How ‘Rings of Power’ Star Morfydd Clark Got Up to Speed on ‘Lord of the Rings’

On the show, Clark plays a younger version of Galadriel, who was played by Cate Blanchett in Peter Jackson’s iconic films based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels. She shared, “I focused on the idea that Galadriel is wise, but she’s still naïve compared to what she will be in the Third Age. But knowing what happens to her made things that my Galadriel was doing seem so much more poignant and important. And playing a canon character — when she’s also been explored by one of the greatest ever, Cate Blanchett — was just marvelous.”

Morfydd also got some help to prep for the role from die-hard “LOTR” fans. She explained, “I followed a lot of TikTokers who are Tolkien experts. I’m bad at reading, so they basically became my teachers. They had music, visuals, everything. It was the perfect way to learn — I wish school could have been more like TikTok!”

Clark shares many of her scenes with Charlie Vickers, who plays Halbrand. He dished, “Hal is obviously an original character, but everything about his make-up is drawn from the environment or the essence of Tolkien’s world.”

Ismael also opened up his tough journey to be part of the show. He revealed, “I was rejected, like, three different times for a part in this show. And then after my last rejection they came back and said, ‘We want to test you.’ The night before the test they said, ‘Oh, by the way, you’re auditioning for an Elf.’ For me that was awesome — I always wanted to be an Elf. But that was just twelve hours before I went to New Zealand.”

Cynthia also explained why the show is so relevant now. She said, “There’s a reason why this story has resonated, ever since it was written and created. These are divided times, but stories can unify, and this is the kind of thing that people want to watch together. When I talk to people who now know that I’m part of this, the overwhelming response is excitement. People are excited to see this.”

The issue hits newsstands September 9.