'Lord of the Rings' turns 20: Elijah Wood kept fake hobbit feet from 'unforgettable' shoot

When "The Lord of the Rings" ended in 2003 – culminating in an 11-Oscar sweep for "The Return of the King," including best picture – Elijah Wood might've easily panicked.

After all, how does one follow up the biggest fantasy franchise of all time, which propelled him to global stardom as ring-bearing hobbit Frodo Baggins? Instead, the former child actor used the series as a launching pad to pursue increasingly eclectic projects, ranging from horror movies ("Come to Daddy"), offbeat dramas ("Everything Is Illuminated") and comedic thrillers ("I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore").

"I remember thinking, 'As long as I continue to work on things that are very different and probably smaller, I'll be able to carve out my own path,' " says Wood, 40, who produces and stars in the chilling film "No Man of God" (streaming now).

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The film is a two-hander between incarcerated serial killer Ted Bundy (Luke Kirby) and FBI special agent Bill Hagmaier (Wood), who was tasked with interviewing Bundy in the years leading up to his 1989 execution. The script is based on actual transcripts of their conversations, as Hagmaier tries to understand Bundy's motivations to rape and murder countless women.

"I found the relationship between the two men fascinating," Wood says. The drama is set almost entirely in prison, with no flashbacks to Bundy's brutal acts. Instead, it relies heavily on his queasy descriptions of his crimes, which were "truly horrifying" but also "exciting, that we could tell this story without resorting to onscreen violence. We've seen enough of it, you know?"

Early last year, news broke that Wood welcomed his first child with his partner, film producer Mette-Marie Kongsved. More recently, he wrapped shooting an upcoming remake of 1984's "The Toxic Avenger," which he describes as "punk-rock, funny and irreverent."Wood chats more with USA TODAY about Ted Bundy, true crime and "Lord of the Rings" turning 20:

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Question: Dozens of books, films and documentaries have been made about Ted Bundy through the years. Why do you think people continue to be so fascinated with him?

Elijah Wood: I think people keep going back to the well because more than most serial killers, Ted seemed to be able to live a genuine double life. He was charismatic, studied law and was extremely successful at being a functioning human being who had relationships (with) women. And yet, he also did these heinous things. That combination is not something you find often with serial killers. There were many people in his life that didn't believe he'd be capable of doing what he did, and he managed to convince a lot of people he was innocent when in fact, he was a monster on a degree that is unfathomable.

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Q: Are you and your partner big true-crime fans?

Wood: She's gone slightly off it since we've had our son. That kind of thing is maybe a little less palatable. But I'm still interested and have been since I was a teenager. It's that human fascination with the psychology of how people could do these kinds of things to other people. And there's so many true-crime documentaries on Netflix now. There's this one ("Sophie: A Murder in West Cork") about the murder of this woman in Ireland that was just a fascinating story. It unfolds like a mystery.

Q: "The Fellowship of the Ring" was released in theaters 20 years ago this December. Do you still have one of the rings?

Wood: I do, yeah. I've got (Bilbo and Frodo's sword) Sting. I've got a pair of (hobbit) feet. Wild that we're already at the 20th anniversary – it seems so surreal it was that long ago.

Q: You were just 18 when you started filming "Lord of the Rings." What helped you cope with the fame and attention that ensued?

Wood: Working as a child actor, being raised by a mother who was so concerned with me keeping a sense of humility and identity, that really helped me. I had a foundation, so when those movies came out and were everywhere, I was able to hold it in its own place. When Frodo's on the side of a building or an Air New Zealand 737, I was able to go, "That's not me, that's Frodo."

An important part is also that we were experiencing it all together. The notion of that fellowship (among the cast) was real. We're a family – we're linked for the rest of our lives. So we were able to lean on each other and enjoy it and celebrate it together. It was an unforgettable experience, and integral in being able to process it in a healthy way.

Q: Seeing the trilogy again, I was surprised by just how emotional the films made me, even from the opening prologue. Do you ever feel the same way?

Wood: I definitely do. Part of the joy of being part of something so massive is that after "Fellowship," the stories split into different paths. There was plenty of "Two Towers" and "Return of the King" that I wasn't physically there to see shot and was completely new to me as a filmgoer. So I do hold a degree of objectivity seeing those films and they do emotionally impact me. I still enjoy watching them. I mean, if they're on TV, I would watch them. I am as in awe of them as everyone else, honestly. They're extraordinary.

Q: When do you think you'll show them to your son?

Wood: Maybe like 8 seems appropriate? I started watching horror movies when I was 5, so I'm not perhaps the best judge. (Laughs.) I would probably be open to showing him a little earlier, but I'll take his lead in terms of how ready he is to take that thing on. But 7, 8 feels about right.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lord of the Rings 20th anniversary: Elijah Wood kept fake Frodo feet