Right now, as we (im)patiently await the debut of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2, us fans will take any news we can get ahead of the highly-anticipated premiere of the Prime Video series next week. Thankfully we were at San Diego Comic-Con this year and had the opportunity to take part in a roundtable interview and chat with the stars of the hit show.
We've already shared interviews with actors like Charlie Vickers and Charles Edwards, as well as with Daniel Weyman and Megan Richards. Be sure to check them out! In this article, we'll focus on Ismael Cruz Córdova (Arondir) and Tyroe Muhafidin (Theo). Read on below for details on what's to come for their characters in The Rings of Power season 2!
From world-building to getting "into the grit" of things
The two actors talked about the scale of The Rings of Power season 2. The main difference between the first and second season is the fact that much of the world-building is done. The main characters have been introduced and the tale set up. Now in the second season, it's time to "get into the grit" of things.
"Fantasy and this kind of tale, you have to build the world. You have to be in these little tiny pockets before you can afford the journey. And I think we definitely afforded that journey. And season 2 picks up right there. kinda hits the ground running," said Córdova. "Sauron is here. There's no question about it. The first one was like, 'what's happening? There's a darkness here. Oh, there's this guy.' Now we know it's Sauron. There's hopefulness. But then the second one is, we gotta survive and figure this out. And in there, there's going to be a lot of unexpected journeys, crossings, pairings, and pivots emotionally in the characters as well."
"I feel like this season, we're at a point where we know who everyone is now and we can really start to push forward and get into the grit," added Muhafidin.
Córdova also teased how Rings of Power season 2 felt "dense" in terms of the quality of scenes written for their characters. It's not necessarily quantity that matters when it comes to the story this time around.
"Maybe you see that some of our characters are not as prominent in the trailer or this and that, but every moment that we get to have - it's so dense. I have this one scene that I truly felt that if I didn't have - in one scene, maybe two minutes," said Córdova. " that didn't have anything else to do in the show this season, I would have been chill. So there are very beautiful, rewatchable, core moments."
Addressing Bronwyn's absence
In May 2024, Bronwyn actress Nazanin Boniadi shared she would not be returning to reprise her role in The Rings of Power season 2. Initially, reports said that she wasn't coming back to focus on advocacy work. However, in an Instagram post, the star said that was not the reason but did not elaborate further.
The fantasy series has not recast the role; Bronwyn is Theo's mother and the human woman and healer whom Arondir falls in love with. So how is the story going to move forward without her?
"First and foremost, working with Naz was an amazing journey. I respect her so much as an actress. The three of us built something very special. We were very aligned," said Córdova. "We've bonded so much and locked arms to tell this story. And that journey was, of course, impossible without Naz. I wish her the best time in her new endeavors. And thanks to the depth of what we were able to build, our characters' new journey is so full of her. It's completely anchored, it's so fully anchored in everything that we built. It’s a continuation of the story in a beautiful, beautiful way."
"Her presence is still definitely felt, and it's still definitely there," shared Muhafidin. "In every episode from in our lives, from beginning to end," added Córdova.
Working with green screens
A difficult part of acting for some is the use of green screens and having to react to something that isn't really there. Especially when it comes to fantasy shows, this is very common. Though when it comes to both Córdova and Muhafidin, they appreciate the challenge.
"Season 1 it was kind of easy with the creature work because we mostly worked with Orcs, and they're in full prosthetic. So that was super easy to be able to visualize it. Whereas this season, we were looking at poles with a green LED, and that was I think a challenge," said Muhafidin. "I think I definitely am someone that plays off what's in front of them and the energy that they're giving, so that was definitely a challenge. But it was a really great learning curve, and I got the opportunity to come up with things from my own head and conjure up things from my own creativity, which is cool."
"I mean, I was looking at that pole and, like, tearing up. You know? Feeling what I have to feel," said Córdova. "And I've seen those scenes. are pretty cool and you don't know what it is about. And you're going to love it."
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 premieres August 29. The first three episodes will drop all at once on Prime Video.