Prime Video’s epic fantasy adventure The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power announced seven new cast members have joined season two as filming is underway in the UK. Joining the journey into the world of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth in recurring roles are Ben Daniels, Nia Towle, Gabriel Akuwudike, Yasen “Zates” Atour, Amelia Kenworthy, and Nicholas Woodeson.
Prime Video also confirmed Sam Hazeldine is taking over the role of Orc leader Adar for the second season. Joseph Mawle (Benjen Stark in Game of Thrones) played the character in five episodes of season one.
Prime Video’s announcement did not include any details on who the new recurring cast members will be playing, other than Hazeldine.
“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. 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,” stated Vernon Sanders, Head of Global Television, Amazon Studios.
Season one pulled in 25 million viewers on its premiere day (September 1, 2022), making it the biggest premiere in the streaming service’s history. No date’s been announced yet for the premiere of season two.
Ben Daniels starred as Father Marcus Keane in The Exorcist series and as Walter Sampson in Jupiter’s Legacy. Sam Hazeldine played Barnaby in The Sandman and Moe in Slow Horses, and will be seen in Masters of The Air, the Band of Brothers sequel.
Gabriel Akuwudike’s credits include Hanna, Ridley Road, and War of the Worlds. Yasen “Zates” Atour played Coen in The Witcher season two and Reza-Al-Rahman in Young Wallander. Nia Towle’s resume includes Persuasion and the play The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Nicholas Woodeson’s credits include Silent Witness, Baptiste, Rome, and Poirot.
Amelia Kenworthy’s set to make her television debut in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
The Plot, Courtesy of Prime Video:
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 books, 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 reemergence 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 farthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.
