The Lord of the Rings fans who are excited to embark on a new adventure with the upcoming Amazon TV series have been given a fun piece of homework. Early in December, Amazon announced that 20 more cast members have joined the franchise. Speculating what kind of character each actor might portray can at least keep us busy while waiting. The new series is a prequel meant to shed light on the Second Age of Middle Earth, so a combination of new characters and ones we already know can be expected. Many have speculated that fan-favorite Tom Bombadil could make an appearance.
While successful worldwide, the original The Lord of the Rings movies were predominantly white. The Amazon series already looks much more diverse, so at least one of the things that could ruin the newLord of the Rings has been avoided. The international cast includes actors from New Zealand, as well as Australia, the United Kingdom, Shri Lanka, and the United States. According to showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, all cast members were carefully chosen over years, to bring Middle Earth to life.
Among the new cast members are actors with experience in epic or fantastic productions, such as Westworld actor Peter Mullan, Cynthia Addai-Robinson (pictured here) who is known for roles such as Amanda Waller in Arrow and Naevia in Spartacus) Simon Merrells (Knightfall) and Benjamin Walker (In the Heart of the Sea, pictured here).
Other actors joining the show include popular British comedian Sir Lenny Henry (pictured here), Maxim Baldry (Last Christmas, Years and Years), Kip Chapman (Top of the Lake), Anthony Crum (The Wilds), Maxine Cunliffe (Power Rangers Megaforce, Divinity), Geoff Morrell (Fallen Angels, Grassroots),Trystan Gravelle (The Terror), Thusitha Jayasundera (Humans), Fabian McCallum (Me & The Apocalypse), Ian Blackburn (Behold the Ghostand other short films), Lloyd Owen (Apollo 18, The Originals), Augustus Prew (Prison Break), Alex Tarrant (Filthy Rich), Leon Wadham (Go Girls), Sara Zwangobani (Doctor Doctor) and Peter Tait who portrayed an orc in The Return of the King.
In 2020, more actors got a ticket to Middle Earth, including Robert Aramayo (young Ned Start from Game of Thrones), Dylan Smith, Ema Horvath, Tyroe Muhafidin, Nazanin Boniadi, Tom Budge, Owain Arthur, Markella Kavenagh, Joseph Mawle, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Sophia Nomvete, Megan Richards, Charlie Vickers, Daniel Weyman, and Morfydd Clark. The latter is going to portray Galadriel.
"After undertaking an extensive global search, we are delighted finally to reveal the first group of brilliant performers who will take part in Amazon's The Lord of the Rings series," showrunner J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay said. "These exceptionally talented women and men are more than just our actors: they are the newest members of an ever-expanding creative family that is now working tirelessly to bring Middle-earth to life anew for fans and audiences worldwide."
Like many productions, The Lord of the Rings prequel was delayed due to restrictions worldwide, but the good news about the cast is a reason for hope. With the release date of the new show confirmed, with most major actors now known, our return to Middle Earth feels closer than ever.
Related: Lord of the Rings Star Viggo Mortensen Reveals Unexpected Aragorn Deleted Scene
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