Billy Boyd is a Scottish film and theater actor, producer, musician, singer, founder of his own band Beecake. He became widely known for the role of the hobbit Peregrin Took in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, as well as the image of Barrett Bonden in the film Master of the Seas: At the End of the Earth.
The actor's creative biography includes about a hundred roles in television and film projects, including participation in popular show programs and award ceremonies: "Oscars", the Guild of Actors.
Boyd, among the cast of the acclaimed trilogy about the adventures of the hobbits, won the Actors Guild Award in 2004 and was twice nominated for this award.
Biography facts
Billy was born in the Scottish city of Glasgow in the summer of 1968. The boy was attracted by creativity from childhood. After watching Star Wars, Billy decided that he would definitely become an actor. Already in his school years, he began performing on stage in various productions and concerts.
He first appeared in The Adventures of Oliver Twist when he was ten years old. The performance of the young artist took place in another city and to get to the theater, the parents had to take their son there by car for more than two hours.
When Billy was twelve, his parents died. The grandmother was engaged in the further education of the boy and his sister Margaret. The family's financial situation was difficult. Therefore, when the young man was seventeen years old, he began working in a book shop. He had to leave his passion for creativity for a while, but Billy had no doubt that someday he would be able to devote himself to the acting profession.
Boyd worked in the workshop for six years. At first he was an apprentice and later became a professional bookbinder. Ironically, in those years, the book "The Lord of the Rings" was just published. He was personally involved in the bookbinding of this publication. He later said that perhaps it was a kind of sign from above, which eventually brought him to the set of the famous film about the adventures of the hobbits.
After six years in the book shop, Billy realized that he no longer wanted to waste time on this occupation. He was going to go to America for a year to enroll in acting training courses.
Before leaving, he called the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and asked if he could go to study with them in a year. He was told that even this year they had one place left for the course and the young man could apply. He did so, and soon ended up in drama school on a three-year course, after which he received a bachelor's degree in dramatic arts.
During his student years, Boyd studied drama, acting, and even the art of puppeteer. He also began acting in television, receiving small roles in series.
In those years, Billy again had to look for work in order to earn money to study and somehow make ends meet. He worked part-time in a pizzeria, then became a bartender in one of the restaurants and performed in a comedy club.
After graduating from the academy, Boyd was accepted into the theater troupe of St. Andrews, where he first appeared on stage as a professional actor. He played in many famous plays, but decided not to limit himself to working in the theater and began looking for an opportunity to act in films.
One day he got a call from a casting agent and invited him to the casting of the new Lord of the Rings movie. Boyd agreed, but did not even dream that he could get a central role. Peter Jackson personally came to Scotland to meet the actor and conduct an audition. A few months later, Billy got a call and said that he was approved for the role of one of the main characters - the hobbit Pippin.
Film career
Boyd performed his first roles in the television series Taggerts and Catastrophe. He appeared in projects only in a few episodes. These works did not bring him fame.
In 1998, the actor starred in the short film Soldier Leap, and then in the horror film A Story of Urban Ghosts. A year later, he reappeared on the screen in the musical comedy "Julie and the Cadillacs" and in the television movie "Coming Soon." This was followed by an invitation to shoot "The Lord of the Rings" and Boyd was approved for one of the central roles.
When filming began on the first film in the trilogy, Peter Jackson asked Boyd to soften his Scottish accent a bit, but he soon found that it was this detail that made the hero funny and attractive. Interestingly, the hobbit Pippin, according to the book, is the youngest of the heroes. In reality, however, Boyd turned out to be the oldest of the actors.
According to Billy, hobbits are very similar to true Scots, who live enjoying nature and their land.
Another interesting job for Boyd was the role in the adventure film "Master of the Seas: At the End of the Earth". The action in the picture takes place during the Napoleonic Wars. The sailing ship "Surprise" attacks an unknown ship, but thanks to the skillful actions of the crew, they manage to avoid death. Captain Jack Aubrey decides to pursue the enemy, the pursuit of which leads the ship to the ends of the earth. There, Jack and his team will have to fight for their lives.
The film has received ten Oscar nominations, three Golden Globes and eight Academy Awards.
Boyd has played many roles in popular TV series, including: Grey's Anatomy, Outlander, Snowfall. He also voiced famous animated characters in the projects: "The Simpsons", "Chucky's Offspring", "Tell It to the Bees".
In addition to working in cinema, Boyd is pursuing a musical career. He formed his own band in Scotland in 2006 called Beecake. Their first album was released on iTunes in June 2010. The second album "Blue Sky Paradise" was released in December 2012.
Personal life
Not much is known about Billy's personal life. His wife's name is Ali McKinnon. The family lives in their own home in Glasgow. In the spring of 2006, the couple had a son, who was named Jack William.
Boyd continues to work actively in film and theater, often performing on stage with his musical group. Another hobby of the actor is sports. He is a surf lover and is also a professional martial artist of Jeet Kune Do and Escrima.
