Actor Elijah Wood, 35, (pictured)

Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood has insisted he has no personal knowledge of an alleged Hollywood paedophile ring after claiming comments made during a recent interview were taken out of context.

The Hobbit actor, 35, was interviewed by the Sunday Times about his new film The Trust, in which he plays a corrupt police officer who makes plans to commit a crime.

During the interview the actor spoke briefly bout a documentary film he had recently watched on the subject of child abuse.

Referring to paedophile DJ Jimmy Savile, he said: 'It must have been devastating.'

He added: 'Clearly something major was going on in Hollywood. It was all organized. There are a lot of vipers in this industry, people who only have their own interests in mind.'

The Sunday Times story prompted a number of headlines, some of which insinuated the actor had some personal knowledge of the alleged abuse within the industry.

However the actor has now spoken out to say his comments have been misinterpreted, insisting he has 'no first-hand experience or observation of the topic.

In a statement he said: 'The Sunday Times interviewed me about my latest film but the story became about something else entirely.

'It prompted a number of false and misleading headlines. I had just seen a powerful documentary and I briefly spoke with the reporter about the subject which had consequences I did not intend or expect.

'Let me be clear: This subject of child abuse is an important one that should be discussed and properly investigated. But as I made absolutely clear to the writer, I have no first-hand experience or observation of the topic, so I cannot speak with any authority beyond articles I have read and films I have seen.'

The comments to the Sunday Times were published alongside quotes from Anne Henry, co-founder of a group set up to help young actors.

Henry believes that around three quarters of child actors that 'went off the rails' later in their life had been abused in Hollywood.

Anne Henry, co-founder of Bizparentz, a group to help young actors, said that Tinseltown is currently sheltering around '100 active abusers'

She said: 'This problem has been endemic in Hollywood for a long time and it's finally coming to light. Very bad people are still working here, protected by their friends.'

In the last 10 years, several wealthy and significant people involved in the industry have been convicted. Some have left prison and returned to Hollywood and continued to work with children.

Corey Feldman, who was one of the biggest child stars in the 1980s, was abused when he was a young actor. He said: 'The No 1 problem in Hollywood was and is - and always will be - pedophilia.'

Other child actors were reportedly told by adults that it was perfectly normal for older men and younger boys in the industry to have sexual relations.