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<\/p>\nElijah Wood landed the role of a lifetime when he was cast as Frodo Baggins in Lord of the Rings – so much so that he's become synonymous with everything Hobbit-related.<\/p>\n
And that was exactly what worried Green Street screenplay writer Dougie Brimson when Wood was cast as its lead, the hapless West Ham newcomer Matt Buckner. In a way the roles portray a similar evolution of character from a na\u00efve innocent to capable somebody – though that's about as far as the similarities run.<\/p>\n
Despite the major box office success of Peter Jackson's LOTR trilogy, Brimson was worried Wood's association would lead to 'nothing but Hobbit jokes' around Green Street's release. But by the time director Lexi Alexander was done with the 2005 release, 'Frodo' would have another iconic credit under this belt – at least in British circles.<\/p>\n
READ MORE: Green Street director 'tricked' West Ham into letting them film at Upton Park <\/b><\/p>\n
READ MORE:<\/b> PSG ultras ambush Newcastle fans as pints, tables and chairs launched in violent clashes <\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cI was in north London, I got a phone call and the person said, \u2018What do you think of Elijah Wood?\u2019 I said, \u2018For what?\u2019 and it was the role of Matt," Brimson told The Athletic. "My response was, \u2018He\u2019d be f*****g great.\u2019 But clearly the Americans didn\u2019t do sarcasm because I was being sarcastic.<\/p>\n
"Then I get a phone call to say, \u2018Elijah is going to play Matt.\u2019 I thought, \u2018Oh, s***.\u2019 Because he\u2019d played the role of Hobbit in Lord of the Rings, I was worried we\u2019d get nothing but Hobbit jokes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Where does Green Street rank among the best (or worst) football films of all time? Let us know in the comments section below. <\/i> <\/b><\/p>\n
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Thankfully, former hooligan-turned-writer Brimson would see Wood make the role his own and deliver a believable transformation from sissy to hoodlum. It's likely the 42-year-old will be followed by Hobbit jokes for the remainder of his career, but there are bound to be those who also recognise him for his role as 'The Yank'.<\/p>\n
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The number of Green Street die-hards may not quite match up against the legions of J.R.R. Tolkien enthusiasts, but in that sense Brimson was always fighting a losing battle. Rather, his portrayal as a newbie to West Ham's Green Street Elite firm has dug out its own little nook in cinema history.<\/p>\n
The film's creators pulled out all the stops to get it made and even 'tricked' West Ham into letting them record during a game against Birmingham City at Upton Park. And throngs of fans will be overjoyed they did, with Alexander revealing she still gets stopped 'constantly' by fans appreciating her decision to turn Frodo Baggins into a thug.<\/p>\n