We’re days away from the highly-anticipated launch of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Energy. The most recent addition to the sprawling LOTR franchise is a prequel to Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies and The Hobbit. Set hundreds of years earlier than the movies, the present will take followers into the Second Age of Center-earth. Created by J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, it brings collectively some acquainted characters together with a number of new names and unseen terrains because it explores all the things that went into the creation of the Rings of Energy. The massive ensemble solid consists of Robert Aramayo as Elrond, a half-Elven character we’ve seen earlier than and Charles Edwards as Celebrimbor, a grasp smith.
In an unique interview forward of the present’s launch, the actors opened up about their characters, taking part in out quiet moments amidst huge set items and taking place the rabbit gap of Tolkien theories.
The Rings of Energy pulls you again into Center-earth. What was that pinch-me second on the units like for you?
Robert: It was a cover of pinch-me moments haha. There’s a lot on this present. You might be blown away by the set or an actor or a fancy dress or one thing artistic. The artwork division is wonderful. Their potential to rework an already stunning New Zealand, it is simply too wonderful for phrases. So yeah, there have been a whole lot of these moments.
Elrond has been portrayed in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies earlier than. Did you’re taking any cues from that efficiency or did you need to break free from that?
Robert: I actually needed to discover his previous and historical past, the issues which have come earlier than the Elrond that we meet in motion pictures – his father, his mom and his brother who achieves unbelievable issues. He is an orphan. Charles and I additionally share a type of connection to the sons of Fëanor on this actually fascinating manner that we bought to speak about fairly a bit. So I feel diving into the previous was an excellent place to start.
Charles, your character forges the Elven rings and he is manipulated by Sauron however little or no is thought about him. What was your technique of researching for this function?
Charles: Properly, you begin with what Tolkien has written which is not very a lot. Celebrimbor is talked about within the Lord of the Rings on the council of Elrond. He mentions him when he is recounting the story of the forging of the rings of energy and Celebrimbor additionally made what contributed to the creation of The Doorways of Durin in Moria. Apart from that, there are solely two mentions within the Lord of the Rings that he will get. However in Tolkien’s appendices, once we additional go into the Second Age which is the place our present takes its inspiration from, he has been sketched out a bit additional. So you will have a fundamental define however even Tolkien’s variations contradicted one another as he does with many different issues. To me, that is very thrilling – that there’s not one model that you must adhere to. There is definitely scope to take what Tolkien implies and run with it. In order that’s been a really satisfying expertise for me.
The Rings of Energy has all these visually beautiful moments. If you’re on set what’s your course of of creating your efficiency shine amidst all the large set items? Robert: The visuals actually show you how to. Clearly, you do not need to get misplaced in them however we have spoken quite a bit about Celebrimbor’s workshop which massively helped the scenes the place Charles and I have been working collectively. Clearly, most elements have been what Charles was doing and responding to that. However the set itself is simply breathtaking and so detailed.
Charles: And to make sure that what you mentioned did not occur, Robert and I did a whole lot of scenes collectively and we established a really shut reference to one another and saved to the reality of what we have been taking part in. As a result of what you overlook is that sure, there are big set items however whenever you’re doing the scene the digital camera is correct right here so whereas there’s a lot within the background whenever you’ve bought a quiet scene or a tense scene to work with the digital camera may be very a lot with you. In order that fear did not come up an excessive amount of for me.
There’s a whole lot of anticipation across the present. Have you ever had the prospect to dabble in fan theories and reactions?
Robert: I used to go down the rabbit gap of Elrond, years in the past earlier than I clearly knew that I would be taking part in him. I used to at all times be all in favour of sure choices that he made within the Legendarium so I have been down these rabbit holes and so they’re very pleasing. I attempt to keep away from them now however now I understand how pleasing it’s to make your individual choices and that is what I like about Tolkien – everybody’s bought a really distinctive perspective based mostly on their opinion of what they’ve learn. And one opinion might be as astounding as one other and so they may very well be fully contradicting one another.
Charles: And it is all good as a result of all of it comes from ardour. We’ve the eagerness and so do the followers. And sure, heated arguments are at all times inevitable when there is a subject like this to speak about so it is all good.
Should you hadn’t bagged these roles, which Tolkien characters would you wish to play and why?
Charles: I at all times needed to play Sam within the Lord of the Rings. Once I was little, I used to be very taken by him. However now, I do not assume I am fairly proper for him haha. However that was the one I at all times needed to play.
Robert: I at all times appreciated this hero from the First Age known as Beleg Strongbow who’s a really great character, a Sindarin Elf. And fairly just a few tragic issues occur to him however he is an actual Elven hero. I actually loved studying about him.
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Energy is ready to launch on September 2