The real reason we don't hear about Elijah Wood anymore!!

Once described by veteran film critic Roger Ebert as "the most talented actor in his age group in Hollywood history," Elijah Wood's transformation from child prodigy to global superstar can be summed up in five simple words: The Lord of the Rings. Like his character in Peter Jackson's original trilogy, the fresh-faced 18-year-old agreed to shoulder a heavy burden when he took on the part of Frodo Baggins, leading a blockbuster franchise that carried the expectations of millions of J.R.R. Tolkien fans the world over.

A decade-and-a-half has passed since then, and while the cultural impact of the films (along with the three prequels) has kept The Lord of the Rings relevant, its young star seems to have faded entirely. How did he go from being one of the most recognizable actors in the world to someone operating on the fringes of the industry? Here's the real reason we don't hear about Elijah Wood anymore.

Wood recently got on the wrong side of Hollywood execs when he told a UK newspaper that the American film industry was full of sexual predators targeting young actors. During an interview with The Sunday Times, Wood said, "If you can imagine it, it probably happened." The actor further elaborated, saying, "If you're innocent—you have very little knowledge of the world and you want to succeed—people with parasitic interests will see you as their prey." He even compared the scale of abuse taking place in Tinseltown to the crimes carried out by reviled British TV personality Jimmy Savile, who used his status to prey on as many as 500 victims before his death in 2011.

However, Wood later backtracked on his controversial comments with a statement. "Let me be clear," he explained. "This subject of child abuse is an important one that should be discussed and properly investigated. But as I made absolutely clear…I have no first-hand experience or observation of the topic." Despite Wood's attempt to pour water on the fire he started, former child star and abuse survivor Corey Feldman backed up the claims, saying he personally "would love to name names" but has his hands tied by California's statute of limitations.