Former Child Actor Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings), now 30, recently told media outlet Nylon Guys that unlike many child actors’ parents, his mother Debbie Wood was more reserved when supporting him in the film industry. He can next be seen in the new FX comedy series, “Wilfred.”

Wood states, “This is a funny industry for a child, and I think there are a lot parents who put their kids in it for their own motivations.  I was lucky – that was never my situation. In fact, my mother would threaten to take me out of it more frequently than support it. She knew I loved it and that it was a good motivator for keeping me in line.”

One pitfall of being a successful, professional actor according to Wood is become full of oneself. He directly attributes his “grounded” home and family life with keeping him from succumbing to that temptation.

“Life on a film set, the surreality can seep into your daily life. You can be treated in ways you’re not deserving of” says Wood, “and you can start to believe it. But I was always so grounded at home that it provided a sense of balance.”