Morfydd Clark spoke with us in Los Angeles about taking on the iconic role of young Galadriel in the new Prime Video series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. She said, "What excites me about her journey is that she's incredibly brave and unafraid to say what people don't want to hear. So I kind of respect her for that and would really like to be more like her. Galadriel in the Third Age speaks about how with wisdom there comes the loss of innocence. And so that was something that was useful for me because even though she's younger, she's still thousands of years old. So I was thinking, How much innocence is she going to lose during this time and how much wisdom is she going to gain?"Were you surprised how active the young Galadriel had to be -- the mountain climbing, troll-slaying version of her?
Yeah, but it made sense to me in that I think serenity is always hard earned. You have to go through it to get there. That was really exciting -- I'd never played someone particularly powerful and magically powerful, so that was lots of fun. Because of the action I got to do, I got to work with so many people, so that was great. And I got to work with Kiwi stunt people who were in the original films.
What was your first thought when you learned you'd landed the role?
I was immediately filled with neuroses. This is a world I'd kind of been into since I was nine years old, and there was the weight of expectation from fans and also for myself. But really excited as well, it's such an honor.
What are the differences between your Galadriel and Cate Blanchett's in the LOTR movies?
She hasn't got her ring yet, which will be a big deal. A huge amount happens to her in the Second Age so she knows a lot and she loses a lot in this time. She's more reckless and impulsive than she ends up being. And not as wise.
Because you play a younger version of the Galadriel we saw in the films, did you need to do any special preparation?
Yeah, it was really exciting to be exploring how these characters fit into who we know them to be. The big thing I was looking at was how can you have a variation and be younger as someone who's already thousands of years old? It was interesting to explore times with her where she couldn't fathom the fact that she would be where she ends up to be. And it was fun to play with those extremes.
You played Galadriel beautifully -- have you had any feedback from fans?
I've had nice messages about the trailer but I find it difficult to engage with to a degree because until it's out, I can't get too involved in it. I'm really excited for them to see it and I'm a fan myself so it's all about them really. They're why we made it.
What was your time in New Zealand like?
We just felt so looked after and so welcomed. I think whenever anyone goes there they fall in love with it. It's an incredibly creative place and once you go there, you can understand why. It's just so incredibly beautiful and there's also such a connection to the land, to history and nature. My time in New Zealand has forever changed me and will inform the rest of these seasons but will also inform every job I do.
The cast had a movie marathon of the films in order to prepare to begin filming, but Morfydd reveals that they learned a lot just by being in New Zealand where the original films were shot. She explained, "Because we were working in New Zealand, we got to speak with people who were involved in the films. Do you know, most of the people we were working with knew loads about Middle Earth and this world [of Lord of the Rings]." ~Alexandra Heilbron
Watch our interviews with the rest of the cast below:
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power stars Sara Zwangobani and Cynthia Addai-Robinson talk about bringing new characters to life in the world of Tolkien, while Robert Aramayo reveals what kind of research he did to portray Elrond in his younger years in the series. Interviewer: Alexandra Heilbron / Location: Los Angeles
Leon Wadham, who plays Kemen and Trystan Gravelle, who plays Pharazôn talk about the challenges of bringing new characters to life in this new series based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien; Sophia Nomvete, who plays the dwarf princess Disa reveals how her theater experience prepared her for this role; and Benjamin Walker answers the question of whether he studied the films or the books to portray High King Gil-galad, who was played by Mark Ferguson in the movies. Interviewer: Alexandra Heilbron Location: Los Angeles
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power stars Ismael Cruz Cordova, Ema Horvath, Markella Kavenagh and Owain Arthur talk about how some of the cast members bonded by doing extreme sports. They also reveal how much freedom they had to interpret their roles. Interviewer: Alexandra Heilbron Location: Los Angeles
Tyroe Muhafidin, the youngest member of the cast, plays Theo, while Charlie Vickers plays Halbrand in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. They reveal the various activities that the cast did to form a close bond. Interviewer: Alexandra Heilbron Location: Los Angeles
Executive Producer Lindsey Weber and Showrunner/Executive Producer Patrick McKay talk about how they were able to make sure to keep The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power true to J.R.R. Tolkien’s style in this new series. They also reveal the biggest differences between the films and the series. Interviewer: Alexandra Heilbron Location: Los Angeles