Elijah Wood Reveals The Secrets Behind Filming 'The Lord of the Rings' | Explain This | Esquire 

James cordon should NEVER and I mean NEVER EVER, in any alternate universe or parallel dimension or space-time continuum, be mentioned in the same sentence as Samwise the brave.

LOTR remains the best trilogy in the universe. Period.

I feel like the movies wouldn't have been so perfect if they had different actors playing it, it was amazingly well cast.

If Cage played Aragorn, how hilarious that scene with Eowyn would have been, where she says she's afraid of 'a cage' 😂

Elijah could have just avoided these LOTR questions, but he is kind enough to answer them with elborated behind stories, which is really amazing and down to earth! Watching this interview brought me back to when I first saw the Fellowship of the Ring as a 13yr old a girl. 😊

I love how much the cast still doesn’t mind talking about the movies. It’s just like reminiscing over fond memories and never gets tiresome.

I can honestly say, with as much confidence as is humanly available, that every single casting choice in this Trilogy was a grand slam. Each one lightning in a bottle. All of the outstanding work, writing, and artistry aside.... the casting alone was like divine intervention.

Not only did Elijah Wood pull off an absolutely iconic acting performance as Frodo Baggins at the age of 18!! But he also nailed that English accent like a Boss!

What a humble, yet, ballsy move for him to admit that he’s never actually read the books!!! I respect that.

Thanks to Mr. Jackson who kept Sean Astin as Sam instead of James Corden. Sam is (and always will be) my favorite LOTR character, and that's a large part to Sean Astin's portrayal.

I keep forgetting Elijah Wood is a full size human being

His interviews are so entertaining because he answers like he's just another one of your friends and you're hanging out

He had been in more movies by the time LOTR came along than most actors in their entire career. He was one of the most talented child actors ever.

I think Elijah is the example of a perfect casting. I think Frodo would be him in our world. Just a nice guy, no ego, super emphatic, chill vibe.

Liam Neeson as Boromir would have been great but Sean Bean killed it, especially when he say in the film "It's still Sharpe."

I'm so proud of Elijah Wood! He was, IMO, the best choice for Frodo. He has those deep, expressive blue eyes that light up whenever he speaks as well as convey immense sadness. He could play the kind of grounded intellectual that was Frodo Baggins.

"They (the LoTR books) were arround the set. They were everywhere you could imagine" This shows how important it was for Peter Jackson and the whole team to tell the story the way it is told in the books and how Tolkien intended it to be.

One of the best movies of all time

i watched LOTR 1st one week ago, still better than most of the movies that came out recently.

I don’t think anyone will understand how much I love this man! He’s so talented and his mannerisms and eloquent nature are just so endearing. I feel like it would be easy to have a natural conversation with him.

I met elijah wood at comicon with my 10 yo son. Took pictures ect with him. Ask him to quote a line from lotr for my son. He responded "Alright then, you keep your secrets ". My son smiled so hard. It was a great moment.

"You havent aged a day" no but for real elijah still looks 20. True ringbearer right there

I love that he just said that Frodo sees Smeagol almost as an addict would see another addict, because really that is exactly what is going on with regards to what is going on with the ring, whether JRR Tolkien meant it in that way or not. Something, a substance or otherwise, that you love at first and feel empowered by ultimately enslaves you and destroys you and Smeagol/Gollum sees that in the younger Frodo. He simultaneously wants to take it back but the humanity within him decides to help Frodo. But he, too, is also constantly surrounded by temptation. Temptation to steal it back even if in his heart he knows that it's bad for him. That's what the ring truly is an allegory for from the modern lens -- addiction to something that is infinitely more evil and powerful than yourself.

He’s really authentic. To the point where you kinda know there’s a thin line where he’s going to lose it. But he calms down and smiles. He looks like the real deal. Happy New Year!

Perfect casting, the perfect timing in CGI development where it accented the film beautifully but there were enough practical effects to make the world believable, and the perfect story. Lightning in a bottle and will never be replicated or surpassed again. My favorite movies of all time

His giggles are so infectious, what a lovely person

I remembered a one interview with Peter, he said that if he didn't cast the perfect characters for each role, the movie would be a mess.

ELIJAH WOOD does not age!! HOBBIT magic.

I adore him and the trilogy. It is hands down some of the best movies to date.

It was bittersweet to see Dominic and Billy have Sean and Elijah on their various podcasts, because they have that connection like friends of old - reminiscent of Bilbo and Gandalf - but their memory of the events of filming LotR had faded dramatically. In the 20+ years since they were working together, they have each gone on so many other journeys as actors that it has become a distant memory with spotty details. It was the pinnacle of Hollywood cinema; an art that hasn't been equaled since, and sadly for many of us who remember it when it was fresh and can hold onto it as fans, the actors have had to become so many different people since that they it is slipping away for them. SIDE NOTE: Elijah did tell them about his brief work on The Hobbit series and how much better the hobbit feet process had become - it was basically now a sock that went all the way up to the knee, looked better, and easily slipped on and off. Compared to the glued on, fragile prosthetic they had to wear for LotR.

These movies are timeless now, especially the first one. All the heart and effort that went into making them...you don't see that anymore.

Elijah Wood just brings the happy mood, always!

I love that so long after this role he is still so happy to talk about it and relive it. Most actors (understandably) prefer to move on after a while but it seems like this movie has really imprinted itself in his heart which is so great :)

I did a LOTR rewatch three days before Christmas. Watched all three films back to back on the same day and despite the length I loved watching them all

Oh man, Daniel Day Lewis as Aragorn... In the universe where that exists I'm certain he absolutely nailed it.

4:48 Dude, you have a kid, read the books to him, starting of course with The Hobbit. Oh, oh, better yet, have the whole cast come back for a 20th anniversary reunion and read the books!!! Each actor reprising their role!! Well, of the ones who are still with us (RIP Christopher Lee and Ian Holm).

The incredible irony that Gimli is the tallest of the fellowship. Love it. Greatest films of all time 🙌

I'm a simple Tolkienist and film enthusiast. I see Elijah Wood &/or LOTR related content and I click that, precious.

I'd never heard of lord of the rings until my uncle took me to see the fellowship. I read all 3 books before two towers came out a year later. Couldn't put them down.

I admire this guy. We only see celebs through media but hes always seemed to keep his head on right. One of the best kid actors of all time.

The casting of this movie is my example why "best casting" should be a category in movie awards events

Who else wants to see that audition tape!?

I love Elijah. He’s so articulate and grounded. Great guy

Elijah seems so natural and free while hes talking in every interview i watched so far and he also does great movies. he is 100% one of my favorite actors. i respect him a lot, not just as an actor, as the person i see in so many situations too. Elijah, u are one of the best our world has to offer, thats what i think.

His reaction to people who could of played the roles 🤣🤣😂

I have only just now started reading the Lord of the Rings so it's never too late

the way he like zoned out in admiration of Ian's coolness for taking the key

My heart skips a beat every time I see Elijah. He's in my heart forever!!! Such a kind guy and an incredibly talented actor!!! ❤💜💙🧡💛

Elijah looking like he's about to start training to fight apollo creed 🤣

Harry Potter and lord of the rings are definitely Christmas movies in my family

Elijah looks like a character from The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and I love it

The Faculty is a massively underrated film and another with great casting

The ring granted Frodo unnaturally long life

Guy looks pure a friend you want in your life

Elijah is one of those stars that realizes how big the thing he was a part of was. He knows its gonna follow him probably forever but he seems to love it anyway and he's always happy to talk about it. Like the opposite of Harrison Ford

Elijah Wood is a class act.

i remember Elijah Wood in Flipper with Paul Hogan lol

I absolutely require an edit where Paul McCartney plays Frodo Baggins

Such a down to earth and funny guy

I remember him as the kid in Forever Young.

For some reason it took me until today to watch lord of the rings for the first time ever, not knowing if I could even watch it all the way through but I love it! Looking forward to the rest of them!

It's so adorable he says "Before burning DVDs" which are just as outdated as VHS tapes.

I'm so happy knowing Elijah keeps Sting and one of the Ring props.

Elijah lookin like if Mac DeMarco and Paul Sheer had a child in this. Love it

Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan have a podcast called “The friendship onion” They talk about filming LOTR quite a bit.

I love his laugh when he found out how he’s most well known for The Guy in Spy Kids over Frodo 😂 I genuinely thought Frodo was more well known!

To say that Elijah Wood was perfect for the role is an understatement.

Elijah seems to have this inner joy always. he is just sunshine 💕

4:40 lol this is like me in college thinking I'm actually going to read the textbook but give up four weeks in

I love hearing adult Woods chastise 18 year old Woods for not reading the books when adult Woods has still not, in fact, read the books, haha. That's wild, though. He should read them.

I love him and his humor almost as much as I love the movies 😍😍😍

Let's not forget he had a cameo in Back To The Future part 2

We need to see that audition tape! Get to searching Elijah!

I love how exasperated with himself Elijah is for still not reading the books 😂❤

Love him so much!

Every year me and my friends have a Lotr day were we watch all 3 extended movies in one go, LOVE IT!

wow is his eyes ever blue! like DUNE levels of blue!

There’s an alternate universe out there with Jake Gyllenhaal as Frodo, James Corden as Samwise, Nic Cage as Aragorn, Uma Thurman as Arwen, and Sean Connery as Gandalf

He seems like such a dude. So engaging and unaffected. Top lad.

If only I could see those audition tapes!

Turn the music down i want to hear what hes saying, the guy's a legend in this movie and you blast this dam music which throws the whole conversation out of context, learn the word subtle when combining music with videos.

i love elijahs personality and will forgive him anything, but not finishing the lotr books? i cant believe it, lol.

The "Making of" documentaries are amazing. Watch them. Almost a better family story than the movies themselves.

he just exudes coolness, what a jewel of a human

Thanks for this, Elijah! I can't believe that you have not (as of this video filming) read Lord of the Rings! A great joy awaits you.

Elijah Wood is the only celebrity who I feel like is fun to hang out with irl

Ok, I want to read that journal now.

Ian McKellen is the best wizard of all cinematic time. He has the most convincing magical sparkle in his eyes. He also would've been the best replacement Dumbledore for Richard Harris.

I love Elijah. Watched so many movies solely because of him. My fave is actually "The bumblebee flies anyway". Also, his eyes are mesmerizing!

Please please Elijah upload a rip of that vhs to RU-vid

I watch LOTR every Christmas :)

04:15 Let's just take a minute and appreciate the clever cover design.

I'm still dying about "Frito"

I don't know him obviously, but he seems such an epic guy.

I'm so thankful the cast is who it was, just perfect!

Love all the zooming in and out. So immersive

I cannot believe he hasn't read the books LOL

I read the books in the 70s and they remained my favourite books all through the years until the first movie came out, so I had already had my own pictures of the scenery, buildings and characters in my head, but I went to see the first movie with an open mind, hoping for the best, and boy was I satisfied by virtually everything in the movie, and certainly by the main character, Frodo, which Elijah Wood complete brought to life on the screen all through the trilogy.

Seeing Elijah Wood and listening to him talk sparks joy

Mr. Woods rocking the Steve Zissou hat. Love it.