The Lord of the Rings is a franchise that has shaped a fictitious universe like no other. It has generated a fandom culture that survives on its passionate devotion to the art produced and envisioned by renowned author J.R.R Tolkien. Regarded as the father of high fantasy, Tolkien’s expansive world of mythical creatures allowed notable filmmaker Peter Jackson to develop an epic fantasy adventure film trilogy that is highly regarded as one of the finest to date.
With recent attempts made to further develop the magnificent realm, Amazon’s stupendously expensive epic drama series, The Rings of Power acts like a prequel; delving into the events of Tolkien’s universe which predate the narrative of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
However, as is the case with any form of art, the latest endeavor has garnered split reception. Some remarks are overwhelmingly negative – overstepping even the boundaries of the performers involved in the production. As a response to this, voices of the past and present have united to reprimand such notions reliant on bigotry, hatred, and prejudice.
The Lord Of The Rings Cast Members Denounce Racist Trolls
Elijah Wood, who is particularly prominent for his role of Frodo Baggins, the principal protagonist of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, voiced his support amidst a slew of racist remarks and comments directed at the cast members of The Rings of Power. Joining him were co-actors Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd, who portrayed the characters of Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck and Peregrin “Pippin” Took, respectively.
When it comes to the question of the incessant backlash faced by the latest Prime Video series, chaos ensued over the depiction and inclusion of diverse characters, played by non-white actors. As many hailed the show as a proponent of “woke” culture, some went overboard with the classic online harassment, humiliation, and bullying tactics. The hate was extreme when it came to two actors in particular — Sophia Nomvete and Ismael Cruz Córdova.
Expressing his solidarity on Twitter, Wood posted a picture with the caption, “You Are All Welcome Here.” In the image, all three actors were spotted wearing t-shirts created by uber-popular TikTok user, Don Marshall. The design on the t-shirt shows the ears of the various mythical creatures featured in the ever-so-famous franchise, ranging across a wide variety of skin tones.
On top of that, there’s a writing in Elvish – a language created by Tolkien himself – which echoes the statement mentioned in the caption of Wood’s tweet. By adorning the piece, all the actors showed their extensive support to the cast members who have been a target of unnecessary hate. At the same time, it’s a proclamation of their intolerance toward prejudice and racism.
Another notable actor within the franchise joined the original cast in standing with the cause and denouncing the unjustifiable detestation shown by many towards the latest Amazon Prime series. Instead of the t-shirt, Sean Astin, who portrayed Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, donned a cap with the same design.
What The Present Cast Members Had To Say About The Ordeal
On Twitter, the cast members of the precursor series to The Lord of the Rings had a statement of their own to make. In the official account dedicated to The Rings of Power, a message was issued, which denounced the people who were engaging in harassment and trolling of the POC cast members. They mentioned how every single individual involved in the production is “together in absolute solidarity and against the relentless racism, threats, harassment, and abuse.”
Resonating with the voice of reprimand, many expressed their support. Fascinating is how the official Twitter account for Star Wars also commented underneath the Tweet issued by The Rings of Power cast members. Using the hashtag #YouAreAllWelcomeHere, they mirrored the sentiment which was expressed.
With the scenario reaching a heightened, escalated nature of tension, the cast of the franchise, both old and new, had to come to the rescue. Previously, Amazon, due to the review bombing directed at the latest series, had to block reviews – most of which were egregiously shocking and dehumanizing as per reports.
It will soon be seen whether the collective efforts of such renowned actors can bring a change within the attitude many, unfortunately, possess.
The next episode of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is scheduled for a 9th September 2022 release.
Source: Twitter
