Elijah Wood backtracks on Hollywood paedophile ring claims

Comments he made to the Sunday Times have been picked up by news outlets around the world, but the Lord of the Rings actor has now said that they were not based on any personal knowledge.

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Rather, the remarks came after reading recent articles on the subject and from watching Amy Berg’s 2015 documentary An Open Secret.

Wood spoke about the matter after the subject of Jimmy Savile was brought up, saying: "Jesus, it must have been devastating.

"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 in a statement issued to the Hollywood Reporter, Wood has said: "The Sunday Times interviewed me about my latest film, but the story became about something else entirely.

"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.

"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 firsthand experience or observation of the topic, so I cannot speak with any authority beyond articles I have read and films I have seen."

The comments made by Wood were woven into a story called Hollywood’s Evil Secret, which also included the testaments of Corey Feldman, who has long spoken of widespread abuse of young stars in Hollywood.

Wood was a child star in Hollywood, modelling and acting from the age of seven, though the Sunday Times article did state that his parents shielded him from the murkier edges of the industry and would not let him attend Hollywood parties.

It follows the claims made by former child star Feldman, who revealed he’d been sexual abused by well-known figures in the movie business when he was 14.

Footage of Feldman speaking about his abuse appears in Berg’s documentary movie, as well in his memoir Coreyography, which contained claims that friend and fellow child star Corey Haim was also subjected to sexual abuse.

Haim died in 2010 from pneumonia, aged 38, following years of drug abuse.

Ben Arnold writes for Yahoo Movies UK

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