Billy Boyd: An actors view on the movie industry

The students as the Norwegian School of Management BI in Oslo got a pleasant suprise when Billy Boyd (known mainly for the role as Pippin in the Lord of the Rings triology directed by Peter Jackson) turned up as guest lecturer in the course Cultural Management (Film) lectured by Norwegian producer Terje Gaustad.

Billy was there to give his view on the film industry from an actors point of view. He started out by explaining his background: "I was just a simple boy from Glascow's east side - a working class area, and guys like me don't normally become actors". He also commented that it was great "working with a great director like Pete Jackson" because he was sure of his decisons and not afraid to make decisons, yet he did not have a great ego, and would listen to alternative views and ideas". He also said that Pete "never arrived without an idea".

When I asked him of whether he felt like it could be difficult being an actor post Lord of the Rings in the sense that people would expect certain things from him, he replied: "Yes, it can be difficult, and there are so many people that will tell you what to do and what you should not do, like you have to make strategic decisions about films and listen to what managers and agents tell you".



The students in the class where very interested in hearing about his favorite film directors and views on big vs. small film productions. Billy said he would have liked to work with for example Woody Allen, and he also said that while bigger film productions leave you with more time and money to do things, it is independent films that drive the film industry forwards. "Or you could do like Pete Jackson and make the film in New Zealand where the big Hollywood studios can't get to you". Billy Boyd is starring in the forthcoming film "Save Angel Hope" (directed by Lukas Erni) produced by Terje Gaustad.