Elijah Wood on Returning to Middle Earth for Ant Timpson’s Delightful Adventure Comedy ‘Bookworm’

Sandra Miska

Elijah Wood has played the son many times throughout his 35-year career, but for the first time he explores the parent-child relationship from the other side by portraying a father in Ant Timpson’s “Bookworm.” In this charming adventure comedy, Wood plays Strawn Wise, a has-been American illusionist (don’t call him a magician), who travels to New Zealand to take care of Mildred (Nell Fisher), the 11-year-old daughter he has never met. Eager to be liked by the precious tween, Strawn agrees to take her on a camping trip that she was supposed go on with her mother, Zo (Morgana O’Reily), before an unfortunate accident. With its sharp humor and exuberant adventure sequences that will delight viewers of all ages, “Bookworm” is a real gem of a film. 

Navigating the sprawling wilderness, Strawn and Mildred must work together to tackle challenge after challenge, the biggest one being to form a meaningful relationship. Not surprisingly, bookish Mildred, who is also a skilled outdoorswoman, initially has little patience for the man who impregnated her mom in a Las Vegas parking lot, and she is not the least impressed by his “magic.” Although Strawn has been providing Zo with child support, other circumstances have put her in debt, and now Mildred is out to photograph a rare panther in exchange for a large cash prize that would pull her mom out of her financial hole.

Wood sat down to chat with Entertainment Voice about the multiple reasons he was drawn to “Bookworm,” took us inside one of the film’s most humorous and absurd scenes, and revealed what to expect from his role in Osgood Perkins’ “The Monkey.”

You’ve been acting for over 30 years, and you have sort of come full circle with “Bookworm.” In “North,” you were the kid who was failed by the adults around you and went looking for the perfect parents, and here you are the parent who initially fails to meet expectations. What drew you to the role of Strawn?

Honestly, a few things drew me to the role. I’d worked with the creative team on a previous film called “Come to Daddy” that Ant Timpson directed, Toby Harvard wrote, and our cinematographer (Daniel Katz) also shot. I loved that experience. And there was just this pitch for this film, this idea of another sort of father story, but a very different one. “Come to Daddy” is about a son reconnecting with his father and it ends up turning out to not be what he anticipated. This is a sort of flip, where it’s a father trying to connect with his daughter under interesting circumstances… I was intrigued by another examination of a father-child relationship through the lens of this creative team that I adore. 

I love the sensibilities that Ant and Toby share. I think their sense of comedy is wonderful. It’s a shared one. It’s slightly odd… The absurdity of this washed up magician flying to New Zealand to be with his daughter for the first time and trying to win her over, and failing miserably, that kind of dynamic was really fun and intriguing. 

This journey that they go on in the wilderness strips both of their facades, hers being this acquired wisdom through reading that is not necessarily accurate in terms of world experience, and his being these assumptions based on his own experience as a magician, his bluster and the way that he can impress people… They both have to come together in a very real way with the circumstances being what they are in the wilderness.

This production brought you back to New Zealand, where you previously shot “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Was returning to that part of the world also a big draw for you?

The pitch of going back to New Zealand to work on a film in the wilderness was super intriguing. The idea that I could bring my family and my kids to New Zealand and have a working vacation was a really excellent proposal. All films are hard work, but at the same time, the scenery can make it just this kind of wonderful escape or experience every day. 

Ninety-eight percent of the movie is shot in exteriors. There’s only a few scenes that are inside. We were out in that every day, and it was just stunning. We were blessed with weather too. It could have been miserable. Inclement weather hits parts of New Zealand all the time, but we got really lucky.

Strawn and his daughter Mildred go through so many highs and lows in this quest to not only photograph this panther, but also to form a bond. What was it like working with Nell to create that dynamic? And has your own background as a child actor helped you relate more to your younger co-stars?

It reminds me of when I was a young actor and adult actors would just treat me like one of them. I remember that was meaningful to me at the time, so I think just naturally I do that. I don’t bring my own experience to the table. 

The thing about Nell is that she is very humble. She’s not unlike her character in the film. She’s hyper-intelligent, precocious, hyper-professional, and came to the film so prepared. She knew everyone’s lines, not just her own. She came with such a degree of professionalism and preparedness, in addition to an incredibly wonderful spirit, energy and enthusiasm that was infectious and wonderful. All of that is to say that that dynamic was a blast and easy, and it’s no small thing.

The casting of that role was so critical because the movie really rests on her shoulders. That character really is the engine that drives the movie, and it’s the engine that drives that dynamic between her and her dad. My role as Strawn is really on the back foot most of the time. I’m reacting to her… About a week before we started filming, [we were able to] rehearse and spend time together, visit the sets, go to various locations, work out blocking, so we were extra prepared once we started shooting. It was in that time that we just very naturally found our dynamic. 

Something great about “Bookworm” is that although it is a family film, there is a lot of humor for adults included. Strawn has this hilarious monologue about his rock bottom and being embarrassed by David Blaine, Leonardo DiCaprio, and the rest of DiCaprio’s party posse. Tell us about that scene.

That particular scene is the almost confessional moment for the character. It’s where Strawn is admitting to his failings, but also the way that he feels that he was effed over, effectively… And it’s kind of the core of his being. It’s what he carries around with him and doesn’t want to share. It’s his hidden truth. It’s the most important moment, in many ways, for the character. [He’s] shedding the artifice and showing his daughter who he is, and how he feels worthless and, effectively, like a failure.

It was hyper-important, but also, like you point out, very funny, because he paints this ridiculous picture of hanging out with David Blaine, Blaine stealing all of his ideas, and Leonardo DiCaprio and all of his friends barking at him like dogs and treating him horribly. It’s painting this really vivid, absurd picture, which was just a blast. I knew that we only had a tiny window to shoot [at dusk]. Once the coverage was on me it was, I think, an hour and a half. It was so, so short, so no pressure. I had to come hyper-prepared to get that right. Thankfully, it all worked out, but it was kind of intense.

Your next film is Osgood Perkins’ adaption of Stephen King’s “The Monkey.” What can you tell us about that film and your role?

I have a very funny, absurd role in the film. I don’t know if I can speak about it because it hasn’t necessarily been articulated what my role is in the movie yet. I can say it’s very funny. I’m a huge fan of Osgood. I have been for years. I was delighted that he asked me to come and join that party for a second. I’m beyond thrilled for what’s happening to him, and this film is so different from anything he’s made. It is truly a horror comedy in every sense of the word. It delivers on its comedy elements, and it really delivers on its horror and graphic violence. It’s a blast and I’m just super stoked for people to see it. It was a joy to be a part of it. 

“Bookworm” releases Oct. 18 in select theaters and VOD.