Wood, Elijah Jordan (1981– )

US actor. He was an endearing and prolific child actor with startling blue eyes who matured into a versatile and respected talent. He is best known for his portrayal of the hobbit Frodo Baggins in Peter Jackson's Academy Award-winning Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–03), based on the novels by J R R Tolkien.

Early film appearances include small roles in Back to the Future II (1989) and Internal Affairs (1990). Other films include Paradise (1991), Forever Young (1992), The Good Son (1993), North (1994), Flipper (1996), The Ice Storm (1997), Deep Impact (1998), The Faculty (1998), Avalon (2000), and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004).

He was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he modelled and appeared in local commercials from an early age. After showing a talent for entertaining, his mother took him to Los Angeles, California, for the annual International Modeling and Talent Association convention, which led to national television commercials and eventually his first film roles. His first break was a small role in a music video by US singer Paula Abdul.

The Lord of the Rings films include The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002), and The Return of the King (2003).