Rings of Power's Sam Hazeldine and Robert Strange at SDCC

Debuting to thousands of excited fans during San Diego Comic-Con, a new The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power trailer showcased never-before-seen footage of the legendary Rings, magical creatures, and glimpses of battles to come. We then had the chance to sit down with Sam Hazeldine (Adar) and Robert Strange (Glug). We discussed what it’s like to experience this story from the Orcs’ point of view, what’s coming in season 2, and the show’s bigger themes.

Actors Sam Hazeldine and Robert Strange, who play Orcs, shared their enthusiasm for the upcoming season, particularly highlighting the diverse creatures and the blend of VFX and live-action. They also discussed the evolution of their characters and the complexities of Orc society, revealing their sympathetic portrayal and the exploration of their motivations beyond just being “evil”. The show delves into themes of displacement and the search for belonging, even for the Orcs. The actors emphasized the nuanced portrayal of their characters, driven by a sense of duty and protection rather than outright villainy. This approach showcases the writers’ ability to create empathy for even seemingly irredeemable characters. Overall, the interview offered insights into the depth and complexity of the second season, leaving fans eagerly anticipating its premiere.

Robert Strange on being a fan of The Lord of The Rings

Robert Strange, who is both a fan and an actor, is most excited about seeing all the different creatures in the upcoming project. He loves the combination of visual effects and seeing actors interact with the creatures, and is especially looking forward to seeing Ents, sea creatures, hill trolls, and Orcs.

“For me, I have a vested interest, but for me, I love all the creatures. There are so many creatures we’re going to see. Ents, sea creatures, hill trolls, and of course Orcs, we’re going to see it all. I love to see the combination of VFX and seeing people interact with them.”-Robert Strange

Sam Hazeldine on what to expect in season 2 of The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power

Hazeldine mentions that his character in season 2 will feel like a natural progression from season 1, becoming more complex as the audience and the actor himself learn more about his past. The new season will also explore the origins of the orcs, offering further insight into his character’s motivations and background.

“I think it’s a reasonably seamless transition. I really liked what I saw in the first season. I took the vibe from season 1 and the character kind of gets richer as time goes on, because you’re finding out more about him. And as an actor you’re discovering more about him, every new scene gives you more information about his past. And there’s a lot of stuff alluded to about what happened in the first place and perhaps how the orcs were created. And so that was really interesting.” -Sam Hazeldine

The show portrays the Orcs sympathetically, emphasizing their displacement and search for a home.

The show portrays the Orcs sympathetically, emphasizing their displacement and search for a home. Robert Strange explains how season two explores the Orcs’ lives beyond war, revealing their social structures and family connections. This approach reflects Tolkien’s own uncertainty about the Orcs’ nature, allowing for a nuanced portrayal.

“I think what season 1 did so beautifully was show that the Orcs are a displaced people in a way, that they were looking for a home. No one is denying that they are bad, they are evil. But they are looking for a home. This time through Glug, who’s my character who’s Adar’s kind of right hand orc, we are going to see a little more about the lives and complexities that the Orc have outside of war. They have lives, they have families and social structures. We’re going to kind of explore how that affects the relationships between Glug and Adar and then Sauron’s influence as well…I think it’s really interesting because Tolkien never really made his mind up about the orcs in all his life, he kind of changed his mind a lot about how they were created and whether or not they were irredeemable and that is something that we got to play with.”-Robert Strange

Sam Hazeldine as Adar; Morfydd Clark as Galadriel

Sam Hazeldine portrays Adar, not as a villain, but as a figure driven by a sense of duty to protect his family. The narrative between Adar and Glug involves mistrust and concerns about Sauron’s return, potentially highlighting the Orcs’ vulnerability and internal struggles. Overall, the show presents a more complex and sympathetic view of the Orcs, humanizing them and fostering viewer empathy.

“I don’t think that Adar is a villain at all, I think he just has this sense of duty to protect his family. And it’s been very very difficult for him with the kind of suffering that he’s been through that made him who he is now. All he’s doing is he’s trying to protect his children…Theres a kind of a narrative playing out between our two characters through this second season and it should be sympathetic I think. Glug is very worried about Sauron coming back and I have assured him that he is dead. So there might be a seed of mistrust there.” -Sam Hazeldine

Sam Hazeldine and Robert Strange are on the more villainous side of the story but they see their characters as sympathetic. They are simply doing what they think is best. That is a testament to the writers and their ability to make even seemingly irredeemable characters sympathetic.

So, don’t miss the season two premiere of “The Rings of Power” on Prime Video on August 29th. The first three episodes drop on August 29th, followed by a weekly release schedule for the rest of the season.