‘Pippin is an individual, he has a lot of spontaneity. He also sees life from a slightly different angle to most people.’ So too does Scottish actor, Billy Boyd, cast in the role of Peregrin Took, affectionately known to everyone as ‘Pippin’.
A close friend of Frodo Baggins and his cousin, Merry, Pippin helps the Ring-bearer on his flight from the Shire and is then chosen to be a member of the Fellowship of the Ring.
‘Although Pippin has never left the Shire,’ says Billy Boyd, ‘he is a Took and comes from a family that is known for being a bit adventurous and likely to fly off the handle and do things that other hobbits would consider to be not quite hobbit like! What’s more, Pippin does have a habit of doing the wring things at the wrong time! Although, to be fair, as the story develops, we see Pippin going through all kinds of experiences and becoming more mature.’
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Billy Boyd is a musician as well as an actor, playing bass, drums and guitar and singing both baritone and tenor. He began his acting career in the theatre and is well established as one of Scotland’s leading talents. His first television role was in the popular Scottish television series, ‘Taggart’.
Boyd made his film debut playing a loan shark in the Jason Connery movie, ‘Urban Ghost Story’ and was then cast for ‘The Lord of the Rings Trilogy’. ‘I like Peter Jackson the moment I met him,’ he recalls, ’he was just so laid back. We were in a casting agents office and there was Peter – dressed, as usual, in shorts and without shoes – sitting on a sofa with Fran Walsh. They were both so relaxed with me, that it was easy to be relaxed with them and to be open about what I wanted to bring to the character of Pippin.’
One of the topics the director discussed with the young actor at his audition was the close relationship between Pippin and Merry. ‘It’s not really possible,’ says Billy Boyd, ‘To speak about Pippin without mentioning Merry: his whole life revolves around his friends and Merry in particular. They are just like the closest of friends so that you really can’t imagine either of them doing anything without the other.’

Aliases: Pippin, Ernil-i-Pheriannath, Pip
Date of Birth: 2990 T.A.
Race: Hobbit
Height: roughly 4 1/2 at the end of the War of the Rings
Date of Death: FO 65
Alignment: Good
Parents: Paladin Took, Eglantine Banks
Spouse: Diamond of Long Cleeve
Date of Marriage: FO 7
Children: Faramir I

A long time friend of Frodo Baggins, he was, although not by the choice of Frodo at first, a companion on the road to Rivendell. After the Council, Pippin was very adamant that he intended to join the Fellowship, whether he had the approval of the Council or no. Though he made two very crucial mistakes along the road, first tossing a stone into the well in Moria, and second, looking into the Palantir, Pippin far surpassed proving his worthiness. Notable deeds concerning Pippin's tale in LotR include, aiding in the rousing of the Ents, and after travelling with Gandalf to Gondor, offering his sword in service to the Steward of the city. In the final battle of the War of the Ring, Pippin was narrowly saved by Gimli, when he was crushed under the body of a mountain troll.

We hobbits ought to stick together, and we will. I shall go, unless they chain me up. There must be someone with intelligence in the Party."

"Pippin was also a friend of Frodo and agreed to join him to Rivendell. At the end he was permitted to join the Fellowship of the Ring together with Merry to make the total number of nine walkers. When the Fellowship broke up, Merry and Pippin were captured by orcs who wanted to bring them to Isengard. Thanks to Eomer and his men they escaped and went to Fangorn forest. There they met Treebeard and convinced the Ents to fight Saruman in Isengard. After the battle was won, Pippin went to Minas Tirith together with Gandalf. In Minas Tirith he was interrogated by Denethor about the death of Boromir. He then swore loyalty to Gondor and became a Guard of Minas Tirith. He followed the armies of Gondor to Mordor where he lost conscience during the final battle. After the War of the Ring he went back to the Shire but returned to Gondor. His grave is in Rath Dinen besides King Elessar and Merry. "

Quote

The old man laid the sword along his lap, and Pippin put his hand to the hilt, and slowly said after Denethor: 'Here do I swear fealty and service to Gondor, and to the Lord and Steward of the realm, to speak and to be silent, to do and to let be, to come and to go, in need or plenty, in peace or war, in living or dying, from this hour henceforth, until my lord release me, or death take me, or the world end. So say I, Peregrin son of Paladin, of the Shire of the Halflings.'