Scottish actor Billy Boyd couldn't be luckier. He's starred in several film and TV adaptations of classic literature most people would die to be a part of, playing Peregrin "Pippin" Took in all three "The Lord of the Rings" movies as well as Elijah in "Moby Dick." Now he's turned to the world of Oz.
Boyd plays lead character Nick Chopper in director Leigh Scott's "Dorothy and the Witches of Oz." In the movie, Dorothy Gale realizes her bestselling books are inspired by the time she spent in the land of Oz. She suppressed the childhood memories and could possibly be in danger again in modern day New York.
I had the opportunity to interview Boyd about his role in the modern version of L. Frank Baum's classic tale.
Give us a little background on the character you play in "Dorothy and the Witches of Oz."
Well, I don't want to give too much away. The character I play is called … Nick Chopper. Now, Nick lives in NY city but he hasn't always. He grew up in Scotland, I think, in a more nature-based upbringing.
He lands himself this big job in New York. He is enjoying his time there with a big paycheck, going to all the great restaurants and bars and enjoying everything [the city] has to offer! However, he feels there is something missing.
When he meets Dorothy, there is an immediate attraction. Does he see something of the good [and] innocent human being that he wants to be in Dorothy ... or have they met before?
If you've seen the new theatrical version of the film, compare it to the original miniseries version.
I haven't seen the new theatrical version of the film. I am very excited about seeing it! Some people in Leigh's office have said they are sending it to me ... but nothing yet! Maybe that's a good thing. I think it is a film I would rather see on the big screen. I know what Leigh and his team have managed to do with sound and effect, etc. having seen the TV version of the film. I think it's something I would like to see first on a great screen.
Director Leslie Scott is very passionate about the movie. Talk to us about how it was working with him.
I really had a great time working with Leigh. It is always the best experience working with someone who really believes in their project and the passion to make it is the main drive ... not where it will take them or what their next project might be. That is true in music, theater, film ... whatever medium you are working on.
It was like that with Leigh. On top of that, he also had the technical ability to see that through ... it made it very exciting. [There's this] big fight near the end, when the munchkins appear. It was so great to work with Leigh to film those big action scenes and get them as near to his vision as possible. [It was great to see] how excited he was when a complicated shot, that no doubt he had worked [out] in his head months before, came together and he got what he had imagined.
It was a real treat to work on the film with Leigh and his team. I really look forward to seeing what stories he wants to tell on film in the future.
For more articles by Eric Shirey, check out:
Director Leigh Scott Talks Passion Behind 'Dorothy and the Witches of Oz'
Director Leigh Scott Discusses 'Dorothy and the Witches of Oz'
Kenneth Branagh Talks 'The Avengers,' Roles He Wanted
Eric Shirey is the founder and former editor of Rondo Award nominated movie news websites MovieGeekFeed.com and TheSpectralRealm.com. His work has been featured on Yahoo!, DC Comics, StarWars.com, and other entertainment websites. Eric has interviewed and worked with actors like Harrison Ford, Brooke Shields, Kenneth Branagh, Gerard Butler, Brendan Fraser, Selena Gomez, and many more.
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