Do you have any features in common with the character of Legolas?
Not really, I am not serious enough to be an elf... Moreover, they are immortal and have superhuman powers, whereas I quickly became a where of my limitations ! In the real life, my hair is brown with the brown eyes. For the film, I had to wear a wig and coloured contact lenses. When I removed my costume, nobody recognized me!

We intended to say that you had been wounded during the shooting of the "Lord of the rings"?
I broke a rib... I were to shoot an arrow when I was galloping on horseback, but I lost my balance and I fell down from the horse. However, it was not serious. I clenched the teeth and I kept on acting. During my life, I had already fractured my skull three times, and I broke my two legs, my back, my nose, my arm, my wrist, and a finger, then...

You are a true dare-devil!
That is true, but I had to admit that I was not invincible. Three years ago, I broke my back while falling through the window. I made a fall of three storeys and, while arriving at the hospital, someone told me that I would never walk again. For four days, I believed that I was going to spend the remainder of my life in a wheelchair. Fortunately, then, I had surgery and I left the hospital twelve days later on crutches! A real miracle!

It may make you think...
Oh yes! It made to me more mature and I re-examined my goals in the life... I never was very good at school. I was only interested in sport. But, after my accident, I realised that I did need to go back studying, then I enrolled in a school for performing arts. However, I still love the hard sports. During the shooting of the "Lord of the rings" in New Zeeland, I make some bungee jumping. One day, I even jumped five times in a row!

Were your athletic qualities used for to you to hold the role of Legolas?
Not really. I had to learn how to handle an bow and a sword, which I could not do before. Shooting with a bow is especially difficult and really exhausting. But training made me better and better. Eventually, I was so proficient that I could hit paper plates that my coach hurled up in the air.

How did you react when you learned that you had taken down the part of Legolas?
I thought I had won at the lottery. I could not believe it. It was one of the biggest films in the year and, I had only one minor part in the film "Wilde" before. It is only after the shooting of the first sequences that I realized it was not a dream. But it is difficult to realize what happens to me. I was lucky enough to act in two fantastic films: "the Lord of the rings" and "Black Hawk Down". I am really delighted!

Which part do you play in "Black Haw Down"?
The part of a eighteen years old soldier who falls down from a helicopter and breaks his back. You see, this part was made for me! [ laughs ]

How did you get along with Josh Hartnett?
Very well. We became friends and we plane to act together next year again.

What kind of women do you like?
I like them kind and nice, with blond hair preferably. I am not attracted to strong-willed girls, even though I respect them. I am more interested in unassuming girls than in those who draw attention to them. I think I am a good boy friend.

Do you have bad habits?
I bite my nails, especially since I stopped smoking. And then some people say often I am absent-minded. I am inclined to retreat into myself and some people find it rude. But I am a rather nice fellow.

What frightens you?
Not much. As I told you, I like dangerous sports. But during the shooting of the "Lord of the Rings", I had the scared of my life. With Billy Boyd (Pippin), we went surfing one night. We had fun when suddenly Billy thought he saw a fin which was pointing out of the sea. We panicked, we were sure that it was a shark and we swam like crazy to the beach. Once safely ashore, we realized that it was nothing but a seal! [ laughs ]

Was the shooting fun?
Yes, we were very close. I have a great memories of shooting in New Zeeland. The mood was very relaxed. Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) had called me "little elf", and I called it "dirty human being". At the end of each fighting sequence, as I played an elf part, I never dirtied myself nor did I get scratches. But Vig was always covered with blood and sweat, and he came back to see me and say something like: "Go have a manicure!" [ laughs ]