Billy Boyd appeared on The Big Breakfast on UK TV as part of their build-up to The Fellowship of the Ring. He was introduced as one of the hobbits and persuaded to sing a song, which he did, a few lines of I belong to Glasgow’ which was appropriate enough.
Later, the actual interview took place on the show’s bed, with Amanda Byram.
Lord of the Rings was described as the ‘next big thing’ and Billy was introduced as Peregrine Took, aka Pippin.
He was asked how he got the part, said that he had just gone through the process of auditions, met Peter Jackson in London who asked him if he’d like to be a hobbit, but that he didn’t know what is was about him that made the director cast Billy in particular.
He was asked if he thought that, with the amount of hype, people might be disappointed with the film because it would fail to match up to their expectations. Billy didn’t seem to think so.
Then there was a short extract from the trailer, Amanda was hoping for a new clip from the film,but it was the Moria section, I imagine because it shows Billy Boyd in a pure Pippin moment, knocking armour down a well (Fool of a Took…)
Billy was asked to explain how it was they were made to seem short, suggested it was a variety of SFX combined to give the total effect.
On the role of Pippin, he said the hobbit was the youngest of the four, the most naive and inquisitive and that’s where the humour/action comes from.
He confirmed what Orlando Bloom had said last week about the hobbits (+elf) hanging about together. Specifically, he said that after about a year of filming, when you would expect everyone to be sick of each other, the hobbits went off on holiday together for a week.
Referring to the film’s intense secrecy when shooting began , he said that the hobbits had to wear enveloping cloaks over their costumes, with deep hoods to hide their make-up and that their hobbit feet were concealed in big boots.
The Harry Potter debate? Billy Boyd said he’d seen the HP film, said it was really good but that FOTR was a different kind of film, suggested there was room for both.
He was asked, directly, if he’d actually read the book before casting and admitted he hadn’t. But he did add, rather charmingly that when he did read it he read it as the ‘Story of Peregrine Took’.
As to his being voted Second Most Elegible Person in Scotland Billy claimed he was very surprised. (First? Prince William.) It just appeared in the paper. He said they must have found out he wasn’t seeing anyone. Still wasn’t…claimed to be open to offers….
A footnote, there are suggestions that the film has nothing to offer women. Amanda Byram seemed very keen to see it, hopes to go to the premier, was most disappointed there were no new clips to show. ( C’mon New Line, tease us a bit) I think a film that has both Sean Bean and Viggo has plenty to offer women.
