...WOOD RELISHING HOOLIGAN ROLE...

American actor ELIJAH WOOD was determined to star in new movie HOOLIGANS after he fell in love with the passionate atmosphere at English soccer matches.

The diminutive LORD OF THE RINGS star was astounded when he first experienced the heated nature of Britain's favourite sport, because he had grown up in the company of more relaxed American baseball and American football crowds.

In the movie Wood stars as a young American who befriends a gang of violent soccer hooligans when he drops out of college and moves to London.

He says, "It's fascinating, something very different from anything I've ever done. Sport's big in the States but I've been to three or four (English soccer) matches and I've never felt that kind of energy in the crowd before.

"I didn't see any actual violence, but it was definitely in the air. It was infectious, you could feel it."

And director LEXI ALEXANDER is indebted to his star for securing financial backing for his controversial project.

He says, "The fact that somebody like Elijah sat down with the potential financiers and said, 'OK, we have to do this...' My God!"

25/04/2005 13:55

source: contactmusic.com