The famous saying, Jack of all trades, master of none, may apply to the world but it’s just not to Elijah Wood. The American actor, known for his diverse trajectory in the cinematic world has been phenomenal. Today on January 28, as the actor marks another year of his life and turns 43, let’s reflect on his Hollywood journey and beyond.
Wood is a renowned name in the entertainment industry and does not need any introduction. He has contributed to the cinematic world by delivering various incredible films. He is popularly known for his portrayal in films like Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–2003) and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012). The actor’s cinematic journey started at a very young age and since then he has proven his dedication and versatility time and again.
He started his acting career with the 1989 film, Back to the Future Part II. Though he had a small part in the film, he further set his footing in the industry as a child actor and also became the recipient of several accolades. His 1990 film, Avalon played a vital role in raising Wood to stardom as the film was nominated for four Academy Awards. This was just the start for the rising star as he had a lot more in the store of fate. He began to appear in some incredible films alongside great actors like Mel Gibson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Joseph Mazzello, Kevin Costner, Bruce Willis and many more.
For his 1994 film The War, Wood was appreciated for his performance by renowned film critic Roger Ebert. He stated that Wood “has emerged, I believe, as the most talented actor, in his age group, in Hollywood history.”
Among his many roles, the most prominent role of his career was in the Lord of the Rings trilogy as Frodo Baggins. Since then he has risen to meteoric in his career and has been part of films like Spy Kids 3D: Game Over (2003), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), Sin City (2005), Green Street (2005), Everything Is Illuminated (2005), Paris, je t’aime (2006), Bobby (2006), Celeste and Jesse Forever (2012), and I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore (2017).
These films are proof of Wood’s hard work and talent to adapt to various genres.
There is no doubt that Wood is a brilliant actor, but apart from his acting skills, he is also a very talented voice-over artist as he has lent his voice to Mumble in the Happy Feet film franchise (2006–2011), the title protagonist in 9 (2009), Spyro the Dragon in the Legend of Spyro video game trilogy (2006–2008), Beck on Disney XD’s Tron: Uprising (2012–2013), and Wirt in the Cartoon Network miniseries Over the Garden Wall (2014).
Apart from having a successful acting career, Wood has a few other established ventures. He has appeared in music videos for bands like The Cranberries (“Ridiculous Thoughts”), Danko Jones (“Full of Regret,” “Had Enough,” and “I Think Bad Thoughts”), and the Beastie Boys (“Make Some Noise”). Wood has also established his record label, called Simian Records. Wood has diverse interests beyond acting. He has also collaborated with Zach Cowie led to the formation of Wooden Wisdom, a DJ duo.
If that wasn’t enough he is also a co-founder of the production company, SpectreVision.
Be it acting or DJ, there is no entertainment industry left untouched by Elijah Wood. Indeed the actor has a prosperous career and we look forward to his work.
