“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” is the biggest TV show ever, with a record-breaking budget spent recreating J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth during the Second Age, and a cast of nearly two dozen series regulars and dozens more featured players deployed to enact its sprawling story of Sauron’s rise.
Despite this, one character stands unmistakably at the heart of the show: Galadriel. Cate Blanchett portrayed the ancient elf, who was born before the moon and sun first graced Middle-earth, in Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” novels and Peter Jackson’s “Rings” trilogy.
A younger Galadriel is not yet the serene and wise co-ruler of the Elven kingdom of Lothlórien in “The Rings of Power,” which takes place thousands of years before the events of “The Lord of the Rings.” Instead, she is consumed by her search for the Dark Lord Sauron, the mysteriously absent master of evil who is responsible for Galadriel’s brother’s death. Galadriel is hardened by the millennia she’s already lived, but she’s not yet the stately (and formidable) woman of stature she becomes in the Third Age in “Rings of Power.”
Morfydd Clark (“Saint Maud”) manages to capture all of the character’s dimensions. Variety critic Caroline Framke praises Clark’s “arresting gravitas” in her review, noting that “tasked with making Galadriel equal parts voice of reason and battling hero, Clark proves the series’ most dependable constant.”
Clark, a lifelong Tolkien fan thanks to her parents, understands the significance of Galadriel. “All of my friends are huge ‘Lord of the Rings’ fans, and I have to tell you, they describe her a lot,” she tells Variety. “She’s a living legend; a living myth.”
Clark, however, claims that it wasn’t until she agreed to join “The Rings of Power” — and arrived in New Zealand in the fall of 2019 to begin filming the first season — that she learned from showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay that she had been cast as Galadriel. Because of the pandemic, the experience turned into a nearly two-year adventure, pushing the now 33-year-old well beyond what she thought were her own limitations. She spoke with Variety about training for Galadriel’s many stunts, how her Welsh heritage helped her with Tolkien’s Elvish language, what it was like to spend so much unexpected time in New Zealand, and what she would tell Tolkien fans who were surprised to see Galadriel as a badass warrior.
When did you realise you were in the running to play Galadriel during the audition process?
Even when I arrived in New Zealand, I had no idea I was playing Galadriel. I was aware that I was portraying an elf. I could tell it was the Second Age. My sister and I were reading through it all, and I assumed I was Celebran, her daughter, because I couldn’t imagine it being Galadriel. So I went to New Zealand not knowing who I was playing, which now seems ridiculous. Everyone in the cast did the same thing. We all kind of jumped into this madness together and ran into each other down there. I didn’t find out who I was playing until I arrived, and I obviously had to re-calibrate. I still can’t believe who I’m portraying.
How much did you know about Galadriel’s background before you found out you were playing her?
I was familiar with “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings.” I hadn’t done much reading of “The Silmarillion.” I had no idea what she’d gotten herself into. Tolkien describes Galadriel as tying her hair up into a crown with a plait before going into battle. I was like, wow, this opens up so many possibilities. Tolkien also changed his mind about Galadriel, which makes her more interesting. I became obsessed with why Tolkien needed Galadriel to be that at the time. He grew more in love with her, I believe, as he grew older, and thus her character is fluid.
In just the first two episodes, you’re climbing, fighting, swimming, and diving deep into the water. Did you have any idea your role would be so physical?
No. That took me by surprise. I’ve never considered myself to be a natural at it. I have dyslexia. Because I was terrible at writing, I was given extra time in exams. So I really thought I couldn’t do all of that. The people who worked with me were wonderful in convincing me to do so. That I was doing all of these things is a testament to them. The stunt department was incredible, not only in terms of what they physically taught us, but also in terms of your mind blocking [that you can do it]. I believe that everyone would benefit from learning from New Zealand’s stunt teams. On this job, we’d all be much happier if school was like stunt school.
What exactly did you do to prepare? What exactly was the procedure?
Every morning, we’d start with three hours of stunts, which would include general strength, flexibility, and, of course, swords. And there were times when there were about 20 of us there and we’d learn a sword fight and then perform it like a group of elves, which was really fun. We had an amazing personal trainer named Matt, whom I occasionally despised. But I believe that’s a necessary part of being a good personal trainer. I did a lot of climbing, which I enjoy doing anyway. It’s helpful to have one thing you’re learning that you’re already pretty good at. Otherwise, you might feel a little down. Then there’s swimming. I thought I could swim, but after my first lesson, I realised I was mistaken and should never have gone into the sea. But, thanks to Trent Bray, I can now swim.
How did you find incorporating the Elvish language into your performance?
So I went to a Welsh-language school, and everything is taught in Welsh. Welsh is phonetic, making it ideal for dyslexics. When I started learning English in third grade, I was like, “What is this?” My Tolkien-obsessed mother was very proud of and passed down to us the fact that Tolkien was inspired by Welsh. So, strangely, his works have served as a badge of honour for me, because the Welsh are obsessed with the Welsh and everything Welsh. It was fantastic to play a bilingual character. And, yes, I believe it served me well.
Some fans envision Galadriel as this regal woman of the woods who isn’t as physical as you are on the show. What would you say to fans who are surprised or sceptical of Galadriel’s portrayal in “The Rings of Power”?
Her tranquillity was earned, in my opinion. I don’t think you get to that level of wisdom without going through some trials and tribulations. She actually talks about [how] with wisdom comes a loss of innocence, which was a great find in the lore for me. Because, how young are you when you’re thousands of years old? So it was thinking about how much innocence she had lost during this time. By the Third Age, the elves had evolved to some extent. The elves in the First Age are very messy and constantly screw each other over, as well as fight and mock each other. They are Middle Earth’s history, and as such, they are constantly changing. It was fascinating for all of us playing canon characters to investigate how these characters became who they are.
The show is such a huge commitment — the showrunners have stated that they intend to make a 50-episode series. All of my questions were prepared with the assumption that you knew more going into the show, so how much of that commitment influenced your decision to make “The Rings of Power”?
Yeah, I had no idea. When you’re auditioning for something like this, you never know if you’ll get it, so you don’t think about those things. Personally, I refuse to allow myself to fantasise or daydream because it causes me to become overly attached to everything I audition for. I think I’m still getting used to what this means. The next few weeks will be crucial in that regard, but also somewhat relieving. You create things to be seen and enjoyed. It’s past time for that to happen with this. But I think I’ll need another acclimatisation period.
How long were you in New Zealand from beginning to end?
It was supposed to be nine months, but it ended up being from October 2019 to August 2021 in New Zealand. Almost two years.
So, how did you pass the time?
We didn’t have much time to waste because we were so busy. I was extremely fortunate to be able to travel around the South Island, which was simply incredible. I mean, in New Zealand, you’re constantly in a state of sublime bliss. That was crucial because the Elves are obsessed with nature. Beauty is such an important part of their essence and what they see as a reason to live. So that was really motivating. I made a lot of crafts. I was also fortunate to make really good friends with my neighbours, who took me under their wing. You know, I didn’t expect to feel like I was moving away from home again when I returned from New Zealand. And that was — well, yeah. [A lengthy pause.] I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been welcomed so warmly into New Zealand.
Finally, you stated earlier that you believed you were cast as Galadriel’s daughter. Is it possible that we will see hints of her meeting her husband and having a daughter in the Second Age this season?
Galadriel’s family is an important part of her identity. There are five seasons, and much will be discovered.
