'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' Cast on What They Fear Most About Sauron

Morfydd Clark and Sam Hazeldine War's come to midle Earth you think it was only you you put yourself in my power first off congratulations good to see you nice to meet you Sam Mor I'm gonna start with you I'm curious what kind of conversations did you have with the showrunners about what it feels like for gadriel to put the ring on and how it would have to change how she carried herself in the show yeah so there were lots of discussions about this that I was just obsessed with it because it is so interesting this idea that they don't know how it's going to affect them and how quickly does it like there's so many choices that could be made and I don't want to give too much way for what we decided about but I loved having those conversations and it's also just I love asking people what they think they'd be like if they had A- ring of any kind um and you know she's taking a big risk and she's also taking a risk when she knows that she isn't as without fault as she once thought um so there's a recklessness and a bravery and um a kind of Fool's hope which I like about it great success the idea of putting the ring on and what it might do to me has definitely bur its way into my brain here's the question for for both of you CU I'm curious how your answers might differ on this one so obviously both of your characters do not like Sauron so at the start of season two for each of them individually what do you think they fear about him and what he's capable of most well I think glad fears um destruction and pain um something I love about token's world is how the Earth and nature is so important um and I think that's something that glad will become more and more connected with until we eventually see her in Loth laan um and so it's kind of the fear of not just kind of the elves being destroyed but also kind of just a little ant in Middle Earth being hurt by him what about you yeah well I think I think um there's a sort of there's the threat of Sauron but there's also on a personal level that he's this Great Deceiver and he has you know made you feel um like he's your salvation at at one point before quite recently for Galadriel a long time ago for Adar and you know so the twist of the knife is the worst that it could could possibly be because you've you've trusted someone he's tricked you into trusting him and then has completely abused that and what you end up with is feeling just like you know your world is is kind of destroyed the rugs pulled out from you it's like it's like the worst kind of gaslighting yeah ever um and then you know you're stuck with the consequences of what whatever that is and so we pick up at the beginning of season 2 and as more was saying our characters have that one thing in common which is this just we've both been horribly abused by Sauron you know we don't we don't really apart from that we got nothing in common so the bond that we have is one of it's like the of the worst shared experience yeah way to describe it but it makes all sense but it's all we got so yeah um I obviously don't want to spoil anything but I want to highlight all the good that's to come in season two for folks out there so for each of you which season two episode are you most excited for fans to see and can you tease why this isn't a cop out I think I really like episode one simply because it's like it's sort of like an all hands on deck thing he's back and everybody has to kind of just jump up and start thinking on doing immediately but there are lots of things and lots of other episodes I mean there's so much that happens in this season there's so many kind of events and uh twists and turns that it is really difficult to choose a specific I would say episode six um is there's really no going back after that are you saying that because I'm not in episode 6 is that saying it maybe I am I can't which one this is the work of s all right Charlie I'm going to come Charles Edwards and Charlie Vickers your way first uh so we obviously see saon change forms in season 2 and it did make me wonder as his appear changes are there any particular things or ideas that you always hold tight to just to make sure he remains a fully consistent character definitely and I think he has the same internal world as hellbrand and I think we the relationship with Kell brimo is the thing that I really held on to and that is it's it's sparked in that Forge scene in the e8th episode and it's this idea that we see at the very start of the show is power not of the flesh but over flesh that is his means to an end and end goal is to heal and rehabilitate Middle Earth and I tried to keep that as the core of the character throughout the changing forms I guess did want to throw a question to to both of you about working together because you've you've got a number of electric scenes in the episodes that I've seen in particular the end of episode two sticks out in my brain so for each of you can you tell me something about the other as a scene partner that you appreciated and maybe helped you reach something in your own character that you wouldn't have been able to without him I I I'll stop go on I really appreciate I mean the obvious things that come forth are like Charlie's generosity as an actor which is the thing that you know is most important I think but like I really liked the relationship and how we established like this sense of levity like Charlie was makes it feel very easy as a performer playing opposite him because the subject matter is so dark and can be quite intense but um I think a lot of the magic and spontaneity that happened was as a consequence of like I learned a lot from working with Charlie about keeping things light and not um not getting like dragged down into like being all Angry all the time I would say the same about thank you Charlie for that I would say the same exactly the same about Charlie it's a lot it's all to do with respect and if you if you it's unspoken there stuff that you know when you don't want want to talk about the scene or you don't and you just know that neither of you need to and you just do it that's the best when it's just you trust each other implicitly you trust each other's work and you respect each other's work you just and it just plays and then you discover as you go and we you may we may talk briefly about it afterwards or but we don't you know we didn't get kind of really because it was just happening and that was one of the main reasons of of why that season 2 was such a a joy to to do so Charles I want to lean into Kell bmore for my last question here because obviously he's in a it's a very tough situation at the start of season 2 and I just really appreciated how much the internal conflict he's experiencing comes through in your performance so what do you think is driving his decisions most at this point is it kind of like an eagerness for his work to be recognized and respected a genuine desire to help fear what is it there's something about him that even though elves live forever he feels he's something is running out there's sand the sand is is you know trickling away and that drives him to make these decisions which he POS possibly otherwise shouldn't however they have sparked I believe that sauron's spell even in the guys of hbr in EP in episode eight of season 1 was cast in that first meeting in the Forge and the exchange of the piece of meil and the that little scene that was there between them the spell is the die is cast the spell is is cast at that point and um but I I think he's chasing his tail I think he's chasing after something that he's desperate to achieve and he's kind of um leaps on this you know this opportunity arises and although he's reluctant he's he's he's very uh seduced by him so yeah that's what's going on with him at this moment the great tale of is being written Daniel I want to come your way Daniel Weyman, Markella Kavenagh, and Megan Richards first because of course a very hot topic of conversation with your character is his powers so I was wondering what kind of conversations did you have with JD and Patrick in terms of how much power he has access to at the beginning of season two and also where those limitations lie yeah I think that's a good question I don't think I don't think we I don't think he has explored that sort of internally I don't think he sort of thought about how full his fuel tank is or how much more he's got to go I think he genuinely through season 1 has only really experienced what he thinks or what he feels he needs to give in in any given moment and suddenly in season two we have the moment by the well with the sandstorm where I think he feels that he's learned a few lessons and he's got this bit of wood that seems to be a conduit of energy and it's going to be really helpful and I think we see him uh give more energy than he's ever experienced before and suddenly realize that he has no control over it like it's gone way too far and so for me the answer to your question is I think he still doesn't know and hopefully we're going to see more of that as the season progresses and um and hopefully he starts soon to to learn how to use it and not to be so darn dangerous describing it as a fuel tank makes all that that uh much sense to me I feel like that puts it into perspective much more than it ever has before I you're not g to be able to to answer this uh right now if you even have the answer but I was kind of curious did did they reveal who the stranger actually is to you do you have that information while playing the mystery now I feel they've they've always been really open with me about who they think he is at any given moment because because he hasn't he hasn't lived any of the future yet and so what we've seen what we've seen in his present is a bit like my life in my present or maybe yours in your present you only know what you've lived you can't possibly know what the future's come I feel like I can be really authentic with him because I've been in the present and working with these two has been phenomenal like uh it's been such a joy to work with Mark Keller and Megan um their ability to be in the present and to to to act you know such I feel like I'm acted off the screen every time I'm with them but um but I at least I can try and keep up with you that's what I you're way ahead you danced around that a little bit but I respect it right now Mark Megan big question for both of you because obviously your characters have been through a whole lot in uh season one and have quite the journey ahead of them in season two and the thing I was wondering about most is how is that pressure going to impact their friendship is it something that you know could test them in new ways and draw them apart or perhaps bring them closer together I think both I think that they it tests them and it brings them closer together I think they really are like family to each other and so it there's no real um there's no real filtering of how they feel and and how they express themselves around each other so uh how that manifests you see whenever they're in certain given you know they given circumstances and then when they meet and encounter these new the stores um you really see you really see how how it challenges them both and how they challenge each other yeah but they also show up for each other in a really lovely way yeah the wonderful thing about their friendship is that the foundation is so strong and already was at the beginning of season 1 so that only grows and continues but that is already so deep and within them that's not going anywhere I can't handle a riff between the two of them so glad that was your answer I'll turn that towards them as individuals now on this journey that they're about to go on this battle that they're about to go into can you each tell me what you think their greatest strength on this mission is going to be but also their greatest weakness the thing that could possibly do them in I think for Nori her curiosity is both it's both her strength and her huus I feel like for her you know she it's um I really love how um how inquisitive she is and how much she wants to learn but I also feel that sometimes that really uh it kind she kind of just does what she wants to do and it it can put a lot of a lot of others like others around her in danger so I think that yeah it's it's it's both it's both a blessing and and a bit of a curse to be that inquisitive yeah I think for poppy her sense of belonging is such a wonderful thing but she's also still constantly trying to find it um and I think that that's the thing that definitely drives her and that's why she holds so much weight and responsibility for um these two characters um but I think also yeah that can sometimes it can sort of tip you over the edge if that's the only thing that you're constantly thinking about is making sure that your home you know these two you know especially Nori represents home for her um and so sometimes if anything can sort of shake that then that is can be [Music] detrimental every soul in Middle Earth is par Ben you're getting my my first Ismael Cruz Córdova and Benjamin Walker question so Big E what kind of conversations did you have with the showrunners about what it would feel like for Gil galled to to put the ring on and how it would have to change how he carries himself we have to forget what we know um as fans and as actors the the experience of you we know what what they do we know what they're capable of but there's a almost a bit of naive uh hope I mean this is the last last ditch effort this is the last grain of sand of Hope otherwise we have to abandon Middle Earth that that um it is inevitable and how does it change you we don't know it's it's I I mean it's almost like uh like I mean this is a terrible analogy but like a child trying drugs for the first time where you're like you shouldn't do that don't wait you'll never be the same um to a biopic yeah exactly y gall's on the Rocks he's uh lost his way um but that he that that they don't they don't know what we know so uh that kind of suspense uh is important and those were the conversations we had hind 2020 that was my exact reaction when the Rings were put on so you pretty much nailed it oh great I want to POS this question to to both of you because your your characters are both leaders but in two completely different sections of the show what would you say it meant to each of them to be a good leader at the very beginning of rings of power and how has that definition changed BAS on what they went through in season one I mean being a good leader I'm I'm I I'm not sure that he ever saw himself as a good leader or a leader at all and I think that's what that's what he just Rose to that occasion as we went and then he found himself as a leader at the end of all of that you know and but beginning of second season he is seen as a leader so now there is a big big responsibility of um people are looking up to him there's promises that have been made and it's like do you step up to this do you step up or do you go you know make a left makeer right I think it's a humongous existential question that is um that that that he has and that um he grapples with as the season goes and uh essentially that's like my storyline as we go in the season um I think what's great about his leadership is that he's exhibiting Mercy in some way that that he you know he's he's resisting the urge to say I told you so um and uh letting uh others figure it out for themselves um he's kind of like a like a parent you got yourself up in that tree now let's see you get yourself down um and in that way it helps them manifest who they're going to become and um also I think probably in his private time leaves him pretty frustrated I told you what I'm just thinking just one one thing like I just as you're talking I actually think he AR rejects leadership quite a bit like at every turn he always defers to the person that wants to have it he is a leader no like no question but he's like gadio comes and he lets her have it the other one comes he lets her have it even though he does all of the work of opening the jar you know yeah I mean sorry yeah I listened it for you I'm not wrong about that I you know what I mean I will not stop until this right every soul in the seen or Unseen World will know that it was you who was the architect of their demise first off congratulations on the Patrick McKay and Lindsey Weber first three episodes I am dying to see more oh my God thank you so much thank you so big question to start with here I'm sure you're very excited to further develop all of the story lines for your characters but of the bunch which characters season 2 Arc wound up being more creatively fulfilling for you two to craft than you ever could have imagined at the start oh well I have to repeat back you know uh uh uh what you said which is that truly it's like they're all our babies all the story lines um and we love them equally but I think we're all especially proud of the storyline between Kell bmar and Sauron this season you know uh season 2 is all about Sauron he is you know has a plan for world domination but it requires that he distribute rings of power to each of the races of Middle Earth and he cannot build them without the Elvin Da Vinci Kell bmore so we have these two incredible actors in Charlie Vickers as Sauron and Charlie Edwards Charles Edwards as Kell bmore and their season goes to places I think people aren't aren't aren't ready for in this show um it's quite dark it's quite psychological it is a descent into madness it may shock you it may yeah it may even shock you and and uh uh their performances you know we reckon are are just spectacular we all just stood a Gog looking at the monitors every day that story has turned out so beautifully and I think we're all really proud of it and and excited to share their work with the world but really spent most of my interview with the two of them gushing over a particular scene in these first three episodes so now I cannot wait to see more of you ain't seen nothing yet just wait till they get going yeah that's the meat Cube so I'm very very excited about more of them but there's also a whole lot of Tom Bombadil hype right now so I was wondering did you two always know he was going to make his debut in Season Two or was there any kind of like I guess workshopping in terms of figuring out when and why to incorporate him that is really interesting so uh JD my partner and co- showrunner and I um you know from the very beginning one of the first things we did when we were so lucky to get the job working on the show uh was to just do a word you know web on a wall whiteboard of like everything that is in Middle Earth in the second age and Tom Bombadil got up there pretty quick and the idea that we might stumbled across him hopefully in the most unexpected delightful uh place and way imaginable was always out there and when we were thinking about um you know the stranger and Nori they have a journey into the unknown uh uh in run a part of the map that's never been on screen before in talking um and uh uh the idea that maybe he's out there and maybe there's some trouble out there that you know he's been monitoring and that maybe he would help nudge The Stranger in the right direction uh uh um became too delightful to ignore and and we were so lucky our amazing C casting director Theo Park found Rory caner who is you know just pure magic in the part and uh uh he shows up in the fourth episode spoiler so you're almost there but we think people are are really going to be excited to see what he does with it I'm so hyped I'm so hyped so I want to ask one big series road map question because I love how when you're making television you're able to learn and discover new things every single step of the way so now having made both seasons one and season two seasons two what would you say is the greatest impact or change in your series long road map for rings of power well so JD and I had a plan from the beginning and you know you know two down you know in terms of seasons like we're you know the plan is uh is still the plan but I would say that working with so many amazing collaborators and these incredible actors inspires new ideas um you know uh uh uh like for example you know uh uh just to take a small thing Mor morvi Clark who plays our gadriel who is phenomenal we love her uh uh um she's kind of carrying us all on her back sometimes uh um is like a great comedian um and the idea of like well you know and she wants to sing okay well then those are registers that would be great to get her in uh elves sing gladel you know has a very dry sense of humor um and so those are aspects of her character that you know maybe might come out more because we know that she can hit that fast ball um and and so seeing talents and aspects Ben Walker sings in the first episode I don't know that gilg glad would have ever sung except that Ben is a song and dance man juliard trained song and dance man and and we were determined to take advantage of that so if anything it's just like you know noticing talents and hoping to take advantage of them and you know take you know benefit from that