When Amazon first announced that they were adapting The Lord of the Rings to TV, excitement rose to a fever pitch.
After the ending of Game of Thrones left a sour taste in the mouth for most fans, people were looking for a more satisfying fantasy TV genre. Of course, underlying this excitement is also the hope that Amazon doesn’t let what happened to Game of Thrones happen to The Lord of the Rings.
Amazon Studios has generally been tight-lipped about the series but at least they have now announced the cast.
Those who have been confirmed so far include Robert Aramayo (young Ned on Game of Thrones), Owain Arthur (The Palace), Nazanin Boniadi (Homeland), Tom Budge (The Pacific), Morfydd Clark (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies), Ismael Cruz Córdova (The Mandalorian), Ema Horvath (The Gallows Act II), Markella Kavenagh (Romper Stomper), Joseph Mawle (Benjen Stark Game of Thrones ), Sophia Nomvete, Megan Richards, Dylan Smith, Charlie Vickers (Medici), Daniel Weyman (Gentleman Jack), and Tyroe Muhafidin.point 428 | 1
Entertainment Weekly reports that Aramayo is the heroic Beldor. Other than that, there have been no announcements as to which characters the rest of the cast will be playing.
In any case, filming starts next month and hopefully, the series will be out by next year.
Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay said: “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.
“These exceptionally talented women and men are more than just our actors: they are the newest members of an ever-expanding creative family that are now working tirelessly to bring Middle-earth to life anew for fans and audiences worldwide.”
At the same time, the casting directors issued a call late last year for extras to play orcs.
They were looking for people either under five feet tall or over six feet tall. They should also have what they delicately described as “wonderful noses” or “character faces.”
The agency added: “HAIR HAIR HAIR – if you have natural red hair, white hair, or lots and lots of freckles.”
They were also looking for “long lithe dancers,” stocky mean-looking bikers,” and “redheads of all ages, shapes, and sizes.”
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