Elijah Wood has clarified comments he made suggesting there is a paedophilia ring operating in Hollywood, saying he only speaks with the authority of "the articles [he has] read and the films [he has] seen" and has no first-hand experience of abuse.
The Lord of the Rings actor, who entered the industry as a child in the late 1980s, was reported as saying Hollywood was in the grip of a child sex abuse scandal similar to that experienced in the UK with Jimmy Saville in an interview given to the Sunday Times at the weekend.
In a series of tweets posted on Tuesday, the 35-year-old clarified his comments, saying the interview, which was part of the promotional tour for his new film The Trust, generated "misleading headlines".
"The Sunday Times interviewed me about my latest film but the story became about something else entirely," Wood wrote.
"It prompted a number of false and misleading headlines. 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."
Wood went on to state that although the subject of child abuse is "an important one that should be discussed and properly investigated", he had no "first-hand experience or observation of the topic", a fact he claims he made "absolutely clear" when giving the interview.
"I cannot speak with any authority beyond articles I have read and films I have seen," he added.
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
In his Sunday Times interview, Wood appeared to describe his fellow child actors being invited to industry parties where he claimed abuse would take place.
"There are a lot of vipers in this industry, people who only have their own interests in mind," he said. "There is a darkness in the underbelly – if you can imagine it, it's probably happened."
The actor, whose breakout role came aged six in the 1987 film Tin Men, said he was protected from the culture by his mother, who did not let him attend parties.
"She was far more concerned with raising me to be a good human than facilitating my career."
