Today Show Interview

Matt sets up a clip, Sam and Frodo climbing on the rocks...we've been here before...we're not alone.

E- Oooooh! (trying to make is spooky)

M- Elijah Wood, good morning

E- Good Morning!

M- Great hair!

E- Well, it's all inspired by you!

M- Yeah right, sure. You're 21, you did it for no reason. I did it for a big reason.

E- Well...

M- You were here Last time when you were promoting the first one of these films...

E- Right...

M- You were so excited about the premier of that movie. Did it live up to your expectations?

E- Beyond! Incredibly beyond. I don't think we could have ever imagined it to be as massive as it's become so....And we were completely overwhelmed by that. I mean the success of the movie, the Oscar nominations and all of that was a bit strange for us I think.

M- In terms of story line does this one pick up immediately following the other story?

E- Immediately. You essentially pick up as Frodo and Sam really begin there journey into the land of Mordor. And Things get horribly worse for Frodo and Sam.

M- One of the things that's interesting from what I read about this - and I have not seen it yet, but I will - is that Frodo and Sam spend some times separate from the Fellowship, a little bit on the sidelines. And a lot of the action happens with the Fellowship.

E- That's right (chuckles).

M- So explain that. As the lead character, how did you feel about that?

E- Umm, well, Frodo's journey is very, sort of mental. It's a, it's an emotional journey that he has dealing with the power of this ring. Which is what really intrigued me about the character. So for me, I really enjoyed my journey. It kind of, you know the fact that it was constantly in my head and dealing with the power of this just sort of intangible evil essentially.

M- Tell me about new characters in this. Gollum...

E- That's right...

M- Describe him for me.

E- Well, Gollum is a completely CG character. The first...

M- Computer generated

E- That's right

M- For maybe people who aren't in the movie know here...

E- (laughs) I'm sorry! (laughing more) I'm sorry! Yes, he's computer animated. Ummm, he's an amazing character. He's been one of my favorite characters in literature for some time. People will have known him for one of the chapters in The Hobbit. Umm, but he joins our cast in this film as sort of a guide for Frodo but really he is a mirror image of what frodo could end up becoming.

M- And they develop a bond until your character, you betray him.

E- That's right. Sort of unintentionally betray him. That's right.

M- Well, because he's CG, as you put it, you're acting opposite a tennis ball or something like that?

E- Yes, but we did have an actor on set that we did these scenes with so it made it a lot easier.

M- Peter Jackson was here not long ago Elijah, and he admitted, he said this one is darker, it's more violent than the Fellowship Of The Ring. How do you think that the audience is going to respond to that?

E- Ummm, ummm, it is darker. Ah, things get a lot darker as a result of the power of the ring and the evil that is put on the race of Men but at the same time I think that it's also in some ways more hopeful. I think that darkness is necessary for the audience to get behind the characters, to ultimately have a more hopeful ending.

M- We should remind people that it's not like after the first one you went back and shot the second one. You Shot them all over an 18 month period.

E- That's right.

M- Viggo Mortensen said "I liked it, I hated it, I'll never forget it." Talk to me about that experience. 18 months in New Zealand. What was it like for you?

E- Umm, it was one of the most profound experiences in my life. Ah, and it encompassed all of those things. I think it was the most difficult experience of my life and the most incredible. Umm, being in New Zealand for that length of time and creating the bond that I created with these people. Ya know, I'll carry that with me for the rest of my life and I think that I see this film very much in that way. So, it's kinda bizarre to now be promoting it in this kinda massive text.

M- And now your, your, the first one is under your belt, can the next to live up to the expectations of the first one?

E- I think so. I mean for me the journey continues. Umm, and I think for anybody who love the first film it, it continues to get better and more dramatic. I mean the evil starts to permeate these characters until they ultimately succeed in the end. Which does give to much away because I think most people have read the books. (laughs)

M- No, exactly. So they know a little bit about what happens

(Elijah's STILL laughing heeheehee...cute laugh)