Billy Boyd(I)
- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Billy Boyd was born in 1968 in Glasgow, Scotland, to Mary and William
Boyd. The 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 that 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.
