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Born in Iowa, Wood began modeling at an early age, quickly moving into commercial work.
As a toddler, little Elijah showed an affinity for performing and his mother, on a
whim, took him to a large modeling and talent convention in Los Angeles. Talent agents recognized his knack for entertaining and with that, he quickly landed himself an acting deal and a child star was
born.
Following a bit role in a Paula Abdul video, film work followed almost immediately, with more bit parts in Back to the Future Part II (1989) and Internal Affairs (1990). He then won acclaim
as a young Barry Levinson in the director/writer's personal drama Avalon (1990) and went on to star in Paradise (1991), Radio Flyer and Forever Young (both 1992), all of which gave him substantive roles
that revealed both his acting talent and natural appeal.
Barely reaching 10 years of age, Wood made big steps forward in 1990's Avalon (directed by Barry Levinson) and 1992's Forever Young with
Mel Gibson. He was cast as the lead in The Adventures of Huck Finn in 1993 and was the silver lining in two forgettable movies -- North and The War, both in 1994.
Wood earned a young following
thanks to his role in the film adaptation of Flipper in 1994 and then turned in a great performance in an excellent film, 1997's The Ice Storm in which he co-starred with Sigourney Weaver (who portrayed
his dysfunctional mother). Then came the Armageddon-themed Deep Impact in 1998, in which a meteor headed toward Earth threatens to end all existence. The Faculty was released that same year, and featured
Elijah as a student who suspects that his teachers are from another planet. All did well at the box office, and cemented the notion that Wood had gone from a young, raw talent to a full-fledged Hollywood
star.
On the set of The Faculty, Wood heard that Peter Jackson was undertaking a huge project and was immediately drawn to it. After Wood sent in an original audition tape for the role of Frodo
Baggins, Jackson had no choice but to cast him as the central figure in the epic The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Being selected by Peter Jackson to portray Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the
Rings trilogy, Wood headed to New Zealand in October of 1999 to begin what would be a 14-month filming process. At the time, no one could have predicted the immense popularity of the films, but today,
thanks to the phenomenal success of the three installments, Wood is recognized the world over.
Elijah Wood's evolution both as a person and actor can best be seen in The Lord of the Rings. In
agreeing to participate in this ambitious project, Wood essentially put his life on hold for 14 months. At the start of filming, he was still in the throes of late adolescence; once it was all said and
done, Wood was a full-fledged adult.
With many more films to follow, Wood is sure to enjoy a long, fruitful career in Hollywood.
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