The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is rounding out its Season 2 cast with seven actors added in recurring roles. Sam Hazeldine takes on the role of Orc leader Adar in a recasting in the Prime Video series. He replaces Joseph Mawle, who portrayed the character in Season 1. The recasting decision was made months ago, and Mawle did not participate in any of the worldwide promotional events for the series.
Additional new cast members are Gabriel Akuwudike (Hanna), Yasen ‘Zates’ Atour (The Witcher), Ben Daniels (Jupiter’s Legacy), newcomer Amelia Kenworthy, Nia Towle (Persuasion), and Nicholas Woodeson (Silent Witness). Character details are being kept under wraps.
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Developed by J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, The Lord of the Rings series is described as an “epic drama” set in the Second Age of Middle-earth — thousands of years before the events of the Lord of the Rings films and the novels by Tolkien. The series brings to screens for the very first time J.R.R. Tolkien’s fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history. 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.
“Since its premiere, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has been bringing audiences together to experience the magic and wonder of J.R.R. Tolkien’s magnificent Middle-earth,” said Vernon Sanders, head of global television for Amazon Studios. “To date, season one is the top Original series for Prime Video in every region and has been viewed by over 100 million people worldwide, a truly global hit that speaks to the universal nature of powerful storytelling. We welcome these wonderful actors to our ‘fellowship’ and look forward to telling more incredible Second Age stories in season two.”
Season 2 of the series is produced by showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay. Lindsey Weber, Callum Greene, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, and Gennifer Hutchison also executive produice, along with co-executive producer Charlotte Brandstrom, producers Kate Hazell and Helen Shang, and co-producers Andrew Lee, Matthew Penry-Davey, and Clare Buxton.
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