Elijah Wood

Full Name: Elijah Jordan Wood
Birthdate: January 28, 1981
Birthplace: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Blue
Height: 5'6"
Weight: unknown
Spouse: none
Children: none

There has always been a lot ofhype about young actorsand that is no different today. Onefine young actor who has been lostamongst all the hype is ElijahWood. Probably the mostunderrated actor of his age group,Wood is indeed a terrific andtalented young man.

Born January 28th, 1981 in Cedar Rapids Iowa, Elijah had a very wholesome, average upbringing. Upon starting school though, he began to show some above average skills. Wood began acting and singing in school and local productions and demonstrated a knack for entertaining. This all prompted his mom to bring seven year-old Elijah to Los Angeles for an Annual International Modeling and Talent Association Convention. While there he wowed agents from around the country and quickly landed himself an acting deal.

He began popping up in commercials and then on television and the big screen. It took him awhile to get name recognition for his roles but his face was scene in many films, from Internal Affairs to Forever Young. He was often cast as the lead actor's son. Then came a maturation in Elijah's roles which coincided with his own. He impressed critics in The War and stood his own alongside Kevin Costner. He was deemed the only good thing about the bomb that was North and he helped bring Flipper to life. In the Ice Storm he continued his growing maturity.

Unlike many of his peers who get stuck in young roles well into their twenties, Elijah Wood seems to be adapting well as each year goes by. He always adapts to the changing landscape. The recent popularity of teen slasher films, prompted Elijah to take a role in The Faculty, a film by Kevin Williamson. Elijah's mainstream appeal finally seems to be blossoming and reaching new heights.

ORLANDO -- It's been a busy six years for 15-year-old Elijah Wood.

He's been to War with Kevin Costner, veered North for Rob Reiner, spent some time in Paradise with Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, discovered that he and Mel Gibson were Forever Young and proved that, next to Macaulay Culkin, he is The Good Son.

Not even this galaxy of co-stars could compare to Wood's working vacation last year in the Bahamas with three mischievous dolphins named Jake, Fat Man and McGuyver.

Wood plays rebellious teen Sandy Ricks and the dolphins combine to create his seaworthy friend in the new big-screen version of Flipper.

"I think that, like every kid big or small, I've wondered what it would be like to swim and play with dolphins. Making Flipper was a dream come true," recalls Wood.

The last Flipper movie was made 32 years ago though the story did have a successful three-year run as a TV series in the 1960s. The star of those films was Luke Halpin who has a cameo as one of the villain's henchmen in this new Flipper feature.

"I talked a lot with Luke. He worked with his dolphins for five years. He's still very sentimental about that experience.

"They were his best friends when he was a teenager and I really understand what that means. I found it extremely difficult to say goodbye to them at the end of the shoot."

Wood is back with his family in California and his dolphin friends are at a theme park in the Bahamas.

Wood knows a little what it must be like for the dolphins to be on display at their theme park.

"For about five months two years ago, our family moved to a small town in California. My parents thought a small town would be a good environment."

Wrong.

"Kids would camp out on our steps to get my autograph or their picture taken with me. The last straw came when parents would ask if I'd make an appearance at their child's birthday party."

Like his fellow teen stars, Wood is frequently featured in teen magazines.

"I refuse to read them because I've never done an actual interview for any of them. The writers just use a whole bunch of things I've said in other interviews and put their own slant on them."

Wood admits it's a bit embarrassing because the teen magazines have dubbed him "big blue-eyed Elijah."

"Try and live that one down among your friends at school."

Frodo is a young hobbit and the adopted cousin of Bilbo Baggins. In his mission to rid Middle-earth of the One Ring, Frodo finds himself changing the course of the future.

Elijah Wood has been widely regarded as one of the most gifted actors of his generation. After coming to attention in Paradise, he went on to star in Radio Flyer, Forever Young, Huck Finn, The Good Son, North, The War and Flipper. He also appeared in Internal Affairs, Avalon and Back to the Future Part 2.

Most recently, Wood was seen in James Toback’s Black and White, Robert Rodriguez’s The Faculty, Ang Lee’s The Ice Storm, the sci-fi thriller Deep Impact and the crime comedy Chain of Fools. He also lent his voice to the animated film The Adventures of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina.

Wood was named 1994’s Young Star of the Year by NATO/ShowEast following his performance in The War.