Billy Boyd Movies
Billy Boyd is recognizable to international audiences as The Lord of the Rings trilogy's comic and courageous hobbit Peregrin "Pippin" Took. He is also one of Scotland's most prolific theater actors, a skilled musician, and a talented singer. Since graduating from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama with a diploma in Dramatic Arts, Boyd starred in countless stage productions throughout the United Kingdom. He plays drums, bass, and guitar, and sings baritone and tenor. Boyd was discussing his latest play at Scotland's celebrated Traverse Theater, when he heard that he landed a coveted and career-changing role in The Lord of the Rings trilogy: one more great accomplishment in an already brilliant career.Boyd was born in 1968 in Glasgow, Scotland, where he still lives today. He adored escaping to the movies as a child. After multiple viewings of George Lucas' Star Wars, Boyd reasoned that if he could not truly be a Jedi Knight, he might as well be an actor. At ten years old, he played the Artful Dodger in his school's version of Oliver Twist and was hooked. Through high school, he performed in amateur productions at the local art center and in annual Christmas shows. Yet, a cynical school guidance counselor coerced Boyd to temporarily abandon his ambition. After graduation, he became an apprentice bookbinder at a publishing house. Boyd bound books for six years, making good friends with his colleagues and spending his nights singing with a band on the Glasgow pub circuit. When he realized that he desired a change, he applied to acting school.
Boyd's audition tape marked the first time he acted in six years; nevertheless he was accepted into a selective three-year, acting-intensive diploma program at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama for the upcoming semester. In his first term, he learned to perfect his voice and movement. In his second, he performed in Shakespeare, Chekov, comedies, musicals, and even pantomimes. He earned walk-on roles on several television shows, and even a speaking part on Scotland's Taggart. Shortly before graduation, St. Andrews Repertory hired Boyd for their production of The Slab Boys, and to play the title role in The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole. He has acted steadily ever since, performing in several Shakespearean and various modern plays, including the U.K. tour of Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting. He added four BBC Radio programs to his credit, and appeared in his first mainstream film, Jason Connery's Urban Ghost Story (1998). He also displayed his singing and drumming talents in the cult musical Julie and the Cadillacs (1999), in which he played the Scottish drummer of an English band during the '60s.
In the fall of 1998, Boyd auditioned for The Lord of the Rings trilogy, New Line Cinema's massive three-film screen adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's books. After meeting with director Peter Jackson, Boyd defeated over a hundred actors for the major role of Pippin Took and flew to New Zealand for the trilogy's 18-month shoot. Pippin is as brave as he is foolish, and as stout-hearted as he is afraid. The character appears in all three films -- The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002), The Return of the King (2003) -- making Boyd an instant celebrity.
After completing The Lord of the Rings, Boyd quickly rejoined the theater. Only one month before the press junkets began for the trilogy's first installment, he performed in the Traverse Theater's rock & roll production The Ballad of Crazy Paola. Besides being named as one of Scotland's most eligible males, Boyd completed a comedy screenplay with fellow hobbit Dominic Monaghan, and launched his official website.
Boyd co-starred alongside Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003), then played a significantly campier role the following year in Seed of Chucky. Though his work in the Lord of the Rings trilogy continues to be his most recognizable film role, Boyd appeared in a number of lesser known, yet meaty roles for the films On a Clear Day (2005), The Flying Scotsman (2007), and Stone of Destiny (2008). In 2009 he starred in the crime thriller Pimp, and co-starred in 2011's The Witches of Oz. Boyd continues to be active in film and television. ~ Aubry Anne D'Arminio, Rovi
A grown-up Dorothy Gale finds herself once again pitted against The Wicked Witch of the West in this fantasy adventure inspired by author L. Frank Baum's cherished tales of Oz. A respected author of children's books, Dorothy (Paulie Rojas) gleans her inspiration from the fantastic yarns spun by her grandfather when she was just a little girl. Upon receiving a handsome offer from a prominent New York publisher, Dorothy packs her bags and prepares for the adventure of a lifetime. Shortly after arriving in the city, however, Dorothy's dormant memories of her own trip to Oz come rushing back, and she realizes that her childhood nemesis The Wicked Witch of the West has hatched a plan to cross into our reality. Should she succeed, it would certainly spell doom for the entire world. But with the help of her old friends, Dorothy might just have the power to save mankind from the vengeful enchantress' wrath. Sean Astin, Ethan Embry, Lance Henriksen, Christopher Lloyd, and Jeffrey Combs star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paulie Rojas, Billy Boyd, (more)
- 2010
Henry (Dominick Gould) and Jack (Billy Boyd) are both talented pianists who befriended each other as teenagers. However, when they both fell in love with Lana (Smai Wolfman), came into the picture, their friendship was destroyed. Now the bitter rivals compete at every opportunity, though a domestic robot soon forces them to reconsider their feelings towards each other. Directed by Marc Goldstein. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Prolific actor/director Charles Martin Smith takes the helm for this lighthearted adventure comedy recounting the theft of the Stone of Scone from Westminster Abbey. Based on the memoirs of Ian Hamilton, Stone of Destiny follows the determined student's reckless quest to make the ultimate symbolic gesture for Scottish independence. Charlie Cox stars in a film featuring Robert Carlyle, Billy Boyd, Stephen McCole, and Kate Mara. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Charlie Cox, Kate Mara, (more)
An amateur Scottish cyclist determined to become the world's fastest rider struggles against his own mental illness and the resentful hostility of sports authorities unwilling to accept his remarkable innovation in this inspirational biopic from director Douglas MacKinnon. When Briton cyclist Chris Boardman took home the gold at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, the world was caught off guard; no one had ever suspected that Britain was capable of producing world-class cyclists, yet there was no denying his remarkable numbers. Perhaps no one was more shocked by Boardman's surprise success than unemployed Scot Graeme Obree (Jonny Le Miller), an old riding partner of Boardman's who on more than a few occasions had crossed the finish line before his medal-winning counterpart. Despite his remarkable prowess, however, Obree simply didn't seem to have the fortitude needed to translate his formidable riding skills into a profitable career like his old friend Boardman. His debt piling up and his family in desperate need of some good luck, Obree is determined to take one last shot at the world of cycling with a little encouragement from his longtime friend Malky McGovern (Billy Boyd) and his loving wife, Anne (Laura Fraser). Now, with no official sponsor, no financial backing, no funding to speak of, and a decided lack of experience needed to design the kind of bike he would need for his ambitious, late-career endeavor, the 27-year-old cyclist would build his own revolutionary bike from the ground up and begin the arduous journey to becoming the fastest cyclist in the history of the sport. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jonny Lee Miller, Billy Boyd, (more)
A middle-aged man gives himself the challenge of a lifetime in this comedy drama from the U.K. Frank (Peter Mullan) has spent most of his 55 years working the same job in the shipyards of Glasgow until he's fired after business tapers off and technology makes his position unnecessary. While Frank tries to put on a brave face, he has no idea of what to do next or what sort of work he should find. Frank's embarrassment gets much worse when he applies for unemployment benefits, only to discover his sister-in-law Angela (Jodhi May) is working behind the corner. As Frank's anxiety grows worse, he begins having panic attacks, leading to sympathy from his wife, Joan (Brenda Blethyn), and son, Rob (Jamie Sives), which only makes him feel more humiliated. One of Frank's few respites from his troubles are his regular visits to a nearby community swimming pool, where he does laps with his pals Eddie (Sean McGinley), Norman (Ron Cook), and Danny (Billy Boyd). One day, one of them jokes about the possibility of swimming the English Channel, which is only 21 miles across at its narrowest point near Dover. However, Frank doesn't think the idea is so silly, and begins training to make the journey; while at first his family and friends think he's gone mad, his plans give him a drive and a sense of purpose he hasn't had since losing his job. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Peter Mullan, Brenda Blethyn, (more)
When the notoriously evil Chucky doll and his lover gave birth, they had no idea that their spawn would grow up to be a peace-loving kind of guy; however, that's exactly what Glen turns out to be: a gentle soul who is horrified at what he has been told about his family. After hearing the news of a film being made about his parents' murderous legacy, Glen sets off for Hollywood, where he promptly brings Chucky and Tiffany back to life. Far from diving into doting fatherhood, Chucky is seriously disappointed in his son's lack of inherent evil and tries his best to impart his vast knowledge of all things malevolent before Glen becomes some sort of do-gooder. Elsewhere, Tiffany finds that she will be played by Jennifer Tilly in their movie and doesn't hesitate to let her son in on their family's most cherished tradition -- killing sprees. Directed by Don Mancini, Seed of Chucky features Brad Dourif returning as the voice of Chucky, while Tilly plays both herself and Tiffany. The offspring of the evil pair, Glen, is voiced by Lord of the Rings star Billy Boyd. Cult film director John Waters also makes an appearance, as does hip-hop artist Redman. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi
- Starring:
- Brad Dourif, Jennifer Tilly, (more)
- 2003
- PG13
- Add The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King to Queue Add The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King to top of Queue
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King brings Peter Jackson's mammoth adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic to a close in suitably epic fashion. Instead of starting just where the previous film left off, however, it goes far back in time to the moment the tormented creature Gollum first came to possess the One Ring. In this flashback, actor Andy Serkis (who voiced Gollum and performed his movements onset prior to the final CGI effects) finally gets to appear onscreen, portraying Gollum's former self, Sméagol. This disturbing scene serves as a potent reminder that the Ring seeks to corrupt even the well-intentioned Frodo (Elijah Wood), who is increasingly struggling with the dark power of the Ring himself. Thus, the film returns to the present, following Frodo, Sam (Sean Astin), and Gollum as they journey ever closer to the foreboding land of Mordor. They pass by the terrifying dark city of Minas Morgul, watching as the dreadful army of the Witch King sets out for the human strongholds in Gondor, and move on to the rocky stairs to Cirith Ungol, where an even darker enemy lies in wait. Meanwhile, the rest of the Fellowship reunites in Rohan, having defeated the wizard Saruman on two different fronts, at Helm's Deep and Isengard. They are not together for long, though, since the hobbit Pippin (Billy Boyd) gets into trouble, making it necessary for him and Gandalf (Ian McKellen) to hastily depart for Minas Tirith, capital of Gondor. Once there, they find the steward of Gondor, Denethor (John Noble), in an unstable mental state and the city preparing for battle against the amassing forces of Sauron. Denethor unwisely sends his only remaining son, Faramir (David Wenham), back into bloody battle to prove himself. He returns nearly dead, sending Denethor over the edge of sanity.
In another realm, elf Arwen (Liv Tyler) begins her journey to immortal life in the Grey Havens, on her way to leave Middle-earth -- and Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) -- forever, but has a vision that causes her to once again reconsider her decision. Back in Rohan, the men are preparing to ride to Gondor's aide. Éowyn (Miranda Otto) desperately wants to join the men in battle, but her uncle, King Théoden (Bernard Hill), orders her to stay and defend Rohan if necessary. The hobbit Merry (Dominic Monaghan) also desires to ride with the men, but is denied due to his small size and inexperience. Aragorn is met there by the elf Elrond (Hugo Weaving), who brings him the re-forged Sword that was Broken (in the ancient battle with Sauron) and urges him to take a different route to Gondor. Heeding Elrond's advice, Aragorn, along with elf Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and dwarf Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), takes a cavernous path through the mountains, where they meet ghoulish ghosts who betrayed Aragorn's ancestors and are doomed to eternal unrest unless they fulfill their broken oaths by aiding him. All but Frodo, Sam, and Gollum will meet on the massive battlefield of the Pelennor before the gates of Minas Tirith. The former three instead engage in a battle of wills between each other and the One Ring as they head toward the fires of Mount Doom to destroy it. Released in December 2003, The Return of the King topped even its massively successful trilogy predecessors at the box office, and went on to garner a whopping 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture -- winning in all the categories in which it was nominated and tying the record of total awards won with Ben-Hur and Titanic. ~ Dana Rowader, Rovi
In another realm, elf Arwen (Liv Tyler) begins her journey to immortal life in the Grey Havens, on her way to leave Middle-earth -- and Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) -- forever, but has a vision that causes her to once again reconsider her decision. Back in Rohan, the men are preparing to ride to Gondor's aide. Éowyn (Miranda Otto) desperately wants to join the men in battle, but her uncle, King Théoden (Bernard Hill), orders her to stay and defend Rohan if necessary. The hobbit Merry (Dominic Monaghan) also desires to ride with the men, but is denied due to his small size and inexperience. Aragorn is met there by the elf Elrond (Hugo Weaving), who brings him the re-forged Sword that was Broken (in the ancient battle with Sauron) and urges him to take a different route to Gondor. Heeding Elrond's advice, Aragorn, along with elf Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and dwarf Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), takes a cavernous path through the mountains, where they meet ghoulish ghosts who betrayed Aragorn's ancestors and are doomed to eternal unrest unless they fulfill their broken oaths by aiding him. All but Frodo, Sam, and Gollum will meet on the massive battlefield of the Pelennor before the gates of Minas Tirith. The former three instead engage in a battle of wills between each other and the One Ring as they head toward the fires of Mount Doom to destroy it. Released in December 2003, The Return of the King topped even its massively successful trilogy predecessors at the box office, and went on to garner a whopping 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture -- winning in all the categories in which it was nominated and tying the record of total awards won with Ben-Hur and Titanic. ~ Dana Rowader, Rovi
- Starring:
- Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, (more)
- 2003
- PG13
- Add Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World to Queue Add Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World to top of Queue
Director Peter Weir's first turn behind the camera since 1998's critically acclaimed The Truman Show, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is based on two Napoleonic War-era adventure novels in author Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series, Master and Commander and The Far Side of the World. Russell Crowe stars as Captain Jack Aubrey, a high-seas adventurer who maintains a strong bond with ship-surgeon Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany). After conquering much of Europe already, Napoleon's forces have set their sights on taking Britain, so Aubrey and the crew of his ship, the HMS Surprise, take to the Pacific to intercept any attacking ships from the French fleet. When Aubrey eyes a renegade French super-frigate, the Surprise pursues, leading to an adrenaline-charged chase through the distant reaches of the sea. Edward Woodall, James D'Arcy, and Lee Ingleby also star as members of the Surprise's crew. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- Starring:
- Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany, (more)
- 2002
- PG13
- Add The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers to Queue Add The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers to top of Queue
The second film in Peter Jackson's series of screen adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien's internationally popular Lord of The Rings trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers literally begins where The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring ended, with the Fellowship splitting into three groups as they seek to return the Ring to Mordor, the forbidding land where the powerful talisman must be taken to be destroyed. Frodo (Elijah Wood), who carries the Ring, and his fellow Hobbit Sam (Sean Astin) are lost in the hills of Emyn Muil when they encounter Gollum (Andy Serkis), a strange creature who once carried the Ring and was twisted by its power. Gollum volunteers to guide the pair to Mordor; Frodo agrees, but Sam does not trust their new acquaintance. Elsewhere, Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) are attempting to navigate Fangorn Forrest where they discover a most unusual nemesis -- Treebeard (voice of John Rhys-Davies), a walking and talking tree-shepherd who doesn't much care for Hobbits. Finally, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), and Legolas (Orlando Bloom) arrive in Rohan to discover that the evil powers of Saruman (Christopher Lee) have robbed King Theoden (Bernard Hill) of his rule. The King's niece Éowyn (Miranda Otto) believes Aragorn and his men have the strength to defeat Saruman, his henchman Wormtongue (Brad Dourif), and their minions. Éowyn soon becomes infatuated with Aragorn, while he struggles to stay faithful to the pledge of love he made to Arwen (Liv Tyler). Gandalf (Ian McKellen) offers his help and encouragement as the Rohans, under Aragorn's leadership, attempt to face down Saruman's armies, but they soon discover how great the task before them truly is when they learn that his troops consist of 10,000 bloodthirsty creatures specially bred to fight to the death. Most of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers was shot in tandem with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King during a marathon 18-month shooting schedule, overseen by Peter Jackson. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, (more)
- 2001
- PG13
- Add The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring to Queue Add The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring to top of Queue
New Zealand filmmaker Peter Jackson fulfills his lifelong dream of transforming author J.R.R. Tolkien's best-selling fantasy epic into a three-part motion picture that begins with this holiday 2001 release. Elijah Wood stars as Frodo Baggins, a Hobbit resident of the medieval "Middle-earth" who discovers that a ring bequeathed to him by beloved relative and benefactor Bilbo (Ian Holm) is in fact the "One Ring," a device that will allow its master to manipulate dark powers and enslave the world. Frodo is charged by the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) to return the ring to Mount Doom, the evil site where it was forged millennia ago and the only place where it can be destroyed. Accompanying Frodo is a fellowship of eight others: his Hobbit friends Sam (Sean Astin), Merry (Dominic Monaghan), and Pippin (Billy Boyd); plus Gandalf; the human warriors Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) and Boromir (Sean Bean); Elf archer Legolas (Orlando Bloom); and Dwarf soldier Gimli (John Rhys-Davies). The band's odyssey to the dreaded land of Mordor, where Mount Doom lies, takes them through the Elfish domain of Rivendell and the forest of Lothlorien, where they receive aid and comfort from the Elf princess Arwen (Liv Tyler), her father, Elrond (Hugo Weaving), and Queen Galadriel (Cate Blanchett). In pursuit of the travelers and their ring are Saruman (Christopher Lee) -- a traitorous wizard and kin, of sorts, to Gandalf -- and the Dark Riders, under the control of the evil, mysterious Sauron (Sala Baker). The Fellowship must also do battle with a troll, flying spies, Orcs, and other deadly obstacles both natural and otherwise as they draw closer to Mordor. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) was filmed in Jackson's native New Zealand, closely followed by its pair of sequels, The Two Towers (2002) and The Return of the King (2003). ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, (more)
Genevieve Jolliffe directed this British supernatural drama set in Glasgow. A joyride car crash almost leads to the death of 12-year-old Lizzie (Heather Ann Foster) who lives with her mother Kate (Stephanie Buttle) and with her brother and younger sister in a seedy apartment building. When Lizzie returns home, she begins experiencing strange and unexplained phenomena in the apartment With police and a social worker (Siri O'Neal) ill-equipped to deal with poltergeist activity, Kate turns for help to journalist John Fox (Jason Connery) who sees it as a hoax and types it as a tabloid tale. However, after university parapsychologists arrive on the scene, scientific tests indicate that mother and daughter deserve serious scrutiny. Filmed with a blow-up from Super-16 and shot at southeast England locations with interiors at Ealing Film Studios. Shown at the Edinburgh Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jason Connery, Stephanie Buttle, (more)
Rating Systems
Blockbuster
BLOCKBUSTER name, design and related marks are trademarks of Blockbuster L.L.C.
2013 Blockbuster L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Portions of Content Provided by Rovi Corporation. 2013 Rovi Corporation.