Wood was a fan of the book series, and he sent in an audition tape of himself dressed as Frodo, reading lines from the novel. He was selected from 150 actors who auditioned. Wood was the first actor to be cast. This gave Wood top billing, alongside a cast full of stars.
Once he had spent two hours reading the script, he was inspired to think outside the box and give an unusual audition. Wood was aware he needed to be a stand-out candidate if he was to get the part of Frodo, who had such an in-depth history in the books.
Peter Jackson was selective in choosing the actor to play Frodo in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and Jake Gyllenhaal's audition was infamous for his poor performance. Gyllenhaal missed the mark by not understanding the significance of the One Ring and failing to do a proper accent for Frodo's lines.
Why did Ian McKellen and Elijah Wood never film together?
Ian McKellen claimed that he and Elijah Wood never filmed a scene together. This just isn't true. Eyewitness reports on one scene showed that they did. One scene was the one where Gandalf drove the cart into Hobbiton with Frodo.
Wood's eclectic post-"Lord of the Rings" filmography was a conscious choice on his part. In an interview with Esquire to mark the 20-year anniversary of "Fellowship" in 2021, Wood recalled just how much Jackson's fantasy-adventure trilogy came to consume his life during the years they spent making it.
Elijah Wood Reveals The Secrets Behind Filming 'The Lord of the Rings' | Explain This | Esquire
Did Elijah Wood get paid for The Hobbit?
How much did Elijah Wood get paid for The Hobbit? While Wood's salary for the LOTR trilogy was low, he made up for it with The Hobbit: He reportedly made $1 million for his brief cameo, in which he reprised his role of Frodo.
While he seems uninterested in a reboot of the franchise, potentially tarnishing the beloved series, he's not opposed to playing Frodo again. And with the actor having previously returned to the franchise already for 2013's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, his words carry sincerity.
As iconic as Christopher Plummer's career has been, there are some roles that an actor just can't bring themselves to accept. In the case of Plummer's career, he found himself turning down a role that even Sean Connery himself would pass, eventually allowing the part to go to Sir Ian McKellen.
Wood met Radcliffe prior to this first-ever joint interview. It was on the set of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban while they were shooting “the Lupin stuff,” Radcliffe remembered.
Ultimately, he turned down the project because the story didn't resonate with him. Years after the critical and financial success of the series, Connery said he decided not to play the wizard because he "just didn't get it," even after reading both the book and the script.
Daniel Radcliffe, Shia LaBeouf, James McAvoy, Erryn Arkin, and Tobey Maguire were considered for the role of Bilbo Baggins. However, Peter Jackson had said that his first choice was always Martin Freeman.
Summary. Daniel Day-Lewis was director Peter Jackson's first choice for Aragorn, but he turned down the role due to his aversion to big-budget franchises. Russell Crowe was also considered for the role, but after a phone call with Jackson, it became clear that the director had other stars in mind.
Jake Gyllenhaal tried out for Frodo, but did no research on the role and bombed so badly that he was advised to fire his agent. Sean Connery and Patrick Stewart were both asked to be Gandalf. Stewart was just plain not interested in the character, and Connery passed as he did not understand the script.
Elijah Wood famously led “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy as the selfless hobbit Frodo Baggins. The actor was only 18 when filming began for the 2001 movie directed by Peter Jackson. Now, at 42, Wood is sharing his real thoughts about the plans to make new “Lord of the Rings” movies.
Radcliffe and Grint developed a long-lasting friendship thanks to their time together in the Harry Potter films. But after the movies ended, Radcliffe shared that it was easier maintaining communication with Emma Watson than it was with Grint.
However later it was clarified by the representatives of Radcliffe that he and Erin are not a married couple. The couple has been together for over ten years, welcoming their first child in April 2023. In the earlier interviews, the 34-year-old actor has spoken about the incredible experience of fatherhood.
Action heroine and frequent Tarantino collaborator Uma Thurman was the first choice for Éowyn. However, she had to decline. She had just had her first child -- actress Maya Hawke -- and chose to stay home with her rather than fly out to New Zealand to film.
How much was Sean Connery offered to play Gandalf?
However, Connery did not accept the role despite a lucrative offer. He was allegedly offered 30 million dollars per film, plus 15 percent of the box-office profits from the film saga.
How much did Sean Connery lose on Lord of the Rings?
In the original trilogy, Connery was offered the role of Gandalf, but he passed on playing the wise wizard as he reported didn't understand the script. With Connery's decision, not only did we lose out on seeing his performance as the white/gray wizard, but he supposedly lost out on a whopping $450 million.
Since Sam was a ring bearer for a brief time, he was granted passage into the Undying Lands, and he crossed over to once again reunite with Frodo. Nothing is known about Samwise's fate, or what the Undying Lands are even like, but it still feels like an appropriate end for the character.
Frodo was soon healed in Rivendell by Elrond, who knew the wound would not ultimately leave him, as it was both spiritual and physical. On the 24th of October 3018, Frodo awoke in Rivendell and was reunited with Bilbo, Gandalf, Aragorn, Sam, Merry, and Pippin.
After staying in the Shire for a while, Frodo Baggins leaves on an Elven ship alongside Gandalf and Bilbo and sets off for the Undying Lands - also known as Valinor — a realm outside Middle-earth. While Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings doesn't provide much elaboration, Frodo left Middle-earth as a matter of survival.
