Elijah Wood Information >> Biography > Facts > Filmography >>

The biography has been rewritten by myself using sources such as wikipedia and IMDB.

ELIJAH WOOD

Elijah Jordan Wood was born 28th January 1981 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He is the middle child of three raised by Warren and Debra Wood. Elijah has an older brother by seven years called Zachariah and a younger sister by two years Hannah.

Elijah started his career as a model at the age of three and took piano lessons from Marlene Loftsgaarden in Cedar Rapids.

He also appeared on stage as a youngster in The Sound of Music and played the lead role in  The Wonderful Wizard of Oz at elementary school.

Elijah still modeled and did commercials until the family moved to LA to help Elijah’s rising career. The family owned a deli, which they sold.

Film work began quickly for Elijah once in L.A. He had a role in BACK TO THE FUTURE II playing a video game boy in 1989 and then a role in AVALON in 1990, which won him critical acclaim and 4 academy award nominations. Roles in PARADISE, INTERNAL AFFAIRS, FOREVER YOUNG and the RADIO FLYER followed.

In 1993 he had a role in THE GOOD SON (See picture left) with Macaulay Culkin and the lead role in THE ADVENTURES OF HUCK FINN. Elijah was nominated for young actor award in 1994 in the film THE WAR with Kevin Costner.

In 1994 Elijah appeared in the film NORTH and appeared in a commerical for the Superbowl for Wavy Lay’s potato chips. He also appeared in the video for the music group, The Cranberries. The song was entitled: Ridiculous Thoughts in 1995.

In 1996 his next role in FLIPPER did not receive well and nor was it a favourite role for Elijah. He has said he didn’t like his character Sandy though his role in THE ICE STORM the same year was well received financially and critically. In 1997 he took the role of The Artful Dodger in OLIVER TWIST.

To follow was DEEP IMPACT (See picture right) and THE FACULTY, which were both box office successes and BLACK & WHITE and CHAIN OF FOOLS.

Next was his biggest and most successful role to date, Frodo Baggins in THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY (See picture left). To get the role he sent Peter Jackson who at the time was in New Zealand a video tape of him audtioning dressed as a hobbit. He found out a few months later he had the role of Frodo and subsequently was in New Zealand and was there for a year. THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING was released in 2001, THE TWO TOWERS in 2002 and the final installment THE RETURN OF THE KING in 2003.

During these releases Elijah worked on ASH WEDNESDAY (2001), lent his voice to The ADVENTURES OF TOM THUMB AND THUMBELINA in 2002, and was first assistant director for Sean Astin’s THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT. Elijah also starred in ALL I WANT in 2003.

After his success in THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY Elijah has appeared in ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND in 2004 as a lab technician. Next Elijah was in the highly successful comic adaption SIN CITY playing the cannibal Kevin in 2005. During the same year Elijah took the lead in EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED (see picture bottom right) and was in HOOLIGANS (GREEN STREET) (See bottom left picture). Both were successful with critics.  2006 saw three of Elijah’s films released: PARIS JE’ TAIME, BOBBY and HAPPY FEET.

HAPPY FEET was hugely successful around the world. Elijah voiced the animated penguin Mumble. The film received a Golden Globe nomination and won an Academy Award and a BAFTA for best animated film.

2007 saw Elijah in DAY ZERO a film about the draft in America. THE OXFORD MURDERS was released in 2008 based on the book. Elijah played a graduate student who investigates a series of bizarre, mathematically-based murders in Oxford. This was not a critical success and did not do well at the box office. Elijah starred opposite John Hurt in this film.

Next for Elijah is HAPPY FEET II (2011) and THE LEGEND OF SPYRO THE DRAGON (2010) both animated films and both voiced. THE ROMANTICS is to be released in 2010, Elijah plays Chip, a friend of the bride. Katie Holmes also stars.

Elijah is a big supporter of charity work. He supports Aldo (see picture right) and Keep a Child Alive.