GettyElijah Wood has clarified his claim that a Jimmy Savile style paedophile ring preyed upon young boys in Hollywood, saying he has ‘no first hand experience’ of the predators.
Over the weekend, The Lord of the Rings star told the Sunday Times that his mother had protected him from predators by stopping him from going partying, but he revealed many of his peers were regularly ‘preyed upon’.
GettyWood claimed there was a dark underbelly in Hollywood, saying:
Clearly something major was going on in Hollywood. It was all organised. There are a lot of vipers in this industry – people who only have their own interests in mind.
There is darkness in the underbelly. If you can imagine it, it’s probably happened.
Now, however, the actor has said that his knowledge of the ‘Hollywood paedophilia ring’ come only from news reports and the 2015 documentary, An Open Secret, which looked at the dark subject, The Guardian reports.
WikimediaHe tweeted the following lengthy explanation:
The Sunday Times interviewed me about my latest film but the story became about something else entirely. It prompted a number of false and
— Elijah Wood (@elijahwood) May 24, 2016
misleading headlines. I had just seen a powerful documentary and I briefly spoke with the reporter about the subject which had consequences
— Elijah Wood (@elijahwood) May 24, 2016
I did not intend or expect. Lesson learned. Let me be clear: This subject of child abuse is an important one that should be discussed and
— Elijah Wood (@elijahwood) May 24, 2016
properly investigated. But as I made absolutely clear to the writer, I have no first hand experience or observation of the topic,
— Elijah Wood (@elijahwood) May 24, 2016
so I cannot speak with any authority beyond articles I have read and films I have seen.
— Elijah Wood (@elijahwood) May 24, 2016
I had just seen a powerful documentary and I briefly spoke with the reporter about the subject which had consequences I did not intend or expect. Lesson learned.
Let me be clear: This subject of child abuse is an important one that should be discussed and properly investigated.
But as I made absolutely clear to the writer, I have no first hand experience or observation of the topic, so I cannot speak with any authority beyond articles I have read and films I have seen.
For anyone interested in the allegations of a Hollywood paedophile ring, check out An Open Secret, which makes a number of claims about high profile directors.
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.