Until very recently, he lived with his mother and, at 23, remains a teen-zine pin-up and 'style icon'. But he still looks way too young to be smoking. Wood was turned on to clove ciggies by Josh Hartnett six years ago, while the two were shooting The Faculty, and now admits to a 30-a-day habit. A healthy smoking option, then? 'No - they burn hotter, so they're worse for your lungs. 'These are infused with cloves, so they're sweeter,' says naughty little Elijah, in explanation, if not exactly as an apology.

We're in the non-smoking Four Seasons Hotel, in the non-smoking city of Los Angeles, in the smoke-free nation of the US of A, and Elijah Wood is puffing on a funny-smelling cigarette.