A Hollywood star has been seen visiting a Kent seaside town that’s become a magnet for big celebrity names in recent years.
Lord of the Rings actor Elijah Wood was seen taking photos with fans and visiting several independent shops in Margate yesterday (October 16).
Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood with Kieran Taylor on the train. Picture: Kieran Taylor
Kieran Taylor told KentOnline that he met Wood on the train, where he was happy to pose for a picture. He said: “He was really genuine.”
Eagle-eyed fans also said they saw him visiting The Lido Stores art gallery in Ethelbert Terrace, Silly Margate in Hawley Street and Comics and Sci-fi World in Market Place.
Gallery owner and curator of The Lido Stores, Kristen Healy, said Wood spent a long time with the current exhibition, The Long Memory by Robin Dixon, which runs until October 25, and purchased some of the artwork.
She told KentOnline: “We talked at length about the show. He really loved the work, particularly the landscapes and country scenes and bought a piece by Robin.
“He was a lovely man, very sweet and kind-natured. He told me he had come for a day trip because he had heard cool things about Margate.
“We spoke about the town, the gallery and how the town’s fortunes have changed in recent years.
“He commented on the inclement weather when he arrived, which had now changed to a stunning day.
“He was happy to have his photo taken when I mentioned we had just finished the Lord of the Rings Trilogy with our eleven-year-old son. He did not mind at all.
“He seemed to be having a lovely day, and it was such a nice meeting. I hope he returns one day.”
Spokesman for the comic book shop, Ian, said Wood was passing by when he popped in for a brief visit.
Elijah Wood with the exhibition by Robin Dixon. Picture: Kristen Healy
He added: “I asked him what he was doing in Margate; apparently he saw Silly Margate on Instagram and thought it was rather quirky.
“He decided as he was in London to pop down to Margate for the day to check out the shop and the area.”
Lord of the Rings fan James Addison-May said he also saw Wood, but in Ramsgate’s Wetherspoons, the Royal Victoria Pavilion, where they chatted about the film franchise.
He added: “I bored him to death with questions about Lord of the Rings, or so I thought, but considering it was the best part of 25 years ago, he still spoke with the exact enthusiasm you would expect, which was so refreshing.”
The American actor and producer is best known for playing Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and is set to reprise his role in the upcoming Hunt for Gollum movie.
More recently, he has appeared in the psychological drama Yellowjackets, the horror sequel Ready or Not 2: Here I Come and HBO Max’s miniseries Charlotte’s Web.
Elijah Wood with fan James Addison-May. Picture: James Addison-May
Margate has become a popular stomping ground for some of the world’s most famous faces.
Madonna has made a number of trips to the town, most recently in January this year, and has even described it as her “idea of heaven”.
She is friends with Margate’s most famous living artist, Tracey Emin.
Pedro Pascal, star of Game of Thrones, The Last of Us, and the rebooted The Fantastic Four, has been drawn in too, visiting the town in 2023.
And Bohemian Rhapsody’s Rami Malek and The Crown’s Emma Corrin were spotted dining out at Buoy and Oyster during their courtship.
The town has also become a backdrop in countless film and TV productions, including Killing Eve, Sam Mendes’ Empire of Light and the BBC’s adaptation of Rosa Rankin-Gee’s novel, Dreamland.