Sunday, January 23, 2011

Exclusive: Elijah Wood Opens Up About His 'Hobbit' Role

'The way that it will fit in will not infringe upon the integrity of 'The Hobbit,' ' actor tells MTV News at Sundance.
By Eric Ditzian


Elijah Wood
Photo: MTV News

Elijah Wood has long maintained that he'd never suit back up as Frodo Baggins — the role he pioneered in the Oscar-winning "Lord of the Rings" trilogy — in an adaptation of "The Hobbit" unless the appearance avoided gimmickry and fit within the larger context of J. R. R. Tolkien's legendary creation.

Well, now Wood is officially returning to Middle-earth, and in what might be his first public comments about the upcoming project, the 29-year-old actor told MTV News that, although Frodo was never in Tolkien's "Hobbit," the character's appearance in the movies makes sense for Jackson's adaptation.

"It's a very small piece, and I think that's the most appropriate," Wood said when we caught up with him at the Sundance Film Festival, where he was promoting "Fight for Your Right Revisited," a short film by Beastie Boys MC Adam Yauch. "Obviously, Frodo's not alive within the context of 'The Hobbit' piece. So I jumped at the chance to be a part of it and see everyone and have a little reunion. It'll be surreal."

While Wood didn't delve into detail about the exact nature of his role — rumor has it he'll appear in the beginning of each of the two films — he emphasized that Tolkien fans should not be worried.

"I'd heard about it a little while ago," he explained of the concept. "It's an idea that Fran [Walsh] and Peter and Philippa [Boyens], the writers, came up with. The way that it will fit in will not infringe upon the integrity of 'The Hobbit.' It'll fit and it'll be appropriate.

"It's just a gift," he added. "It's a gift to be able to go back to New Zealand. It's largely the same crew, the same creative team. It's seven years since we finished on the last film, and it's an opportunity to go back and have a reunion with everyone."

Check out everything we've got on "The Hobbit, Part 1."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1656420/exclusive-elijah-wood-opens-up-about-his-hobbit-role.jhtml

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