LotR's Spotlight Actor of the Month



August's Spotlight LotR Actor


Billy Boyd

Peregrine Took




Full Name: Billy Boyd

Nicknames: Bill, Pickle, Pippin, and Pip

Birthdate: August 28th, 1968

Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Height: 5’7”

Weight: Unknown

Parents: William and Mary Boyd (both deceased)

Siblings: Margaret

Pets: Unknown

Hair color: Fair

Eye color: Green

Marital status: Has a new girlfriend who is a Scottish dancer.





Fun Facts:

* He’s a talented singer with a strong tenor/light baritone voice. He has a range of F# to A above middle C--over 2 octaves.
* Plays the guitar.
* Plays the bass.
* 12/1/2002: Topped list of the Top 100 Most Eligible Men in Scotland.
* Favorite color is blue.
* Favorite movies are LotR, Indiana jones, and Notting Hill
* Favorite drink is malt whiskey
* His favorite comedians are the Marx Brothers
* His hobbies include surfing, drinking, dancing, and having a good time! Thanks to OrliGirli for this fact
* Lord of the Rings was the only book Billy did not read while working as a book binder. He tried to read it once when on holiday in the USA, but after a few chapters he dropped it into the pool!

Biographical Information

Billy Boyd was born on August 28th, 1968, to William and Mary Boyd in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. The five foot seven actor is most commonly known in the U.S. as the actor who plays Peregrin Took in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, Boyd has had a long acting career. He was first introduced to acting when he was cast as Dodger in a school production of the classic musical “Oliver” at age 11 and was encouraged to act by his mother who enrolled him in the amateur dramatic class of the Dolphin Arts Centre.

Boyd decided to leave school just before his 17th birthday to train as a bookbinder, completing four years of apprenticeship. After two years working in the field, Boyd chose to pursue his acting career and applied to the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. He spent a year in the U.S, where he learned of his acceptance to their three-year program. Returning to Scotland, Boyd earned a diploma in Dramatic Arts. Immediately out of school Boyd found work at the Byre Theatre in St. Andrews in the title role in the musical “Secret Diary of Adrian Mole.” He also played at Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum Theatre and Traverse Theatre in such plays as “Much Ado About Nothing,” “Merlin the Magnificent,” “Hansel & Gretel,” and “Britannia Rules.”

Billy broke into TV on the crime drama “Taggart” playing an autistic teenager. He also played in “Coming Soon” and “Chapter & Verse”. His movie career began by playing a loan shark in the film “An Urban Ghost Story” and he later went on to act in such films as “Julie & the Cadillac’s,” “Soldiers Leap,” “The Far Side of the World,” and “Sniper470”. His international break came when he won the role of Peregrin Took in the wildly popular “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, in which Boyd and the cast were nominated by the Screen Actor’s Guild for the best ensemble award. He also played in the video “Winners & Losers” and has done many radio shows.

Boyd’s other skills include foil fencing, Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Kali, guitar, bass guitar, drums, and singing. He loves to focus on his sword fighting, karate, and guitar in his spare time. Even after Boyd’s success on the big screen he has again returned to the stage, most recently starring in “The Ballad of Crazy Paola” at the Traverse Theatre.