The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power tells the tale of how twenty magical rings were forged in the Second Age of Middle Earth by the instruction of a mysterious stranger who goes by the name Annatar. Considered the Lord of Gifts, many who encounter him do not trust him, and the beings of Middle Earth will soon find out why their wariness is warranted.
The ensemble cast was meticulously chosen, as this important story, and each of its characters, play significant roles in the telling of J.R.R. Tolkien’s great adventure tales. The series is set to arrive on Prime Video on September 2, 2022, and we've already seen some exciting footage from the show. So without further ado, here are the actors and actresses tasked with bringing this epic story's most important characters to life.
Benjamin Walker as High King Gil-galad
High King Gil-galad, son of Orodreth, House of Finarfin, High King of the Elves of the West, is the last Noldor king that Middle Earth will ever see. Gil-galad was given the title of High King as a respected ruler of both the Noldor and Sindar Elves. This great ruler, in times of great peril, will go on to form the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, waging war against Sauron. Before being crowned as High King, Gil-galad’s father ruled over Minas Tirith of Tol Sirion, which fell at the hands of Sauron in the First Age. During this age, Gil-galad and Elrond are approached by a stranger, who goes by the name Annatar and teaches the elves to make Rings of Power. Suspicious of this stranger, Gil-galad is distrusting of Annatar’s motives, and as he and the kingdom of Middle Earth soon find out, his suspicions are for good reason.
Benjamin Walker, known for portraying Abraham Lincoln in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, will take on the weighty role of High King Gil-galad. Walker recently appeared in the adventure film The King's Daughter, where he took on the role of the charming Captain Yves alongside Pierce Brosnan and Kaya Scodelario.
Morfydd Clark as Galadriel
One of the greatest Elves of Middle Earth, Galadriel is also known as the Lady of the woods of Lothlórien. Galadriel was born in the Years of the Trees, before the First Age. Daughter of a prince of Noldor, she and her husband Celeborn ruled over a group of Elves under Gil-galad and met the stranger Annatar, Lord of Gifts, joining in the creation of the Rings of Power. Galadriel bore Nenya, one of the three Elven rings of power. By the third age, following the great battle against Sauron, Galadriel was one of the mightiest Elves left.
Portrayed by Cate Blanchett in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films, the role of Galadriel in the Prime Video series will be taken on by Morfydd Clark. Clark, with her striking gaze, is often seen in science-fiction and period pieces. You may recognize her from her role as Georgina in the 2016 film Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. The His Dark Materials actress is currently preparing for her role as Ophelia in the upcoming modern adaption of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Robert Aramayo as Elrond
Written to appear ageless, with a face that was written with the memory of things both glad and sorrowful, Elrond, Lord of Rivendell, captain and herald to Gil-galad, is a mighty Elf ruler in Middle Earth. Half Elf, and half man, Elrond led in the War of the Elves and Sauron in the Second Age, though his forces were too small and the captain was forced to retreat. Arriving in Rivendell, his and Gil-galad's forces brought down the army besieging the ethereal place. Following the battle, Elrond held the first White Council, where it was decided that Elrond would become Lord of Rivendell, and he was given Vilya, the Blue Ring of Power by Gil-galad.
Elrond was previously portrayed by The Matrix actor Hugo Weaving. In the telling of The Rings of Power, the role will be taken on by Robert Aramayo. Aramayo most recently appeared in The King’s Man, in which he portrayed Sergeant Major Atkins. No stranger to the genre of fantasy, Aramayo previously portrayed a young Ned Stark in Game of Thrones.
Maxim Baldry as Isildur
Isildur, the eldest son of Elendil, founded and ruled Gondor with his brother Anárion. Born in the Second Age, Isildur is the descendant of power-hungry men who craved eternal life. As King of Gondor, Isildur, along with his army and three eldest sons, took up arms against the tyrant Sauron in the War of the Last Alliance. As Gil-galad and Elendil, High King of the Dúnedain, battle Sauron, Isildur takes the hilt of Elendil’s broken sword and cuts the One Ring from Sauron's hand. Upon his death the One Ring is lost in the marshes of the Gladden Fields, later being found by a hobbit, setting off the story of Frodo and The Fellowship of the Ring.
Maxim Baldry will take on the role of power-hungry Isildur in The Rings of Power. Beginning his career at just nine years old, Baldry has made appearances in the well-known British television series Skins and Doctor Who, though he is most recognizable from his role as Ed in the 2019 holiday film Last Christmas.
Charles Edwards as Celebrimbor
Celebrimbor, Noldorin prince of the House of Fëanor, was a ruler of the realm Eregion and a master smith. Under the guidance of The Stranger Annatar, Celebrimor forges the three Elven Rings of Power, Nenya, Vilya, and Narya, which, unbeknownst to the smith, are magically bound to the One Ring, and the wearers could be influenced by Sauron.
The role of the wary smith will be taken on by Charles Edwards, an accomplished actor who began his career in 1988. Edwards is known for his recurring role as Martin Charteris in the Netflix series The Crown, as well as for his part in the 2020 fantasy film The Witches, in which he portrays the rude and pushy Mr. Jenkins.
Daniel Weyman as The Stranger
A mysterious stranger to the people of Middle Earth, Annatar, as he calls himself, brings with him powerful information on the forging of rings. The powerful magic that binds the rings may seal the fate of Middle Earth.
The dark and mysterious stranger will be portrayed by Gentleman Jack actor Daniel Weyman. Weyman, who’s known for his recurring role as Max Thorndyke in the BBC series Silent Witness, is also a voice actor, taking on roles in podcast series such as Tommies and The Sandman.
Markella Kavenagh as Elanor "Nori" Brandyfoot
Elanor Brandyfoot, known as Nori, is a hobbit of Harfoot ancestry. Born in the Second Age, she discovers a mysterious person lurking near where a meteorite crashed into the land. This non-canonical character was created for the series.
The role of the barefoot Hobbit Nori will be taken on by Markella Kavenagh, who audiences will recognize from the 2020 romantic drama film My First Summer, in which she portrayed the isolated yet curious Claudia, a young woman hiding on a remote property following her mothers' death. Kavenagh made her film debut with 2019's True History of the Kelly Gang and is currently filming a television series titled Bad Behavior, which is said to follow a group of teenage girls at an exclusive wilderness boarding school.
Owain Arthur as Prince Durin IV
Prince Durin IV of the Dwarf Kingdom of Khazad-Dum, a descendant of the three King Durins, is considered to be a reincarnation of legendary Dwarf king Durin I, like those before him. In the Second Age, Durin IV bore the Ring of Power that was handed down to him by Durin III.
Owain Arthur will don the pounds of wig and beard hair it takes to become his character Prince Durin IV. Arthur has had many recurring roles in television series throughout his acting career, appearing in such shows as A Confession, Casualty, Hard Sun, and more.
Lenny Henry as Sadoc Burrows
Sadoc Burrows, a Harfoot Hobbit born in the Second Age, may be investigating the mysterious person at the meteorite site alongside Nori. Sadoc is also a non-canonical character created for the series.
The Harfoot Hobbit will be portrayed by Lenny Henry. Henry, an England-born actor of Jamaican heritage, began his career in 1974, receiving small parts in television series such as The Fosters and The Young Ones. In 1986, Henry landed his own television series, titled Lenny Henry Tonite, in which he took on various characters in a number of comedy shorts. More recently, Henry appeared as Daniel Barton in Doctor Who, though he is most recognizable as the voice behind the talking head hanging from the mirror of the Knight Bus in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Nazanin Boniadi as Bronwyn
Bronwyn, a woman from the village of Tirharad, a village of men, is a healer who falls in love with the Silvan Elf Arondir. The character, who was created for the Rings of Power series, is a non-canonical addition to the story.
The part of the healer Bronwyn will be taken on by Nazanin Boniadi. The Iranian-born actress is known for her performance as Zahra in the historical drama Hotel Mumbai, though millennial audiences will recognize her straight away as Nora, Barney’s ex-girlfriend in the long-running comedy series, How I Met Your Mother.
Ismael Cruz Cordova as Arondir
This Silvan Elf character was created for the Rings of Power series and is therefore non-canonical. We have yet to learn what role Arondir will play in the great battle for Middle Earth.
Ismael Cruz Cordova will take on the role of Silvan Elf Arondir. Cruz Cordova began his career with the 2003 Spanish-language drama Stray Bullet. In 2011, he took on a recurring role in the television series The Good Wife, portraying the character Jimmy Patrick. More recently, the Berlin Station actor appeared in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian, taking on the role of Twi'lek mercenary Qin. The Puerto Rico-born actor is currently filming a crime thriller titled Finestkind, in which two brothers find themselves intertwined with a Boston-based organized crime syndicate.
Additional, yet-to-be-disclosed characters will be portrayed by Augustus Prew (Kick-Ass 2), Alex Tarrant (Night Raiders), Trystan Gravelle (Utopia), Lloyd Owen (Apollo 18), Simon Merrells (Spartacus), Cynthia Addai Robinson (Star Trek Into Darkness), and Peter Mullan (The Magdalene Sisters).