Billy Boyd
Date of Birth
28 August 1968, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Birth Name
William Boyd
Nickname
Bill
Height
5' 6½" (1.69 m)
Mini BiographyBorn in Glasgow, Scotland in 1968, this talented young boy, inspired by Star Wars to try acting, got his first taste of it in his school's production of Oliver Twist when he was 10. Boyd's parents were extremely supportive, driving over two hours to get him to the performances, but sadly they passed away when he was 12. He was thereafter raised by his grandmother. He realized that he enjoyed acting very much and told his school counselor that was what he wanted to be, but the counselor discouraged this choice and told him to "keep it secret". When he was 17 he left school and went to work in a book-binding workshop. He worked there 4 years as an apprentice and 2 years as a workman. Ironically, during the years he worked at the book-binders, the Lord of the Rings trilogy was printed and bound there, many copies bound by his hands. After the 6 years as a book-binder, he was thoroughly sick of it. Billy planned on going to America for a year, but before he went he called the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and asked about applying for when he got back. But it so happened that they still had space for this year and they asked him if he wanted to apply and he did. He was at the drama school in a 3-year course for his bachelor of arts degree, meanwhile studying everything from Shakespeare to puppet-making. During this time Billy had a few small roles in TV series such as "Down Amongst The Boys" and "Taggart". After graduating he performed in many plays like 'The Slab Boys', 'The Diary of Adrian Mole' etc. at The St. Andrews theatre which were his first paying roles.
He then received a call from his agent about the Lord of the Rings movies and if he would like to audition for them. He went along not expecting much, but within a few months Peter Jackson came out to Scotland to meet him and to audition him personally. While rehearsing for a show he received a call from his agent who said that the part of Pippin had been offered to him - if he wanted it. The rest is history.
TriviaAttended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama and graduated with a Diploma in Dramatic Arts.
Sister: Margaret
Parents: William and Mary (deceased)
He's a talented singer; a strong tenor / light baritone voice, F# to A above middle C over 2 octaves. He also plays the guitar, the bass, and the drums.
12/1/2002: Topped list of top 100 Most Eligible Men in Scotland
Boyd and his sister were raised by their grandmother after the death of their parents.
Likes porridge for breakfast.
Wears a kilt on some formal occasions.
Won a role as an astronaut by doing the best impression of weightlessness while sitting in a chair.
Wrote and sang a song called 'The Steward of Gondor' in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. He wanted it to sound Scottish, somber and very different than the kind of thing that Pippin and Merry were singing at Edoras earlier in the movie.
Is an avid surfer, and does so as often as possible.
Began working with Dominic Monaghan on a script about two English lads who open a scuba diving school in Miami. "We started writing when we were stuck up Treebeard during the second movie [The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)]," Boyd told a reporter for the Sunday Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia) [December 14, 2003].
His favorite film is Bill Forsyth's 1981 comedy 'Gregory's Girl'.
His favorite cartoon character is Daffy Duck
In The Lord of the Rings, according to the book, Pippin is 28 years old, which makes him the youngest of the four lead hobbits. However, Boyd is actually the oldest of the four hobbit actors.
He was the teens choice for host of the European MTV awards in 2002.
During college, he worked in a pizza hut, a bar and a comedy club to make ends meet.
When he was first cast in The Lord of the Rings, Peter Jackson asked him to tone down his Scottish accent, but found that the funny parts just weren't as funny without it, so Boyd was allowed to use his regular Scottish accent. Jackson and the writers then consulted The Hobbit. Bilbo Baggins's mother was a Took, and one of their ancestors had, according to the book, invented the game of golf. Since golf is of Scottish origin, they reasoned that Tolkien must have, therefore, intended for the Tooks to be Scottish.
Hates cinnamon
Has a home in Lesmahagow, Glasgow.
He and long time girlfriend Ali became parents on April 26th 2006. Their son's name is Jack William Boyd.
Filmography:Actor:
In Production
2000s
1990s
Ecstasy (2007) (pre-production) (in negotiations) .... Woodsy
The Best Years (2007) (pre-production) (attached) .... Emmet
Glenn (2007) (post-production) .... Jack
Save Angel Hope (2007) (completed) .... Vince Sandhurst
The Flying Scotsman (2006) .... Malky
Stories of Lost Souls (2005) .... Sniper (segment Sniper 470)
On a Clear Day (2005) .... Danny
Sueño de una noche de San Juan, El (2005) (voice) .... Puck
... aka Midsummer Dream (International: English title)
Seed of Chucky (2004) (voice) .... Glen/Glenda
Instant Credit (2004) (TV) .... Frankie
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) .... Pippin
... aka Herr der Ringe: Die Rückkehr des Königs, Der (Germany)
... aka The Return of the King (USA: short title)
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) .... Barrett Bonden, Coxswain
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) (VG) (voice) .... Peregrin 'Pippin' Took
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) .... 'Pippin' Took
... aka Herr der Ringe: Die zwei Türme, Der (Germany)
... aka The Two Towers (USA: short title)
Sniper 470 (2002) (TV) .... The Gunner
"Still Game" .... Bearded Man (1 episode, 2002)
- Faimly (2002) TV Episode .... Bearded Man
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) .... Peregrin 'Pippin' Took
... aka The Fellowship of the Ring (USA: short title)
... aka The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: The Motion Picture (USA: promotional title)
Coming Soon (1999) (TV) .... Ross
Julie and the Cadillacs (1999) .... Jimmy Campbell
Urban Ghost Story (1998) .... Loan Shark
... aka Ghost Story (Philippines: English title)
The Soldier's Leap (1998) .... Postman
"Taggart" .... Jamie Holmes (1 episode, 1996)
- Dead Mans Chest (1996) TV Episode .... Jamie Holmes
Miscellaneous Crew:
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) (featured soloist)
... aka Herr der Ringe: Die Rückkehr des Königs, Der (Germany)
... aka The Return of the King (USA: short title)
The Long and Short of It (2003) (special thanks: musical inspiration)
Soundtrack:
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) (music: "The Edge of Night") (performer: "The Green Dragon", "The Edge of Night")
... aka Herr der Ringe: Die Rückkehr des Königs, Der (Germany)
... aka The Return of the King (USA: short title)
Self:
Happy Birthday Wullie! (2006) (TV) .... Narrator
The 100 Greatest Family Films (2005) (TV) .... Himself
The Ring Comes Full Circle (2005) (V) .... Himself
Conceiving the 'Seed of Chucky' (2005) (V) .... Himself/Glen/Glenda
Ringers: Lord of the Fans (2005) .... Himself
Besten Filme aller Zeiten - Die Show, Die (2004) (TV) .... Himself
2004 MTV Movie Awards (2004) (TV) .... Himself
"This Morning" .... Himself (1 episode, 2004)
... aka This Morning with Richard and Judy (UK: informal title)
- Episode dated 11 March 2004 (2004) TV Episode .... Himself
"Player$" .... Himself (2 episodes, 2004)
- Impin' with a Pippin! (2004) TV Episode .... Himself
- May the Crunk Be with You (2004) TV Episode .... Himself
"The Sharon Osbourne Show" .... Himself (1 episode, 2004)
... aka Sharon (USA: short title)
- Episode dated 4 March 2004 (2004) TV Episode .... Himself
"The Film Programme" .... Himself (1 episode, 2004)
... aka Film '72 (UK)
... aka Film '73 (UK: new title)
... aka Film '74 (UK: new title)
... aka Film '75 (UK: new title)
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... aka Film 2003 (UK: new title)
... aka Film 2004 (UK: new title)
... aka Film 2005 (UK: new title)
... aka Film 2006 (UK: new title)
... aka Film 2007 (UK: new title)
- Episode dated 29 February 2004 (2004) TV Episode .... Himself
The 76th Annual Academy Awards (2004) (TV) (uncredited) .... Himself
Ring*Con 2004 (2004) (V)
"Tinseltown TV" .... Himself (1 episode, 2003)
- Episode dated 27 December 2003 (2003) TV Episode .... Himself
The Lord of the Rings: The Quest Fulfilled (2003) (TV) .... Himself
"4Pop" .... Himself (1 episode, 2003)
- Kuninkaan paluu - tarun päätös (2003) TV Episode .... Himself
"Total Request Live" .... Himself (3 episodes, 2001-2003)
... aka TRL (USA: promotional abbreviation)
... aka Total Request with Carson Daly (USA)
- Episode dated 16 December 2003 (2003) TV Episode .... Himself
- Episode dated 19 November 2003 (2003) TV Episode .... Himself
- Episode dated 14 December 2001 (2001) TV Episode .... Himself
"Filmland" .... Himself (1 episode, 2003)
- Filmland Special - Ringenes Herre: Kongen vender tilbage (2003) TV Episode .... Himself
National Geographic: Beyond the Movie - The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003) (TV) .... Himself
"E! News Daily" .... Himself (1 episode, 2003)
... aka E! News Live (USA: new title)
... aka E! News Live Weekend (USA)
- Episode dated 26 November 2003 (2003) TV Episode .... Himself
2003 MTV Movie Awards (2003) (TV) .... Himself
"Punk'd" .... Himself (1 episode, 2003)
- Episode #1.4 (2003) TV Episode .... Himself
A Day in the Life of a Hobbit (2002) (V) .... Himself
"The Saturday Show" .... Himself (1 episode, 2002)
- Episode dated 26 January 2002 (2002) TV Episode .... Himself
Making the Movie (2002) (TV) .... Himself
... aka Making the Movie: The Lord of the Rings (USA)
The Making of 'The Lord of the Rings' (2002) (V) .... Himself
"Richard & Judy" .... Himself (1 episode, 2001)
- Episode dated 10 December 2001 (2001) TV Episode .... Himself
Quest for the Ring (2001) (TV) .... Himself/Peregrin 'Pippin' Took
"SM:TV Live" .... Himself (1 episode, 2001)
... aka SM:TV (UK: short title)
... aka SM:TV Gold (UK: new title)
... aka Saturday Morning Television Live (UK: long title)
- Episode dated 12 August 2001 (2001) TV Episode .... Himself
National Geographic: Beyond the Movie - The Lord of the Rings (2001) (TV) .... Himself/Peregrin 'Pippin' Took
Archive Footage:
The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age (2004) (VG) .... Peregrin 'Pippin' Took
DNZ: The Real Middle Earth (2004) (TV) .... Himself
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) (VG) .... Peregrin 'Pippin' Took
www.imdb.com/name/nm0101710/bio
how are you going, nice to see you, need you to keep us on the right track with these thingsI#happy# never knew Dougray Scott was in 'Desperate Housewives', maybe in the next series that will screen here next year, mind you only watch it now and again, Krystal on the other hand never misses it so usually see bits and pieces of it as I wander through to the kitchen #happy# Mind you at the moment 'Grey's Anatomy' seemes to be the big favourite among the american shows, have never watched that one. 
