Elijah Wood, best known for his portrayal of the brave yet burdened hobbit Frodo Baggins, has finally begun reading ‘The Lord of the Rings‘.
The 45-year-old made the surprising revelation more than 25 years after ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring‘ premiered in 2001, marking the beginning of one of the most beloved film trilogies ever made.
Elijah Wood Drops ‘Lord Of The Rings’ Bombshell After 25 Years
During a recent appearance on ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert‘, Wood admitted with a mix of embarrassment and excitement that he has never fully read JRR Tolkien‘s literary masterpieces.
Related: ‘Lord Of The Rings’ Star Elijah Wood Says No One Else Should Play Frodo “As Long As I’m Alive”
“To have it be from you, I feel almost the most embarrassed, Stephen,” he told the Tolkien-obsessed host, while hunching over in laughter. “Because I know no one else in my life that loves Tolkien more than you and has read the books more than maybe anyone.”
The actor then delivered the exciting update, “I’ll at least say this: There’s an update, I have started them.”
Why Elijah Wood Never Read the Books Before Filming
Elijah Wood was just 18 years old when he began filming in 1999 and went on to portray the central hero across Peter Jackson’s groundbreaking trilogy.
In case you missed it: Why Kate Winslet Rejected Eowyn In ‘The Lord Of The Rings’ Before Joining ‘The Hunt For Gollum’
The actor had previously explained that during the intense production years, he focused primarily on the scripts to immerse himself in the film’s version of the character. As a result, he never found the time to read the books amid the hectic and demanding shoot.
“The book is dense and verbose and incredible and literary and beautiful, but heavy,” he said. “I found it taxing to read the book with all the work in tandem I was doing on my character. I sort of pivoted my focus to just live in the world of the character as written in the scripts and trust the process.”
Tolkien Ignorance Cost Jake Gyllenhaal Frodo Role
Interestingly, Elijah Wood was not the only contender for Frodo. Jake Gyllenhaal, one of modern Hollywood’s most notable actors, once auditioned for the iconic role, an experience he now recalls as “literally one of the worst auditions.”
Thankfully, the role went to Wood, who defined Frodo Baggins on screen with his unforgettable performance. Now, as the actor finally turns the pages, fans can’t help but smile at the sense of a full-circle moment.
You might also like to read: Andy Serkis Teases New ‘Lord Of The Rings’ Trilogy With ‘The Hunt For Gollum’
