With six live-action films already under its name, the Lord of the Rings franchise is heading in a new direction with The Rings of Power. The series acts as a prequel to J.R.R. Tolkien's novels and explores Middle-earth's Second Age and its major events, including the forging of the iconic Rings of Power.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power features a large ensemble cast, some of whom include Robert Aramayo as Elrond, Morfydd Clark as Galadriel, Benjamin Walker as Gil-galad, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Owain Arthur and Maxim Baldry as Isildur.
Well before the show's premiere, Screen Rant spoke exclusively with star Benjamin Walker to discuss The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, his personal history with Tolkien's works, the pressures of adapting the novels and more.
Screen Rant: Were you a fan of Tolkien's works prior to joining on for the series?
Benjamin Walker: Yeah, my brother is older than me and infinitely more intelligent and the first book he ever gave me was The Hobbit, it was my first big boy book. Since then, we've had this kind of familial experience of Tolkien's writing. I mean, I love the cartoon for crying out loud, I love the Peter Jackson movies, anything about it, I can get my hands on, I want to study and be immersed in. It's a real pleasure to have found myself in a job where they pay me to read Tolkien. [Laughs]
Even though you're as big of a fan of it, did you find that there was any hesitation or concern of getting the material right?
Benjamin Walker: Well, of course, and as it should be, I would worry about the actor who walks onto this set casually. I don't mind the pressure, I think that's what respect and reverence deserves. I want to feel nervous, because I want to get it right, and I want to make sure that I'm working as hard as I can and we're getting the best out of everyone who's united in this pursuit of a singular vision, that's part of the fun. If it doesn't count, don't play the game! I like it, it should matter, it does matter.
The interesting thing about Gil-galad as a character is that as far as audiences go, they haven't really seen much of him outside of a brief shot in Fellowship of the Rings. What was that like for you getting to expand that character further for those who haven't read the books?
Benjamin Walker: An honor. Luckily, there's enough source material for you to start with and there's enough material about the context of when he served and what his legacy would have been. Whenever I didn't know what to do, I just returned to the book, I'd return to the text. Tolkien created these narratives to have a life of their own, our job is to do the research, do the prep, buckle up and go for the ride.
What can we expect from Gil-galad coming in this first season?
Benjamin Walker: Well, we can expect some things that we know. For example, he is by far one of the most prescient of the elves, he can anticipate the impending rise of evil before anyone else. So when we find him at the beginning of the series in this period of relative peace for him, we know that it's deeply unsettling and that he's setting about the long chess game of how to protect Middle-earth from evil. The stillness of an elf is easy to underestimate, but Gil-galad, he's just vibrating on another level. He's tapped into the health and well being of Middle-earth in a way that no other elf has.
That's awesome. I'm looking forward to seeing what comes of that. Can we also look forward to an expansion of the relationship between him and Elrond at all in the show?
Benjamin Walker: Oh, very much so. They have a kind of mentor-mentee relationship and Gil-galad is the kind of leader that we wish we had, someone who brings out the best in us and encourages us to begin the first steps in the journey of our destiny and he does that very much for Elrond in the way a loving parent would to encourage you to be your better self and to do things as if you thought it was your idea. The way a parent shows love is to shepherd you in the right direction, but also give you the strength and the volition to take ownership of that journey.
What was it like developing a rapport with Robert Aramayo off camera before bringing it into your scenes together?
Benjamin Walker: Effortless. I mean, he's a charming man, an incredibly talented actor. He is a Tolkien scholar and we just, we really hit it off. We also went to the same college, so we had a kind of acting vocabulary shorthand, which was incredibly helpful because I do think Gil-galad and Elrond do kind of share an unspoken communication. Gil-galad recognizes that the half-elf needs to prove himself and Gil-galad also recognizes that there is infinite potential for him and he just needs a little guidance.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Synopsis
Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness.
Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.
Check out our interviews with the The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power cast at SDCC 2022, as well as with stars Markella Kavenagh & Megan Richards, Cynthia Addai-Robinson & Trystan Gavelle, Owain Arthur & Sophia Nomvete, Maxim Baldry & Lloyd Owen, and Ismael Cruz Córdova & Nazanin Boniadi.
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More: The Rings Of Power: What To Expect From The Lord Of The Rings Show
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premieres on September 2 on Prime Video.