In the midst of the 2020 pandemic, when the world was grappling with lockdowns and quarantines, a heartwarming story emerged from the most unexpected place: the virtual islands of Animal Crossing.
Elijah Wood, the actor best known for his role as Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, became an unlikely hero in the gaming community for a simple act of kindness that left fans grinning from ear to ear.
It all started with a tweet from a player named Jessa (@directedbyrian), who shared a screenshot of their island’s sky-high turnip prices. Little did they know that their post would catch the eye of a certain hobbit-turned-islander.
A Unexpected Visitor Comes Knocking
In a delightful twist of fate, Elijah Wood himself slid into Jessa’s DMs, humbly requesting their island’s Dodo Code so he could visit and sell his own stash of turnips to make a juicy profit. What followed was a wholesome encounter that quickly went viral, as the actor not only sold his turnips but also took the time to explore Jessa’s island, compliment them on its beauty, and even ask permission to pick some fruit.
As Wood himself recounted in a WIRED interview:
I was playing Animal Crossing, and I became really, really keen on the turnip market, specifically. But there’s this one girl on Twitter that posted that she was… that her turnip price was X amount.
And then I just direct messaged her. And I was like, ‘Hey, would you mind if I come to visit your island?’ And she let me onto her island!
The story quickly spread across social media, with the Animal Crossing subreddit post “Elijah Wood visits a fan’s island after seeing her post her turnip prices on Twitter” garnering over 115,000 upvotes. Fans were delighted by Wood’s down-to-earth demeanor and his genuine love for the game:
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Many shared their own stories of the actor’s kind and unassuming nature:
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A Hobbit’s Seal of Approval
For many Animal Crossing fans, Wood’s visit was more than just a fun anecdote; it was a validation of their love for the game.
In a time when the world was turned upside down, the simple joys of building a virtual island and connecting with others had become a lifeline for many:
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Wood’s impromptu island tour also led to an unexpected shoutout for director Rian Johnson, as the actor revealed in the same interview:
And she and her friends were big Rian Johnson fans, specifically ‘The Last Jedi.’ And so when we were chatting on the island, that came up, and I left the island by saying, ‘Long live Rian Johnson.’
And I believe Rian put that on his banner on Twitter for a brief period of time!
In a year filled with uncertainty and isolation, Elijah Wood’s Animal Crossing adventure was a much-needed reminder of the power of human connection, even in the most unlikely of places. It’s a story that continues to bring a smile to fans’ faces and a testament to the enduring magic of a game that brought people together when they needed it most.
What’s your favorite wholesome gaming moment? Share your stories in the comments below!