Elijah Wood finally reading Lord of the rings
Elijah Wood has finally started reading the Lord of the Rings books - 27 years after he started working on the spin-off movies.
Elijah Wood has finally started reading Lord of the Rings - 27 years after he started working on the spin-off movies.
The 45-year-old actor played Frodo Baggins in Sir Peter Jackson's film trilogy, and also had a cameo in the first Hobbit, but despite spending several years immersed in author J.R.R. Tolkein's universe, it is only recently he has decided to read the original material.
During an appearance on the Late Show, host Stephen Colbert - who is famously a huge Lord of the Rings fan - asked Elijah: “I have this other rumour I need to get into with you. And I don’t want to put you on the spot here, okay? Is it true that you still haven’t finished reading The Lord of the Rings?”
Elijah burst into laughter before crumpling in his seat to hide his face.
He eventually replied: “To have it be from you, I feel almost the most embarrassed, Stephen.
“Because I know no one else in my life that loves Tolkien more than you and has read the books more than maybe anyone.”
Elijah noted he began shooting Lord of the rings in October 1999 and so had had 27 years to read the fantasy saga.
But he said: “I’ll at least say this: There’s an update. I have started them.”
And Elijah has been enjoying what he has read so far.
Exchanging a handshake with Stephen over his limited progress, he said: “Thank you. And they’re incredible!”
The host then teased: “Listen, I don’t want to tell you how it ends, but I’ll give you a hint: You know how it ends.”
Elijah quipped: “I do, yeah.”
Sir Ian McKellen - who played Gandalf - has previously revealed that both he and Elijah will be returning for Andy Serkis' upcoming Lord of the Rings spinoff, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum but there has been no official announcement as yet.
Elijah noted he had "nothing to add" about the speculation.
But he added: “Nothing to subtract either! So we’re in a good spot.”
Elijah recently admitted he can't imagine the thought of anyone else playing Frodo.
He told The Times newspaper: "I certainly wouldn’t want anybody else to play Frodo either as long as I’m alive and able. And I can also recognise what fun that is going to be — when you are in the cinema and you see the hat turn around and it’s Gandalf. Because I’m also a fan, and excited to see how it all comes together."
