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ELIJAH WOOD
BY BROOKE SHIELDS

BROOKE SHIELDS: Let's talk about the movie we did together, Black and White. Had you done a totally improvisational film before?
ELIJAH WOOD: No. And as interesting as the project seemed, I was really scared because it was so far away from anything I'd done. Then I came to the conclusion that if you're ever fearful of taking a step forward to a place that could be better for you, you should always take it, because that's the only way you'll ever grow. So despite how afraid I was, I made the decision to continue.

BS: Well, fear Is an Incredible motivator. OK, now you can talk about kissing me. [laughs]
EW: That was an absolutely lovely day! I came to the set thinking I was filming one thing, and one of the assistant directors came to my trailer and said, "You've got to kiss Brooke Shields in the park today." I was like, "I'm sorry. Run that by me again?" [BS laughs] What a great experience! I already felt very close to you, and that brought us a bit closer.

BS: The feeling was mutual. Still, I was thinking, I should be arrested for this! And you kept saying that it was legal in some states! [laughs] So I didn't feel so bad. So next you're doing The Lord of the Rings. Have you read the trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien?
EW: No, but I read The Hobbit.

BS: Did they suggest you read all three books?
EW: It wasn't necessary, although I believe they're under the impression that I have read all three. But I don't think it really matters. The scripts are brilliant, and they've kept the tone of Tolkien's writing, which is wonderful.

BS: How would you describe a hobbit?EW: A hobbit is a very short, amusing character. They don't wear shoes. They have hairy feet and pointy little ears. My character, Frodo Baggins, has a wry sense of humor.BS: You were perfectly typecast.
EW: [laughs] How perceptive!

BS: I did kiss you, remember? I was given these Tolkien stories when I was a child. They should be required reading at an older age, Just because of the lessons In them.
EW: Oh, definitely. The stories reveal the darkness of the human spirit, and where that can go, as well as the extreme light.

BS: You'll be shooting in New Zealand, right? Will you be there for a long time?
EW: Fourteen months, because we're doing three movies. It's going to be an adventure, a real journey. And I think that I'll be different when I come back, as a person and an actor, and I look forward to that.