Scottish actor tackles hobbit and high seas

Billy Boyd marvels at being in two top movies in the same year.
By DOUG NYE
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
Working on two movies at once can be tricky.
Scottish actor Billy Boyd found that out in 2002, when he was filming "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" while still putting some finishing touches on his character Pippin in "The Lord of The Rings" trilogy.
"We were shooting 'Master' in Mexico and Puerto Rico," Boyd said in a telephone interview. "During that time, I had to make a few trips to California to do some voice redubbing for 'Rings.' I was so into the current character, it was difficult for me to recapture Pippin's voice."
To refresh his memory and vocal chords, Boyd watched several scenes from "The Two Towers."
"It helped me remember that there was no base in Pippin's voice. It's quite flighty," he said.
Quite an accomplishment
Boyd still marvels about being part of two of the Best Picture nominees for 2003 and having one, "The Lord of The Rings: The Return of the King," win the Oscar.
Both films are making a quick jump to DVD. "Master and Commander" (Fox, $29.98) arrived recently, and "The Return of the King" (New Line, $29.95) will be released May 25.
"It's really quite amazing, you know," Boyd said. "I'll bet not many people have been in two pictures in the same year that were nominated for total of 21 Oscars. I'm a most fortunate fellow."
There was a time when the 35-year-old Boyd wondered if he would ever be in any kind of movie. He became interested in acting as a boy after he was swept away by "Star Wars." Although he appeared in a couple of school plays, his dream of acting remained just that.
At 17, Boyd left school and went to work in a book-binding workshop. In one of those believe-it-or-not twists, among the books he bound many times was "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy.
"I'll tell you something else," Boyd said. "I also worked on the 'Master and Commander' books, too. That's the absolute truth of it."
Drama school
After six years as a book-binder, Boyd left and enrolled at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
After graduation, he performed in several plays before his agent called him about auditioning for "The Lord of the Rings" movies. Boyd said he didn't think he had much of a chance, but director Peter Jackson obviously was impressed, and he soon find himself playing Pippin.
Although he was still involved with the trilogy, Boyd was able to take on the role of Barrett Bonder in "Master and Commander" because, for the most part, the shooting schedules did not overlap.
"I really wanted to work with [director] Peter Weir and also it was a chance to work with Russell Crowe," Boyd said. "It was worth the five months or so I spent on the film. Peter wanted to make an action-adventure, but one with some depth, too. I think he accomplished that."
Set in the early 19th century, much of the film takes place aboard ship. "We really got a feel of what it was like to be a sailor in that era," Boyd said. "It was quite exciting for me."
He said that could also sum up the past three years of his life. "I'm something of a film freak, so to be in these movies has been something special," Boyd said.