Celebrity biographies
6567
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 to Frodo, but also to the performer of his role? Actor Elijah Wood starred from early childhood, and became famous in Jackson's "Lord of the Rings". Since then, the audience has associated him with a clear-eyed brave hobbit.
Biography of Elijah Wood
Iowa boy
He was born in Iowa's second largest city, Cedar Rapice, on January 28, 1981. His parents, Warren and Debbie, were already growing up six-year-old Zach. And three years after Elijah, Hannah was born. The middle son grew up to be a real youngster - small and nimble, he easily climbed the trees and crawled into a hollow or a hole in the fence, only his heels sparkled. He was even nicknamed "Monkey". How such a fidget managed to be a diligent student is incomprehensible, but he also learned to play the piano (that's where perseverance is needed).
In addition to mobility, Elijah had another quality - he knew how to charm: with his smile and spontaneity. So even in early childhood, the boy was filmed for advertising. Then the kid participated in children's school performances, and he also became the hero of the video clip of Paula Abdul. It was clear that the young talent was growing, and the mother decided that 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 tape "Back to the Future" - Elijah Wood first appeared in the episode of this fantastic picture. Since then, his biography has been replete with film works.
young talent
Of course, the young artist was not immediately noticed. He had to participate in several more films before the aspiring actor Elijah Wood got quite big 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 “horror queen” Jamie Lee Curtis, but the guy looked so organically with the masters that it seemed he was born on the set.
In the thriller The Good Son, Wood's character confronts a little sadist played by Macaulay Culkin. Because of the worthy game of these two teenagers, it is worth watching the tape, which at one time was underestimated by the public.
Did not enjoy success with the audience and "North". But in Ang Lee's Ice Wind, which won the Cannes Best Screenplay award, Elijah was great. By this time, the artist's parents divorced - Warren did not like his son's occupation. But the mother has always been very supportive of her son, which, perhaps, left an imprint on Elijah Wood's personal life.
brave hobbit
After filming in the horror film "The Faculty", the performer had several "passing" films. And in 2000, New Zealand director Peter Jackson began to prepare for the filming of a large-scale fantasy project based on Tolkien's book The Lord of the Rings. The casting for the role of the main character, the daredevil Frodo, was held by Jake Gyllenhaal, but the director settled on the candidacy of Elijah Wood, whose biography is then closely connected with the trilogy. After all, the films won many film awards and collected a huge box office, which means that now there are millions of fans of the actors of the picture around the world.
Frodo briefly appears in the Hobbit trilogy, but that's another story about his uncle Bilbo's wanderings.
Together with a porn star
Of course, the artist's film career did not stop at Frodo alone. He very reliably played a maniac in "Sin City" (that's where he completely "fell" from the image of a "nice guy"), took part in the multinational project "Paris, I love you!", voiced several cartoons, 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 to be killed, and the fan, of course, wants to stop the villains.
Elijah Wood's personal life
Behind seven seals
That's what still remains a "secret with seven seals" - so this is the personal life of Elijah Wood! No matter what they said about him! And that he does not really want to break away from the “skirt of a loving mother”, therefore he is still a bachelor, and that he is a homosexual (because of these rumors, the artist even went to court, trying to bring slanderers to justice).
After filming in "Seventeen", Wood's girlfriend briefly became Franka Potente. 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 separation of the couple. Friends of the actor said that he was simply not ready for marriage yet. Wood did not want to offend his friend, but Pamela was very worried about the breakup.
A new wave of gossip has risen after the joint photo shoot of Elijah Wood and Sasha Gray (dedicated to the release of a joint film), but these two are unlikely to be a couple. What secrets is Elijah Wood hiding? His personal life has not yet been arranged, but the artist is already forty soon ...
American actor Elijah Jordan Wood was born on January 28, 1981. His acting debut took place at the age of 8, but worldwide fame came to Wood at 19 with the role of Frodo in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Today, Elijah Wood's filmography includes more than 50 films, but the actor considers the hobbit Frodo to be his favorite role. What other interesting facts you might not know about Elijah Wood?
Debuted Elijah Wood in a small role as a boy at a slot machine in the second part of the Back to the Future trilogy. Despite the fact that the actor began acting at the age of 8, his filmography contains many worthy works both in childhood and in adulthood. If we compare him with the same Macaulay Culkin and Lindsay Lohan, whose acting career also began in early childhood, it becomes obvious that Elijah Wood unbelievably lucky.
Despite his popularity as a child, Wood has grown into a real star, whose career is not going so fast, but not bad. And with child actors, this happens extremely rarely. Maybe it's because Elijah Wood seems to create a friendly atmosphere around him even during interviews or fan meetings. Such is he! We invite you to find out other interesting facts about the actor Elijah Wood.
ELIJE WOOD'S HOBBYS ARE PHOTOGRAPHY, COOKING AND SWIMMING
Even though the Elijah Wood not much time for himself, he is seriously interested in photography and even created his own collection of pictures. Wood is also a very talented cook. Don't believe? Ask his family and friends. Wood's favorite dish is potato salad. This choice of hobbies makes him an even more attractive guy.
Among hobbies Elijah Wood also reading, fencing, hockey, rollerblading, surfing, basketball and Star Wars.
FAN OF COMPUTER GAMES
Wood devotes a huge part of his free time to various technological innovations. Therefore, he often attends various events on this topic, such as the Electronic Entertainment Expo or E3 in Los Angeles. And, despite the fact that many are very skeptical about this, the actor himself is very proud of his passion for computer games and various kinds of programming.
HEAVY SMOKER
Who would have thought? Elijah Wood started smoking while filming The Faculty in 1998, having picked up the habit from Josh Hartnett. And still continues to smoke. It is known that his favorite brand of cigarettes is Clove Cigarettes. But who knows what else he likes. Yes, and with a cigarette, Wood prefers a cup of black coffee.
WOOD PLAYS THE PIANO
Most people don't know that Elijah Wood truly loves music and has a real talent for it. Moreover, he even professionally engaged in singing. In 2005, Wood founded his own record label, Simian Records. Who knows, maybe one day he will even record his own album.
PASSIONATE MUSIC FANS
He has thousands of CDs from various bands at home. When Wood went to New Zealand to shoot The Lord of the Rings, he took as many as 300 discs with him ... and bought as many more there.
Favorite bands Elijah Wood"The Beatles" and "The Smashing Pumpkins" (he is also a fan of the new project of Billy Corgan, the leader of "The Smashing Pumpkins" - "Zwan").
BYPASSED 150 ACTORS
Elijah Wood repeatedly said that this role was a turning point in his life for him, and he considers it his best work. But initially no one even invited him to this role. Everything changed when Elijah Wood sent a recording of his audition for the role of Frodo. He heard about the upcoming films while filming The Faculty and knew this was his chance. Wood specially ordered a costume, climbed the slopes of Los Angeles and asked director George Huang, his close friend, to shoot some scenes from the book. Thanks to your efforts Elijah Wood beat out 150 actors, including Jake Gyllenhaal, for the role of Frodo Baggins in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
“I always try to participate in films that are not similar to each other. This was especially intensified after The Lord of the Rings, because of its enormity."
LUCKY OWNER OF ONE OF THE RINGS
After the filming of the Lord of the Rings trilogy was completed, each of the actors was allowed to keep one memento from the filming. And it is not at all surprising that Elijah Wood chose one of the two rings that were used during filming. The second original ring is currently in the possession of Andy Serkis, the actor who played Gollum.
In addition, all members of the Fellowship of the Ring have a tattoo in the form of an elven nine. At Elijah Wood it is on the right pelvic bone.
YOUNGEST HOBBITS
According to the plot of The Lord of the Rings, Frodo Baggins was 50 years old at the time of the beginning of the journey, which made him the oldest of the four hobbits of the brotherhood. And in real life Elijah Wood on the contrary, he was the youngest of the four actors.
SCAR FROM THE SHOOTING OF "HOOLIGANS"
While filming in 2005, Wood was badly injured. A rather noticeable scar above the eyebrow can now be removed only with the help of cosmetic surgery. Although at the very Elijah Wood there are no problems with this, he even likes the scar.
BLUE EYES OR CONTACT LENSES?
Don't worry, he has beautiful blue eyes by nature. He wears clear contact lenses because of his poor eyesight. But Wood says he can't even read a single contract without these lenses, as his eyesight has deteriorated since childhood. Although he hopes that one day he won't need them.
MONKEY
In childhood, Elijah Wood was nicknamed "Monkey", because he climbed everything in a row at the first opportunity. For example, he loved to climb trees and cabinets. He also had the nickname "Lighter".
PERSONAL LIFE
He has a brother, Zach Wood, a video game producer, and a sister, Hannah Wood, a poet and actress. As for his girls, not much is known here. Elijah Wood never advertised his personal relationship and did not give any comments on this matter. It is known that for some time he met with model Bijou Phillips. Later, a short relationship followed with actress Franca Potente, who was 8 years older than Wood. Together with her, they starred in the film "Seventeen". The longest known romance was a 5-year relationship with drummer Pamela Racine. But in 2010, the couple broke up due to Wood's unwillingness to marry.
Until December 2003, Elijah lived with his sister in New York, but soon moved to his parents' house in California due to the fact that he considered the rent of housing in the big apple to be too high.
"I'm not going to change, and I'm not going to change my perspes Elijah Wood assets. I love the way I live and I won't let anyone change it or stop me from doing what I want."
Elijah Wood and Pamela Racine
AND SOME MORE INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ELIJAH WOOD
The question that always interests many is what kind of Elijah Wood growth? The answer is 1.68 m.
At the age of 7, his mother sent Elijah to a modeling school.
Wood's first video was Paula Abdul's "Forever Your Girl" video directed by David Fincher.
The actor agreed to star in the film "Flipper", only because he was able to swim with dolphins for 3 months while working. By the way, in the same film, Wood's first kiss on the screen took place, but later this episode was cut out.
Shot from the movie "Flipper"
Roger Ebert, in his review of Avalon, wrote: Elijah Wood, and I believe that this is the most talented actor of his age in the history of Hollywood.
Actress Miranda Otto, who played Eowyn in The Lord of the Rings, said: "Elijah has the appearance of a child, the wisdom of a ninety-year-old man and the grace of an angel."
If Elijah Wood If you weren't an actor, you would certainly become a secret agent. At least that's what he thought as a kid.
Wood once said that he enjoys the process of filming and would like to make his own film one day.
Who is the first member of the Lord of the Rings fan club? Elijah Wood.
Despite his love of music, Elijah Wood hates rap, country and heavy metal.
. Elijah Wood- the first person to cross the South African Victoria Falls on a tightrope.
He was supposed to play Chase in the comedy Drive Me Crazy, but he looked too young compared to Melissa Joan Hart.
Favorite color is blue.
Favorite movie is Amelie, Mulholland Drive, Pulp Fiction.
Favorite actors are Emma Thompson and Tim Roth.
Favorite books are The Hobbit and Notre Dame Cathedral.
As you can see for yourself, Elijah Wood it's not just the guy who played Frodo in The Lord of the Rings. He is really passionate about his acting career and, in addition to this, has many other hobbies. Well, let's hope that Elijah Wood will be able to find more than one worthwhile role.
American actor who gained worldwide fame after playing the hobbit Frodo in the fantasy trilogy The Lord of the Rings. He also replenished his filmography with filming in the films "The Faculty", "Hooligans", "Sin City" and the TV series "Wilfred". Winner of MTV Movie Awards and Young Hollywood Awards.
Dossier
"Little monkey"
Elijah Jordan Wood was born on January 28, 1981 in Iowa. Father Warren Wood and mother Debbie were Catholics by religion, Elijah inherited English, German, Danish and Austrian roots from them. Wood is the middle child in the family, he has an older brother, Zack, a video game producer by profession, and a younger sister, Hannah, who became an actress and poetess. Actor from childhood conquered others
The boy discovered his artistic abilities early.
A significant fact of the biography: his mother even nicknamed him “little monkey” for his love of public speaking.
At the age of 7, the fidget sang in the choir, and a year later he performed on the stage of the musical The Wizard of Oz.
In 1988, Debbie enrolled her charming son in the local modeling agency Avant Studios. After 6 months, the boy went to an international modeling conference in Los Angeles, where he managed to attract attention and found an agent Gary Skalzo. A month later, the Woods moved to Los Angeles. 8-year-old Elijah advertised for cheese, starred in Paula Abdul's music video Forever Your Girl, and received a cameo in the famous Back to the Future 2 (1989). In parallel, he took piano lessons.
young actor
Work in "Internal Investigation" with Richard Gere, the émigré drama "Avalon" and the television film "Baby in the Night" brought the boy acting experience. His mother and sister came to support him on the set. The first significant role of the young talent was a juvenile pimp in the dramatic film "Paradise" (1991). On set, 10-year-old Elijah worked side by side with Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson. Critics were delighted with both the film and the performance of the little actor. Wood soon played with Mel Gibson (Forever Young, 1992), Kevin Costner (War, 1994) and Bruce Willis (North, 1994). While working on the latter, Elijah met the young Scarlett Johansson. 
You won't get bored with Macaulay Culkin
The departure from family films in the thriller The Good Son (1993), where Wood played with Macaulay Culkin, was perceived by the public ambiguously: the audience did not take the angel from Home Alone as a negative character. However, in the same year, the little actor successfully tried on the image of Tom Sawyer's colleague in the film The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In "Flipper" (1996), Elijah swam with a dolphin, which, however, did not attract much interest in the picture. In 1996, the actor's parents divorced. All this time, his father was against his work in show business. After the divorce, he returned to Iowa and since then his relationship with his son has gone wrong.
Iconic roles in the nineties
The grown-up Elijah successfully fit into the format of Ang Lee's film Ice Wind (1997) with Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver in the lead roles. His character is in search of himself and is going through typical teenage problems against the backdrop of the 70s. 
"Faculty"
In 1998, Wood played in two successful films: the big-budget disaster film Deep Impact and Robert Rodriguez's cult horror film The Faculty, about aliens who inhabited teachers. The following year, he played an amnesiac victim in the love drama Flight of the Bumblebee and featured in the LA chronicle Black and White, with a host of celebrities in major and minor roles. In 2000, Wood starred in the situation comedy "Klugs", an interesting participation of Salma Hayek.
Big-eyed Frodo
In 1999, Elijah Wood was cast as Frodo Baggins in the massive film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. Having learned that director Peter Jackson was going to transfer Tolkien's textbook work to the screen, the actor went to the forest to shoot several tests in the image of a hobbit. The footage, directed by John Hong, was sent to Peter Jackson. In response, Wood received an invitation to come to New Zealand, where the film was to be filmed. 
"Lord of the Rings"
The fantasy blockbuster starring Orlando Bloom, Viggo Mortensen, Liv Tyler and Ian McKellen premiered in 2001 and was a resounding success. For three films, Frodo Baggins carried the ill-fated ring of Omnipotence to Mount Doom for later destruction, collecting impressive box office receipts and 17 Oscars along the way. Elijah Wood's huge eyes, full of suffering and anguish, and Orlando Bloom's blond wig attracted a considerable female audience to the picture.
Life after The Lord of the Rings
Having finished with the brave sufferer Frodo, the actor faced a serious problem: none of his subsequent roles turned out to be so significant. In between filming the trilogy, he managed to star in the independent drama Penance Day (2001) and the teen comedy Seventeen (2002), where his character had a love affair with Mandy Moore and Franka Potente.
In 2004, Elijah starred in the well-received football drama Hooligans. In the same year, he appeared in the Oscar-winning fantasy melodrama Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in a supporting role. In 2005, Wood got into the uncompromising comic book film Sin City with Bruce Willis and Jessica Alba, however, his role was again insignificant.
In 2005, the actor joined the voice acting of the animated series "Robot Chicken", and in 2006, the penguin Mumble spoke in his voice in the cartoon "Happy Feet".
But Wood played in the independent film The Light Around (2005) based on the novel by Jonathan Safran Foer, portraying a pedantic young man in the same glasses who goes to Ukraine to find the woman who saved his Jewish grandfather during World War II. The film received a prize at the Venice Film Festival. Wood's forte has always been intellectuals with a fine mental organization, which is also proved by the thriller "Murders in Oxford" (2007). 
"Light around"
Recent roles
After a number of minor roles and participation in several short films, Elijah returns as a clean and modest boy with psychological problems in the TV series Wilfred (2011-2014). For some reason, Wood's character perceives the dog, whom a pretty girl asked him to look after, as a broken man in a dog costume. Wilfred constantly drags his new master into dubious adventures, mostly related to sprees and drugs. The arthouse project with distinct elements of surah lasted on the screens of the 4th season. 
"Wilfred"
In 2012, Elijah appeared in the parody action I'll Tear Everyone! and turned into a psychopathic killer in the thriller Maniac. In the same year, the actor briefly returned to the role of Frodo in Peter Jackson's new film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Wood works a lot in voice acting: on his account the popular animated series Tron: Legacy (2012–2013) and Beyond the Fence (2014). 
"Lighting the Stars"
Recently, the star can often be seen in the movies in an impeccable tuxedo and with careful styling. It was in this form that he played the pianist with stage fright in The Grand Finale and the friend of the poet Dylan Thomas in the black-and-white biopic Lighting the Stars (2014). In the cyberthriller Open Windows (2014), Wood's screen partner was the porn star Sasha Grey. The film tells about the actress and her admirer, who fell under the sight of a maniac.
One of the novelties with the actor was released in Russian cinemas in September 2015. In the unpretentious horror comedy “Kutis” (2014), he played a writer who returns to his hometown as a teacher and faces a zombie apocalypse at school.
Trailer for the film "Koutis"
Personal life
Wood's real passion was music. He has over 4,000 CDs. In 2005, the actor created his own music label Simian Records. A year later, he began to collaborate with the musical group The Apples in Stereo, filming her videos. In addition, the star is a member of the Youth AIDS Foundation.
Elijah prefers to keep quiet about his girls, which caused rumors about his non-traditional sexual orientation. However, the press managed to establish that he met with model Bijou Phillips and actress Franca Potente. He met the latter on the set of Seventeen in 2001. Wood was seven years younger than her. 
In 2005, the actor began a relationship with drummer Pamela Racine, who plays in the band Gogol Boordello. They met on the set of the film "The Light Around". The couple broke up in the fall of 2010 because Wood was not ready to marry. In life, the actor is not as positive as his characters. He smokes, swears, and above all values his independence. The only constant woman in Elijah's life is his mother, who still comes to him on the set.
Elijah Wood in a photo shoot for "Mr Porter" (2013)
Now the actor has again begun to act a lot and is trying to go beyond the boundaries of independent cinema. In 2015, he will appear in the big-budget fantasy film The Last Witch Hunter with Vin Diesel, and in 2016, the British film The Trust will be released, where he will play opposite Nicolas Cage.
We also managed to meet a Hollywood celebrity, personally ask the actor what he managed to do in the Russian capital, and be surprised at the unexpected change in his role.
Elijah Wood.
Gennady Avramenko
— Elijah, the picture "Maniac", in which you played the 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 the first person; the writers want me to play a serial killer, and the audience will only see me in the reflection. I was intrigued. Telling a story from the point of view of a killer is an unusual idea. I liked the script, although I usually don't really like the idea of remakes, especially horror movie remakes.
Can you briefly tell the plot of the film?
“It's a movie about a guy named Frank who owns a mannequin shop that used to belong to his mother. He kills women and scalps them. And now, 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 certain connection between them, which he never felt in relation to other women. She discovers 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 all the things he's done and who he really is. And this is his tragedy.
- Spectators see your hero only through a mirror. Have you ever been afraid to look in the mirror?
- No, I was not afraid. But I was talking to my reflection, but I still had to play a mentally unbalanced person. (Laughs.)
- In preparation for this role, did you study the biographies of some serial killers?
“At one time I read a lot of articles and books about serial killers. It was interesting to me from the point of view of psychology. But during pre-production, I didn't use any particular character as a guide. It is rather a collective image created by me based on my own impressions of what I once read.
- If you met a maniac in your life, what would you do?
- Probably, I would have run as fast as possible so that he could not catch up with me. (Laughs.) Although there are so many maniacs in our life that you can’t run away from everyone.
- Yes, the news from the United States has recently been frightening with the frequency of armed attacks. Do you have weapons?
- No, I don't need it. (Smiling.) But in general, this is a very serious topic. And here are two painful questions. The first is regarding the introduction of restrictions on weapons. Personally, it seems to me that free access to weapons, when any child can get a machine gun almost without any problems, is not quite normal. The second is where this craving for violence comes from. And here you need to study the psyche, learn at the very initial stage to recognize mental health problems that can develop into something terrible. Cinema, music, and the media are often blamed for spreading violence. But I don't see the connection here. It seems to me that this is already a hackneyed argument, which is brought up only because they cannot find other, true reasons.
- And you are going to look for these reasons with the help of your future films? I know that you, as a producer, started working on 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 got into the horror genre?
I have been a fan of the horror genre since childhood. I have long dreamed of becoming a producer. At some point, these two elements merged, and my friends and I organized a production company called Woodshed, which will specialize exclusively in thrillers. Now we have several paintings in production. We recently completed a film called Girl Walking Home Alone Late at Night, the first Iranian vampire film to be shot entirely in Farsi. Soon we will start shooting the film "Lice", co-authored by Leigh Whannell, known for the scripts for "Saw" and "Astral". I will play the role of a teacher there, who will have 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 the short film of the same name, shown at the Sundance Film Festival of independent films. But my scary movies don't reflect who I am. As an actor, I am still open to any suggestions. So you don't have to think that now I will only act in thrillers.
- And as a person you do not only play movies. In Moscow, you managed to play a DJ set. What else have you done? Is this your first time with us? What did you like, what surprised you?
I have never seen so many 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 involves frequent travel, I have been to many places. But most of the time I don't have 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 sights, I have seen them many times in the movies, on TV, in photographs. But to walk here in person is something amazing. I even went to the skating rink on Red Square - it was fun. Walked through the old streets. Looked at different monuments. Most of all, I was shocked by 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 times. I tried vodka there, got a classic Russian experience. (Laughs.)
- Do you have time for shopping?
— Yes, I bought some vinyl records. True, mostly English and American. But even one record of the Soviet group of the 70s is electronic space music (synthpop group Zodiak. - Ed.).
- Did you spend a lot of money?
- No, not much. A couple hundred dollars.
- Here it is, your personal manic passion - music.
- Yes, in this regard, I'm a maniac. I buy a lot of records. I am 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 just say I can sing. I get into motive. But still, I mostly sing only in the car, when no one can hear me, when I'm alone. (Laughs.)
- Your character in the picture 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 sometimes I just like being alone. Fortunately, I have many friends and close people. And I feel their care and support. So I was lucky: love surrounds me in life.
Text: Maria Melnikova
Photo: Getty/Fotobank, Rex/Fotodom
On January 28, one of the shortest Hollywood actors, Elijah Wood, turned 33 years old. Well, not all star beauties can boast of the growth of basketball players, but this makes us love them no less! the site presents 7 more well-known "boys-with-a-thumb", which by their example prove that men of small stature sometimes reach such heights that their taller colleagues are unable to conquer.
Elijah Wood
Height: 168 cm
It's no secret that young actor Elijah Wood became Frodo's hobbit in The Lord of the Rings due to his small height for a man - only 168 centimeters. Many journalists who interviewed Elijah during his visit to Moscow last year note that behind his fragile appearance lies a kind nature, devoid of even a hint of ambition, arrogance and star whims. Wood willingly talks about his favorite character - Frodo Baggins - and even admits that he still cannot "get out of character", although no less than 8 years have passed since the end of the filming of The Lord of the Rings!
“Little hobbits are also distinguished by their incredible love of life, the ability to make friends, they love good food and sweet conversation,” Elijah Wood said in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta. “These are the most wonderful things in our life. I felt a little like a hobbit even before filming because of my small stature, but now I really have become one in the depths of my heart. I never refuse to talk about Frodo and my amazing experience on The Lord. And I'm not offended if they recognize me as a hobbit and address me as if I really were Frodo. With such a role, it could not be otherwise!
In still waters, as they say, there are devils - and Elijah is no exception. The actor, despite all his love for the image of Frodo Baggins, did not "go in cycles" in the role of a cute brave kid and decided to star in more "tough" films. So, last year in Moscow, he presented the new thriller "Maniac" directed by Frank Khalfoun, and in his further creative plans - shooting in the action movie "Open Windows" and the horror film "Contagion".
With such a “load”, little, but remote Elijah does not have any time for his personal life at all - the last known public sweetheart of Wood was the actress Franka Potente. It turns out that now the heart of the actor with big blue eyes and wild curls is free - which cannot but please the large army of Elijah Wood's fans.
Tom Cruise
Height: 170 cm
When the Oblivion star was signing autographs at the Moscow Oktyabr cinema at the premiere in April 2013, he was completely invisible in the sea of admiring fans. However, Tom has long ceased to be complex because of his height of 170 centimeters, which is “offensive” for the Hollywood sex symbol, although evil tongues claim that he specially sews shoes for himself to order - the heels of such shoes are thicker than standard ones.
Tom really experienced in childhood: according to American biographers, at school he tried to communicate with more “smaller” guys in order to look taller, and in order to build up a centimeter or two, he was actively involved in various sports. When he met the red-haired beauty Nicole Kidman and the couple began to often go out together, the photographers had to hide their smile - Nicole is 10 centimeters taller than her ex-husband!
“You can imagine the 'diplomatic' problems that arose whenever I went out in public with my ex-husband,” Nicole Kidman admitted in an interview with the Australian magazine VOX. “Believe me, the difference in our height never made him smile!”
Through life, Tom Cruise was accompanied by recognized Hollywood divas, usually taller than him: Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz and his ex-wife Katie Holmes. Even Cameron Diaz, who worked with the actor on the set of the comedy Wichita, could hardly resist his charm. It must be that after breaking up with Kidman Cruise, he finally got rid of his complexes - especially since in the eyes of the world community this man of short stature has long been no longer Tom-"dwarf", but the real Tom Cruise, "heavy" and solid even for Hollywood crowded with stars .
Dustin Hoffman
Height: 166 cm
“You rarely see an Oscar winner shorter than the statuette itself,” colleagues joke about Rain Man Dustin Hoffman. But the talent, confirmed by five Golden Globes and two Oscars, does not depend on growth in any way. However, even at school, an ugly and short boy was bullied in such a way that it is hard to imagine how he survived at all!
“For my classmates, I was not just a “dwarf” or “short man,” the actor later recalled in an interview with the American magazine Vanity Fair. - I was a "human stump ..."
The Graduate star Hoffman told Vanity Fair that the persecution continued even after he starred in a great comedy directed by Mike Nichols and became famous all over the world: what angle will shorten my nose in the frame, and in general - what to do with me. And when I was leaving and accidentally dropped a one-cent coin from my pocket, someone picked it up and handed it to me pitifully: “Take it, baby, I’m afraid you might come in handy.”
However, Dustin has always been very popular with women - the actor has been happily married twice and has six children: two from his first marriage and four from his second.
Gael Garcia Bernal
Height: 168 cm
"Little Muck" from the films "Bad Education", "The Motorcycle Diaries" and "The Science of Sleep", 35-year-old Gael Garcia Bernal has been leading the ratings of "the sexiest Latin American actors on the planet" for several years. In order to earn such a reputation, Gael did not need to seduce models and actresses in real life. Bernal's charm was formed thanks to his roles, in each of which he found a piece of his personality - a little Mexican, ready to do absolutely anything for the sake of success with women.
And the girls willingly reciprocate Bernal - restrained Natalie Portman, with whom the actor had the longest romance, did not hold back her emotions in one of the interviews. “This guy is just a green-eyed demon,” Natalie told the American magazine Cosmopolitan.
Indeed, earlier “small, but remote” (by the way, absolutely not ashamed of his short stature) Gael Garcia Bernal was famous for his windiness and carelessness. The handsome actor broke many women's hearts until in 2009 he married Mexican actress Dolores Fonzie and became the father of two charming kids - son Lazaro and daughter Libertad.
Ben Stiller
Height: 169 cm
Today, "the main comedian of Hollywood", 48-year-old Ben Stiller (who is a whole centimeter shorter than the famous "shorty" Tom Cruise) is raising two kids with actress Christina Taylor, and six years ago, his Don Juan list was replenished with a new trophy almost every week. Calista Flockhart and Amanda Peet could not resist the crazy charm of "funny baby" Ben, according to rumors.
Ben himself is not at all embarrassed by his small stature and jokes about this in an interview with Vanity Fair magazine: “All I need on the set is a taller girl, passionately hugging me, and my sense of humor!”
By the way, Stiller is considered one of the most dedicated actors, which is why directors love him so much. He must have been inspired by another "little" famous artist - Dustin Hoffman, whom Ben met on the set of the sparkling comedy Meet the Fockers. Hard work eventually led Stiller to the director's chair: this year, the wonderful comedy of his authorship The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Ben also shone in the title role) was released on the screens.
Daniel Radcliffe
Height: 165 cm
The little wizard Harry Potter (played by Daniel Radcliffe) in touching glasses matured, but ... never grew up. It was impossible to predict this, because when the shooting of the children's film franchise in seven parts began, Radcliffe was still just a child, like his colleagues and best friends - Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. And when the guys grew up, Dan could not "catch up" with them and at first he was very worried.
“Actually, the shooting went on for a long time, and for a while Emma and Rupert grew as slowly as I did. We all looked about the same, so everything was great at first,” Radcliffe said in an interview with the American magazine Empire. “But I was still worried, because I always wanted to be a little higher than I am. Now I have come to terms with it. Not so long ago, I came to the conclusion that you can suffer about this, but you can laugh and joke. Plus, I'm Harry Potter! Now when people see me and say, “God! You are much smaller than I thought!” - I usually calmly answer: "No, I'm just much further from you than you thought."
Since then, Daniel has been choosing older women (does he assert himself?), And more serious roles (for example, in the thriller The Woman in Black, which Radcliffe presented in Moscow in February 2012). The status of the "mini-groom" is already estimated at more than 30 million pounds - so hurry, girls, to win the heart of the Briton, otherwise another lucky woman may be in your place!
Jack Black
Height: 168 cm
A virtuoso playing the acoustic and electric guitars, as well as an inimitable sense of humor, help the Hollywood "man with a fingernail", 44-year-old Jack Black, to charm on the screen Kate Winslet (in the melodrama "The Holiday") and Gwyneth Paltrow (in the comedy "Love is Evil") . To many viewers and fans of Jack Black's talent, he resembles a good-natured panda (Black voiced this bear named Po in the Kung Fu Panda cartoon), and film critics make fun of his short stature - however, also without malice.
At the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, when Jack and Angelina Jolie presented the next part of the cartoon about the adventures of a fighting panda, Afisha magazine described such a funny incident: “Stanislav Zelvensky passed by (Russian film critic, - approx. site). Upon learning what was happening, he immediately with a ringing cry of "Angelina!" jumped over the heads of the guards and photographers, and upon landing, he announced with pleasure that Jack Black (who, in fact, Panda) is even lower than Jolie, that is, quite a dwarf! Tall people attach great importance to such things, it turns out.Jack himself does not seem to have complexes about his height at all. The feeling of loneliness is unfamiliar to him - for 7 years he has been happily married to actress Tanya Hayden. According to the editor of the American men's magazine FHM, who interviewed Black last year, “He's not just not-Hollywood, he's positively anti-Hollywood. Amid crowds of perfect Californian "beach bodies" with Botox pouts and bronzed faces, this ninety-kilogram shorty does not hesitate to make victorious runs down the street in Beverly Hills in the rays of the morning sun. It was Jack, without breaking himself, who managed to become one of the brightest stars of this city.
Danny DeVito
Height: 155 cm
“Shorty,” any woman will laugh to herself if she notices me from the height of her heels ... ”, - the star of the films Batman Returns and Big Fish, 69-year-old Danny DeVito, sadly noted at the dawn of his career. The great comedian has always been critical of his own appearance. But tiny growth - only 155 centimeters! - became for him a kind of pass to the cinema.
“It was so insulting to always stand last in physical education classes at school! And what is it like to run cross-country and, drenched in sweat, trail in the very tail, because your short legs refuse to cover such distances? DeVito later recalled in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
One day, one of the Hollywood agents told the future star of world cinema that DeVito was not tall enough to play a movie. How wrong he was! After graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, in 1966, the aspiring actor nevertheless found work in the summer theater of the Eugene O'Neill Center in Connecticut. There he met Michael Douglas, and their long-term friendship turned out to be very fruitful. Together they starred in several unforgettable pictures - "Romance with a Stone", "Pearl of the Nile".
Since then, the “pocket man” managed to take lessons in playing love scenes from Sophia Loren herself (in the film “Lady Liberty”) and proved to Hollywood that real feelings exist - his marriage to actress Rhea Perlman lasted 30 years (the couple had three children ), although the lovers broke up in 2012, remaining best friends. But DeVito's self-confidence, who presented the cartoon "Lorax" in Moscow in the same 2012 (Danny voiced the main character), is not to be held - it will be enough for a dozen Hollywood stars. It is she who allows this cheerful legendary actor, director and producer to give us, the audience, so much joy and warmth.
