Hobbits rule young Jackson children's lives

For as long as they can remember, Peter Jackson's young children have known one thing - Mum and Dad are working on Lord of the Rings.

Last night Jackson and his partner, Fran Walsh, broke their silence about their family life to acknowledge their children, who have grown up as the film trilogy progressed.

In front of a television audience of a billion people, Jackson thanked the children, Billy, 8, and Katie, 7.

Accepting the award for best screenplay, Jackson said: "We want to say hi to Billy and Katie for putting up with their Mum and Dad working on this film all their lives, because they are only seven and eight years old."

The couple have usually tried to keep their family in the background, away from publicity.

But yesterday Walsh and Jackson talked about the effects of making the trilogy on their children.

The family's life had been defined by the Lord of the Rings trilogy, they said.

"I don't think we really knew what we were getting into," said Walsh.

"When we took it on, there was a sense that maybe it would be two or three years.

"The idea that our daughter would be half-grown up [by the time the last film was finished] seemed an incredible thing, and now she is."

The two children have cameo roles in all three films, but Jackson said the experience might have put them off getting involved in their parents' future films.

"They know that movie sets are boring and they run away from any more cameos."

Having had a childhood spent partly in Middle-earth has had little effect on the children and their personalities reflect their parents.

"Billy's a conformist. He wants rules and regulations and appreciates them in his life," Jackson said.

"Katie rebels against them. He's probably more like me and Katie's more like her mother."