Elijah Wood Claims Child Actors are “Prey” to Hollywood…

Elijah Wood has had one of the longest careers of any current actor in Hollywood so it definitely sparks interest when he shares his opinions about the industry. Landing his first major gig when he was just eight years old, Wood claims that his early entry into business has taught him some pretty sad and terrifying things.

In a discussion with the Sunday Times, Wood brought up the Jimmy Savile scandal in the United Kingdom which led to hundreds of sexual abuse allegations surfacing following his death. Wood said: “You all grew up with Savile – Jesus, it must have been devastating. Clearly something major was going on in Hollywood. It was all organized. 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.”

The 35-year-old Lord of the Rings star went on to say that his mother was a great source of protection since she was more concerned about his well being than his career. He explained: “I never went to parties where that kind of thing was going on. This bizarre industry presents so many paths to temptation. If you don’t have some kind of foundation, typically from family, then it will be difficult to deal with.”

Wood went on to add that he believes that the sex crimes are “probably still happening” in Hollywood and that the young and the innocent are particularly vulnerable since “people with parasitic interests will see you as their prey.”

When asked why more people don’t speak up and come forward, Wood pointed to the fact that it’s easy for the people in power to silence and discredit young victims whose lives “have been irreparably damaged.”

He definitely raises a good point whether the victim is famous or not. Many enter into a “David and Goliath” situation where it becomes their word against the accused’s. That can be a very intimidating and unfair dynamic, particularly if the accuser is especially young.

There have been high-profile accusations in Hollywood throughout the years with much of it going unresolved. Most recently, the discussion surrounding Woody Allen and his daughters was reignited, with his own son, Ronan Farrow, an investigative journalist, admitting to feeling pressured into not asking questions about the situation. This seems to support what Elijah Wood was saying about how easily victims can be silenced.

While we may not be able to address the possibility of childhood sexual abuse in Hollywood, we can confront it in our own lives. If you, or anyone you know, has been (or is at risk of being) abused, contact Darkness to Light’s National Childhood Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-866-FOR-LIGHT (866-367-5444) or visit their official website.