Berlin, Dec 08: Elijah Wood, who plays the diminutive hero of the "Lord of the Rings" epic which climaxes later this month, is still in awe of the magical golden ring he guarded in the film. Speaking ahead of the European premiere of the "Return of the King" finale to the "Rings" trilogy, the 22-year-old American said he keeps the golden prop ring at home in a box.

"I won't wear that, oh no," he told journalists in Berlin. "I keep in with the symbolism of the character. It's the only thing about the character that will live on. I keep it away."
Wood plays the hobbit Frodo Baggins who carries the gold band on a chain around his neck, fighting the temptation to put the powerful ring on his finger as he tries to protect it from the evil Sauron and destroy it in the fires of Mount Doom.

COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

Wood said he had also kept a sword and one of the 1,600 pairs of broad, hairy hobbit feet made for the film.

"I've got the last pair that I wore and they probably stink like hell," he said, adding he had even considered building a hobbit house for himself, with typical circular doors and windows.

Wood, who was so desperate to get the part that he made a special audition tape for director Peter Jackson, said it would be hard to move on from such a momentous project.
"The first time I saw the last hour of the movie I was in hysterics, crying, sobbing," he said. "It is sad that it's all kind of over but at the same time there is a real sense of accomplishment now."

Wood moved to New Zealand for 16 months where movie history was made when all three parts of the trilogy were filmed simultaneously. The first two films have earned a combined $1.8 billion and won a total of six Oscars.

Wood said the feat was unlikely to be repeated soon.
"I don't think anybody would be brave enough or have the balls to remake this," he said.
Bureau Report