Fellow fans of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, do we have a treat for you! We were at San Diego Comic-Con this year and had the opportunity to chat with the talented and lovable cast of the hit Prime Video series ahead of its release on Thursday, August 29!
We definitely can't wait, and know you can't either. That's why we're bringing you an interview with actor Charlie Vickers (Halbrand, aka Annatar, aka Sauron) alongside Charles Edwards, who plays the elven craftsman Celebrimbor. What's in store for these two in the season ahead? Read on!
The new look
Let's start off with Sauron's new look. While many of us thought the fabulous long locks revealed in the trailer are to hide his identity, that's actually not the reason for it, according to Vickers.
"I come back into Eregion as Halbrand. But I think I can get away with that because Galadriel never admitted to anyone that Halbrand is Sauron," said Vickers. "Everyone in Eregion, they're just like, oh, there's that guy that was here a couple months ago. Like, where has he been? Galadriel, because of the shame that she's had this whole time, wasn't able to admit to anyone what she'd done. She brought out Sauron into the midst of everyone. So, I changed the way I look, but that's more just to get him to do what I want. I could have stayed as Halbrand and got away with it."
And that's really going to be Halbrand/Sauron's main motive this season, the actor shares. The character has a "sense of purpose that he needs to heal Middle-earth." And he believes the way to do that is by impressing Celebrimbor. And so, that's where the new look comes in. It's a way to see if he can "command the respect of the greatest Elven Smith in the history of Middle-earth."
Celebrimbor "wants to be famous"
And while Sauron is trying to impress Celebrimbor, the Elven Smith is trying to impress, well, everybody. Edwards shared how ego is the trait driving his character this season, and why he's decided to team up with Sauron. Though like everybody else, it's important to note that he also does not know that Annatar is actually Sauron.
"In season 1, we saw him be a little bit vain, a little bit ambitious. We didn't see much of him in season 1, but I tried to to plant those things because I knew they would be important later. And he, Tolkien tells us he wants to rival the fame and skill of his very famous grandfather," said Edwards. "He's always been looking for a project that's gonna rocket his name right to the very top, and this presents itself. So he intends to do good and to help, but he also wants his name on a brass plaque somewhere as well. So, you know, he wants to be famous."
Because of this new partnership, there's definitely going to be more Halbrand and Celebrimbor scenes, with the two actors mainly working together in Rings of Power season 2. And you'd think that chemistry would have to be built, but it actually felt quite natural for both actors.
"First season there was a lot more secrecy about what we were, where our stories were going. But we knew this was coming, and we knew it was going to be season 2. So we were both just really looking forward to it," said Edwards. "We loved going to work at it. And the story was shot amazingly in consecutive order. There was no jumping around like there often is in filming. So we went to work everyday in this amazing set in this forge and told the story. And it essentially took the two of us with, you know, a few other Elven workers. And, the odd visit from a dwarf or two."
Playing an iconic villain
Vickers was also really looking forward to getting to this part of the story as " if you look at a list of dot points of what this show has to cover the books, this is the first one that we're ticking off," he shares. This really is the main starting-off point for Sauron turning into one of the most infamous villains in literature. And now, onscreen.
"When I found out that I was doing this show, I didn't know I was going to be playing . So I moved to New Zealand, I just thought I was playing Halbrand, the guy from Southlands. But then I kind of started hearing rumors, and we were all being like, oh, Sauron may be Halbrand. And I was looking, trying to piece things together and I was like, yeah," said Vickers. "So when I found out that I was going to be Sauron I think a weight just kind of lifted from me because it was kind of confirming what I'd suspected the whole time, and it was quite a good feeling. But I feel really privileged. I don't actually feel the pressure of it. I just feel super excited. I'm lucky to be able to tell the story and have a crack at doing this."
For any of you wondering, yes, this cast is very charming and personable and it was such a great experience getting to speak with them. The passion is evident from them all, and I think that definitely translates successfully onscreen.
The countdown officially begins! The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 arrives August 29 with the first three episodes on Prime Video. You don't want to miss it!
To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and Twitter account, sign up for our exclusive newsletter and check out our YouTube channel.