a screen test with him in the role Frodo Baggins. The test was a success, and Elijah Wood sent the video to Jackson himself, who was pleased to note that the young actor fully corresponded to the description of this character. During filming, Wood had to move to New Zealand, whose beauty immediately captivated him. Work on " Lord of the Rings“was long and hard, but the reward for the work was worldwide recognition and a high fee.

Personal life of Elijah Wood / Elijah Wood

Elijah Wood prefers not to make his personal life public.

Gossip about his romantic adventures rarely gets into the press.

It is known that the actor is involved in charity work, supporting a fund to fight AIDS among young people. Elijah Wood is passionate about music and has a record collection of over four thousand compact discs.

Elijah Wood / Elijah Wood - filmography

• Saturday evening at live/ Saturday Night Live (1975)

• Back to the Future Part II (1989)
• Avalon (1990)
• Internal Investigation / Internal Affairs (1990)
• Child in the Night (1990)
• Paradise (1991)
• Forever Young (1992)
• Day-O / Day-O (1992)
• Radio Flyer (1992)
• Witness (1992)
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993)
• Adventures of Huck Finn (1993)
• Good son/ Good Son (1993)
• War (1994)
• North / North (1994)
• Flipper (1996)
• Ice Wind / Ice Storm (1997)
• Oliver Twist (1997)
• Deep Impact (1998)
• Faculty (1998)
• Black and White / Black and White (1999)
• Bumblebee Flies Anyway (1999)
• Chain of Fools (2000)
• Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
• Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (2002)
• Ash Wednesday (2002)
• Adventures of Tom Thumb & Thumbelina (2002)
• Try Seventeen (2002)
• Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003)
• Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003)
• Eternal Sunshine pure reason/ Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
• Sin City (2005)
• Everything Is Illuminated (2005)
• Hooligans (2005)
• Bobby / Bobby (2006)
• Happy Feet (2006)
• Day Zero (2006)
• Paris, I love you / Paris, je t"aime (2006)
• Up Close with Carrie Keagan (2007)
• Oxford Murders (2008)
• Nine/9 (2009)
• Dragon Spyro / Legend of Spyro (2009)
• Romantics (2010)
• Happy Feet 2 in 3D (2011)

Many people know the charming guy from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, who played the beloved character - the hobbit Frodo. But not everyone knows how his star journey began.

Early years

On January 28, 1982, little Elijah Jordan Wood was born into a Catholic family. He was the second long-awaited son. He spent his childhood in Iowa, in the city of Cedar Rapids. I had a friendly, trusting relationship with my brother, although the age difference was seven years. And a couple of years later it appeared younger sister Hannah.

Relatives from early years They noticed that their son was cheerful and energetic and never gave in to despondency. Because of this, he was nicknamed "Little Monkey". And when the boy went to school, his acting nature slowly began to emerge.

At the age of seven, the youngest child was brought to the local choir, where he performed well. And at the age of eight I received theatrical role, which the boy coped with brilliantly, which could not but please his parents and teachers. As a result, the mother decided to send the child to a modeling agency. And after a short period of time, he received an invitation from Los Angeles, where a meeting of young talents was taking place.

There future star copes with the task perfectly, as a result, a conversation about further advancement along the acting path. When the guy read Geri Skazlo’s monologue, he asked if he had a desire to devote his life to cinema, to which he received a positive answer. Since then acting career the young man began to quickly rise up. In addition, he continued to play the piano.

Promotion in a professional environment

IN as soon as possible family council decided to move to Los Angeles to seriously engage in later life youngest son. And they were right. Already in 1989, the young man was given a small role in the film “Back to the Future 2”. Then numerous castings begin, and luck does not keep itself waiting. Approval for filming in the film “Internal Investigation” comes.

Thanks to the movie "Avalon" rising star The producers noticed and invited him to be the main character in the film “Paradise”. And 1992 brought good luck to the boy new movie– “Forever Young” with Mel Gibson.

In 1993, the young guy had an unsuccessful role together with Macaulay Culkin in the drama “The Good Son.” In the film "War", film critic Roger Ebart praised the young man as the most capable actor in his age group for the entire existence of Hollywood.

1996 was not a particularly favorable time for young man. His parents decided to separate and his father left them, which caused severe stress in children. Today, Elijah has a strained relationship with his father, as he had a negative attitude towards his activities. In cinematography they have also overtaken bad times. Two films in which the artist took part failed, but this did not affect his performance. During a difficult period, the artist’s mother and sister were his support. Later in his interviews, he repeatedly said that he was very lucky with his family. Subsequently, the star’s affairs went uphill after the release of the film “The Icy Wind”. But real success brought the films “The Faculty” and “Deep Impact” after their premiere young actor began to be recognized not only in home country, but also beyond its borders.

The well-known Trilogy

Worldwide fame talented actor caught up with him after the release of The Lord of the Rings, where he played Frodo. And not in vain, he coped with this task perfectly. Nowadays it is very difficult to imagine someone else in this image. Wood worked on this film from 1999 to 2003. Thanks to the trilogy, the ambitious young man's career quickly gained momentum.

The most successful films in which the guy has recently starred are “Sin City”, “Hooligans”, “Oxford Murders”. On at the moment he is listed in more than forty-three films. Of course, his work does not end there, and he will be seen on screens in the near future.

Personal life

Today, little is known about Elijah's personal life. The man hides it carefully. Only a few novels reached the public eye. The first was with model Bijou Phillips. His second love was Frank Potente, who was eight years older than him. But soon the couple broke up. The next passion was drummer Pomella Reis. They dated for about five years, after which they broke up. The reason for the separation was the actor’s reluctance to legitimize the relationship.

At the moment, the sought-after film actor is officially a single man. But this is not a reason to be sad. After all, he does not feel lonely, since his mother is almost always nearby and will provide support at any time. Also, having a job he adores, two dogs and a book will never let him get bored.

Elijah Wood today

Elijah Wood can confidently be called a true rock fan. Proof can be his four thousand collection of CDs of various musical groups. In addition, he works for his own record company called Simian Records.

The man admits that after filming “The Lord of the Rings,” he became that hobbit in his heart, because he is also similar to his hero. For example, the artist also likes to eat well, is very friendly, respects friendship, and loves his life.

Very interesting facts from the life of a TV star:

1. Elijah is convinced that his best role- Frodo. When the casting for this character was announced, the guy immediately recorded and sent a video to Peter Jackson, where he was dressed as that character. A month later the approval came.
2. The artist has no piercings, but has one tattoo - the number nine in Elvish.
3. The sought-after artist is not known for his good eyesight. Because of this, he has to wear contact lenses or glasses.
4. The character from “The Hobbit” has excellent handwriting, which is why he took seventh place in the “Best Signature” category.
5. The star is a philanthropist.
6. One of the bad habits of celebrities is biting their nails and smoking.
7. The man thinks that best place, where you can satisfy your hunger is Spain, namely the La Champagneria restaurant, which is located in Barcelona.

Childhood

When Elijah was 7 years old, his mother took him to the Avant Studios agency, and soon accompanied him to the Conference young actors in Los Angeles, where the boy was noticed by one of the jury members, Gary Scalzo, who later became his manager. According to Scalzo himself, it was impossible to take your eyes off little Elijah; he attracted the attention of everyone in the room.

After signing a contract with Elijah's manager, the family moved to Los Angeles, where the talented boy began acting in commercials and studying acting. In 1989, he starred in Paula Abdul's video for the hit "Forever Your Girl", written and directed by David Fincher himself.

The beginning of a creative journey

In 1990, Elijah starred in historical picture"Avalon". He played the role of Jules' son, played by the famous Aidan Quinn, and was immediately nominated for the Young Artists Awards.

Over the next two years, the boy took part in several films, the most notable of which were “Paradise”, “Radio Commercials”, “Forever Young”, and, of course, the famous Disney film adaptation of the novel about Huckleberry Finn. In this film, Elijah played with Ron Perlman and Robbie Coltrane; he was only 12, but he did a great job in his first leading role.

The thriller "Good Son", released in 1993, made a strong impression with its combination complex plot and the performance of two young actors, Elijah as Mark, a serious and intelligent boy beyond his years, and Macaulay Culkin as Henry, a wonderful guy with an angelic appearance and sadistic tendencies.

In 1994, Elijah played the main role in the family film North. The kind and instructive film, in which Wood starred with Bruce Willis, was liked by adults and children alike.

In 1995, Elijah participated in the recording clip The Cranberries "Ridiculous Thoughts" He played a lonely, lost guy who has nothing but the music playing in his headphones.

The Cranberries- "Ridiculous Thoughts"

1997 was marked by such works by the actor as the role of Jack Dawkins in the film adaptation of Oliver Twist, and Miki in the drama The Icy Wind.

In 1998, two more films featuring the young star were released. The thriller with elements of fantasy “Deep Impact,” in which Elijah played the role of Leo, who heroically saved his lover and her brother from certain death, and the detective-comedy drama “The Faculty.” In these films, the actor starred with Josh Hartnett, Famke Janssen, Sigourney Weaver. Both films are considered iconic in the actor’s filmography and cemented his popularity. However, real success awaited Elijah ahead.

Lord of the Rings

Interesting fact is that no one invited Elijah to play this role. The actor heard that Jackson was starting to work on cast, recorded several scenes from the book and sent the recording to the director. As a result, Peter Jackson, who had previously considered Jake Gyllenhaal for the role of the main hobbit, gave the role to Elijah. Subsequently, the director said more than once that he was very pleased with his choice and could not imagine anyone else in the role of Frodo.

After filming was completed, each actor was able to keep one souvenir as a souvenir, and Elijah chose one of two rings of omnipotence, the second ring was taken by Andy Serkis.

But this is not the only souvenir of the Fellowship of the Ring; Elijah also has a tattoo on his thigh in the form of an elf nine.

For his role in the legendary trilogy, Elijah was nominated for all the most prestigious awards film industry, but received only "Empire".

It's all just beginning

Over the course of several years, the actor’s filmography has been replenished with such notable works as the role of Patrick in “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and Kevin in “Sin City.” An incredibly cruel and realistic 2005 story about American student, who accidentally ended up in a group of British ultras, took pride of place in Elijah’s filmography. His performance as former student Matt Buckner in Green Street Hooligans completely discouraged all critics and envious people from gossiping about the “eternal hobbit.” In “Hooligans,” Elijah worked with Charlie Hunnam and the incomparable Leo Gregory.

"Hooligans" - trailer

The 2008 crime thriller “Oxford Murders” was a real gift for fans of the actor. In the film he starred with the legendary John Hurt, as well as with Dominic Pignon. Elijah played the role of Martin, an Oxford student who helps investigate a series of murders in the most famous educational institution Britain, brought him fame as an intellectual actor. Subsequently, Elijah will prove more than once that he can master any role, even one in which, it would seem, he cannot be imagined.

Trailer for the film "Murder in Oxford"

The horror film Maniac, a remake of the classic 1980 American slasher film, became a cinematic sensation in 2012. “The atmosphere of hell” is how critics described the film. The disgusting maniac who collects human scalps seemed even more disgusting in the performance of the pretty Elijah.

A gloomy, depressing film, shot in the best noir traditions, it hardly became anyone’s favorite film, but it showed that peak acting Elijah, which for many will forever remain unattainable.

"Maniac" - trailer

In 2013, a film was released in which Wood again played the role of a maniac, but unlike the 2012 slasher film, the audience liked this role more. The painting “Chronicles of a Pawn Shop” consists of several stories, unrelated to each other, but merging into one at the end storyline. In a good black comedy from director Wayne Kramer, the actor played the role of a maniac: a sophisticated, intelligent young man, seemingly incapable of keeping women in slavery who, to the horror of the audience, did not want to escape from him.

Also in 2013, a brilliant thriller with an unexpected ending, “The Grand Finale,” was released, in which Elijah was helped by his ability to play the piano. In this film, the actor collaborated with

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28.01.15 11:27

It seems that time has no power over him. Or is it elven magic at work? Or maybe the Ring of Omnipotence gave eternal youth not only Frodo, but also the performer of his role? Actor Elijah Wood has been acting since early childhood, and became famous in Jackson's The Lord of the Rings. Since then, viewers have associated him with the bright-eyed, brave hobbit.

Biography of Elijah Wood

Iowa boy

He was born in the second largest city in Iowa, Cedar Rapids, on January 28, 1981. His parents, Warren and Debbie, already had six-year-old Zach growing up. And three years after Elijah, Hannah was born. Middle son He grew up like a real shooter - small and nimble, he easily climbed trees and crawled into a hollow or hole in a fence, only his heels sparkled. He was even nicknamed "Monkey." How such a fidget managed to be a diligent student is unclear, but he also learned to play the piano (that’s where perseverance is needed).

In addition to his mobility, Elijah had another quality - he knew how to charm: with his smile and spontaneity. So what else is in early childhood The boy was filmed for advertising. Then the baby took part in children's school plays, and he also became the hero of Paula Abdul's video clip. It was clear - it was growing young talent, and the mother decided it was time to act. The family moved to Los Angeles to “promote” their son, who was not yet eight years old at the time. The sequel to the film "Back to the Future" - in this episode fantastic picture Elijah Wood first appeared. His biography has since been replete with film works.

Young talent

Certainly, young artist didn't notice right away. He had to take part in several more films before the aspiring actor Elijah Wood received fairly large roles. At the age of 11, he starred in the thriller “Internal Investigation,” and then in the drama “Paradise” and the science fiction “Forever Young.” Next to him on the set were the already very famous Mel Gibson and the “queen of horror films” Jamie Lee Curtis, but the guy looked so natural with the masters that it seemed like he was born on the set.

In the thriller "Good Son" Wood's hero confronts a little sadist played by Macaulay Culkin. Because of the decent performances of these two teenagers, it is worth watching the film, which at one time was underestimated by the public.

“North” was not popular with the audience either. But in Ang Lee's The Icy Wind, which won a Cannes award for best scenario, Elijah was great. By this time, the artist’s parents had divorced - Warren did not like his son’s occupation. But his mother was always very supportive of her son, which, perhaps, left an imprint on Elijah Wood’s personal life.

Brave Hobbit

After filming the horror film “The Faculty,” the performer had several “passable” films. And in 2000, New Zealand director Peter Jackson began preparing to film a large-scale fantasy project based on Tolkien’s book The Lord of the Rings. Jake Gyllenhaal was cast for the role of the main character, the daredevil kid Frodo, but the director chose Elijah Wood, whose biography is then closely connected with the trilogy. After all, the films have won many film awards and collected a huge box office, which means that the film’s actors now have millions of fans around the world.

Frodo appears fleetingly in The Hobbit trilogy, but that is another story, dedicated to the wanderings of his uncle Bilbo.

Together with a porn star

Of course, the artist’s film career did not stop with Frodo alone. He very reliably played a maniac in “Sin City” (that’s where he completely “fell out” of the “nice guy” image), took part in the multinational project “Paris, I love you!”, voiced several cartoons, and starred in a number of other films.

Among them is the 2014 Spanish-American film “ Open windows", on which our hero worked together with an ex-porn actress: Sasha Gray and Elijah Wood portrayed a movie star and her devoted fan. The girl is kidnapped and threatened with death, and the fan, of course, wants to stop the villains.

Personal life of Elijah Wood

Behind seven seals

What still remains a “closed secret” is the personal life of Elijah Wood! What they said about him! And that he doesn’t really want to tear himself away from the “skirt” loving mother“, therefore he is still single, and that he is a homosexual (because of these rumors, the artist even went to court, trying to bring the slanderers to justice).

After filming “Seventeen,” Franka Potente briefly became Wood’s girlfriend. They broke up in the same 2003, the German woman has been married for a long time, she has a child. A couple of years later, Elijah became the boyfriend of drummer Pamela Racine. They often appeared in public together. This relationship lasted five years, and suddenly the media announced the couple’s separation. The actor's friends said that he was simply not ready to get married yet. Wood did not want to offend her friend, but Pamela was very upset about the breakup.

A new wave of gossip arose after a joint photo shoot of Elijah Wood and Sasha Gray (dedicated to the release of a joint film), but it is unlikely that these two are a couple. What secrets is Elijah Wood hiding? His personal life has not yet been arranged, and yet the artist is almost forty...