Galadriel actor was “totally unprepared” for wave of backlash after The Rings of Power came out

Galadriel actor was "totally unprepared" for wave of backlash after The Rings of Power came out

As a lifelong Tolkien enthusiast who’s spent countless hours lost in the enchanting world of Middle-earth, I must say that the second season of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” has both captivated and challenged me. Morfydd Clark’s portrayal of Galadriel is a fresh take on an iconic character, one that I find myself growing increasingly fond of.

The second installment of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” on Prime Video has commenced, and Galadriel, an elf who’s lived for millennia, is significantly involved, although not quite as central as in the first season where she was effectively the lead character.

Morfydd Clark portrays Galadriel in the series, as highlighted in a recent article for Elle. From the very start of production, co-showrunner Patrick McKay stated that Galadriel would serve as the main character, although they aimed to depict her differently than the stately Galadriel from Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies, brilliantly played by Cate Blanchett. McKay explained, “What if we go back thousands of years before [the Jackson films] and she’s on a battlefield with a sword? That was the first image I remember really captivating me, thinking, ‘This could be something unique and unlike what people might expect.'”

In an interview, joint showrunner J.D. Payne revealed that their portrayal of the character Galadriel in ‘The Rings of Power’ is influenced by the works of ‘Lord of the Rings’ author J.R.R. Tolkien, who subtly suggests that Galadriel was haughty and a warrior throughout her history. The series will depict Galadriel’s transformation from a headstrong, arrogant young warrior to the wise Lady of the Wood.

Clark resembles Galadriel, a character I admire for her melodious voice, perfect for speaking Elvish from Tolkien. However, in season 1, there was considerable criticism towards Galadriel, some of it valid – if you felt she was dull, immature, or didn’t align with the source material, I can understand your perspective. Unfortunately, some criticisms were politically motivated, like Elon Musk, during his Twitter comments (while he was in the process of acquiring it), stating that Galadriel was the only “brave, intelligent and kind” character while the male characters were all “cowardly, rude or both.”

I believe there are reasonable criticisms for the show and its characters, but I wasn’t taken aback when I heard that Clark received numerous hostile messages, which are indefensible. “I was completely caught off guard when season 1 debuted,” she stated. “I’ve witnessed a truly alarming aspect of being someone who receives messages on Instagram, and a very heartwarming one.”

The lovely side got her through the “negativeness, primarily from men.” She said that “lots of the criticism I got from some [fans] were for the things making other people feel liberated while watching [Galadriel]…What certain people didn’t necessarily enjoy about her, other people did. She takes up space; she’s unapologetic. I didn’t want her to act like a human woman who’s been taught not to be abrasive. Every other character I’ve played, because they’re human women, there’s shame built in. [In season 1], Galadriel doesn’t have that. I’m glad I committed to that.”

I like that take on this younger Galadriel — elves, being a bit closer to the divine, are often above human emotions like shame — and more or less enjoyed her in season 1; my main criticisms are that she’s a bit dull and that the show crafts a story for her that goes against what Tolkien wrote in books like The Silmarillion, where we learn that Galadriel was one of the elves immediately suspicious of Sauron when he returned in the guise of a strange being known as Annatar. Instead, The Rings of Power season 1 has Sauron come back disguised as a mortal man named Halbrand, and Galadriel is fooled to the point where he offers to make her his dark queen.

That’s the kind of thing that annoys me in adaptations; I know things are going to change, but I think you’ve gone too far if you’re writing a story where a character does the opposite of what they do in the source material. Executive producer Lindsey Webber feels differently, reasoning that this set up Galadriel for a longer arc. “It’s fun to think about what Galadriel’s ‘unlikable’ decisions led to — would Sauron have found his way to power so quickly if she didn’t help him?” Weber said. “Or will it turn out, in the end, that she might be able to defeat him one day because she helped him and got to know him in the process? These are the kinds of delightful dramatic questions that come from having an imperfect character.”

The Rings of Power is already thinking of Galadriel’s arc in season 3

In the second season, Galadriel experiences a change, having been deceived by Sauron and suffering a significant blow to her self-confidence as described by MaKay. While Galadriel primarily worked alone in the first season, Clark notes that this time around she’s embracing teamwork. As Clark put it, “Galadriel was on a lone quest in [season 1]; she was an elf by herself.” However, in season 2, Galadriel recognizes that she is part of something greater than herself and realizes she can’t accomplish this task alone. She becomes more open and vulnerable, although she would prefer to remain closed off, understanding that it’s not an option for her.

As a dedicated fan, I must say that given the somber trajectory of the story so far, it’s been quite bleak. Yet, when it comes to Galadriel, she’s more like a relentless Terminator, focused on her mission. However, there are many other dimensions and nuances to this character that we can’t wait to explore in upcoming seasons – some of which you’ll see in season 2, and others that we’ve already begun brainstorming for season 3.

I’m all for a more nuanced Galadriel in season 2; new episodes drop every Thursday on Prime Video. And I like Clark’s take on the character; if fans didn’t enjoy the angry, single-minded Galadriel from season 1, things may be changing. “But what’s wonderful about elves is that they don’t become jaded,” Clark said. “They become more and more convinced that they have to maintain the loveliness of the world, and continue to see goodness. I think that’s quite a nice thing to be reminded of myself, as a mere mortal.”

2024-08-30 20:42