Elijah Wood surprised viewers on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert by admitting he still hasn’t finished reading J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings — even as the franchise marks the 25th anniversary of The Fellowship of the Ring. The short, candid interview also gave fans a peek at how close the original cast remains and how they still celebrate the series together.

What happened on Colbert’s show

During his Tuesday night appearance, Colbert — a known Tolkien superfan — asked Wood if it was true he still hadn’t finished the books. Wood laughed and confessed, “To have it [come] from you, I feel almost the most embarrassed, Stephen,” then added a lighter update: “I have started them!”

On set friendships that last

Wood used the segment to describe how tight the Fellowship cast still is. They keep in daily contact through a group chat that Wood referenced as “Shirefolk.” Colbert asked about the chat and Wood explained, “We text each other every day.”

He showed how ordinary and warm those exchanges are: the actors trade New York Times Mini Crossword scores and rib one another. “On that thread, generally me,” Wood boasted when asked who posts the best score. About Sean Astin, he said: “Sean [Astin] is really intelligent. He’s so smart… but he takes a while. He just takes his time.”

Rumors about The Hunt for Gollum

Colbert also brought up recent remarks from Ian McKellen about Andy Serkis’s upcoming Rings film, The Hunt for Gollum — specifically that both Frodo and Gandalf could appear. Wood kept things deliberately neutral, saying he had “nothing to add” and, when pressed, “No! Nothing to subtract, either.” The comments echo earlier reports that McKellen and Serkis are expected to reprise Gandalf and Gollum, and that Kate Winslet has been linked to the new project, though details remain unofficial.

Why it matters now

  • The admission that Wood hadn’t finished the books humanizes a role often seen as inseparable from its source material.
  • The active cast chat underscores the lasting camaraderie among actors from a franchise that still drives fan interest and industry nostalgia.
  • Any hint about The Hunt for Gollum raises excitement because it suggests ties between new Tolkien adaptations and the original films.

Fan reaction and next steps

Clips of the interview circulated online, with fans praising the cast’s ongoing friendship and Wood’s self-deprecating honesty. The group-chat detail — variously reported as “Shirefolk” or “Shire Folk” after originally being called “The Hobbits” — has become a favorite bit of wholesome trivia among followers.

As for the books, Wood says he’s started reading them; fans may be curious to see if his new reading rekindles public commentary on Tolkien’s work. On the film front, The Hunt for Gollum’s casting and creative details remain items to watch — any confirmed announcements from Serkis, McKellen, or the studio will likely spark a fresh wave of coverage.

Short, relatable moments like this interview remind viewers that blockbuster actors still live with the same small pleasures — group chats, mini crosswords and the occasional unread book — that fans do.