The Rings of Power executive producer Lindsey Weber discussed the diversity in the upcoming Lord of the Rings series.

Speaking to Vanity Fair, Weber praised The Rings of Power’s multicultural cast by referring to Sophia Nomvete’s portrayal of the dwarf Disa. "It felt only natural to us that an adaptation of Tolkien’s work would reflect what the world actually looks like," she said. Nomvete is the first woman of color to play a dwarf in The Lord of the Rings. However, some fans have expressed disappointment that Disa doesn't sport a beard.

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Weber emphasized the franchise's need for inclusivity. "Tolkien is for everyone," she said. "His stories are about his fictional races doing their best work when they leave the isolation of their own cultures and come together." Unity between races was prominent throughout The Lord of the Rings. While all were portrayed by white actors, Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli were all different fictional races. The unlikely bond between an elf, a human and a dwarf was a key part of the story.

The Rings of Power also includes a forbidden relationship between an elf and a human, both of whom are played by actors of color. Ismael Cruz Cordova is the first person of color to portray an elf in a Tolkien project. His character Arondir is romantically involved with Nazanin Boniadi’s Bronwyn, a human village healer. Cordova is Puerto Rican while Boniadi is British Iranian.

Although the casting has provided new opportunities to minority actors, the show's creators have faced some backlash. The studio received online abuse after Amazon released 23 Rings of Power posters and several on-set images featuring the diverse cast. However, this did not surprise Tolkien scholar Mariana Rios Maldonado. She said she always expected backlash but did not take the negative feedback to heart, adding, "Who are these people that feel so threatened or disgusted by the idea that an elf is Black or Latino or Asian?"

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The Rings of Power is an upcoming Prime Video series set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, several thousand years before the events of Tolkien’s Hobbit and Lord of the Rings books. The show focuses on the forging of the Rings of Power and Sauron's subsequent rise. It also shows the last alliance between Elves and Men and the island kingdom of Númenor. The Rings of Power includes many familiar characters, including Game of Thrones' Robert Aramayo as Elrond and His Dark Materials' Morfydd Clark as Galadriel.

Amazon bought the television rights for The Lord of the Rings in November 2017 for $250 million, committing to at least five seasons. The Rings of Power's staggering $1 billion budget makes it the most expensive TV series in history.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premieres on Prime Video on Sept 2.

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Source: Vanity Fair