Many of the links between The Rings of Power and Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy have been well-documented: several characters cross over between the adaptations, including Elrond and Galadriel, as well as the familiar threat of Sauron lingering in the background. However, it seems the connection between the two adaptations goes even deeper.
Some of the original actors from Peter Jackson’s film trilogy also appear in the new Amazon Prime Video series. In episode 3, 'Adar', Halbrand finds himself in trouble after stealing a guild crest from some Númenor workers. The group of blacksmiths confronts him in an alley, beating him up before he’s thrown into a prison cell.
Eagle-eyed viewers might have realized that several of the actors in this scene have a deep-cut history with Tolkien’s on-screen adaptations. The leader of the pack Tamar is played by Jason Hood. Hood’s second on-camera appearance back in 2002 was in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
He appeared in an uncredited role as one of Théoden’s Royal Guard. A quick refresher: Théoden (Bernard Hill) was the King of Rohan who led his men against Saruman in the Battle of the Hornburg.
Hood wasn’t the only one with a connection, either. The other workers in this scene, played by actors and stuntmen Mana Hira Davis and Winham Hammond, played various roles as orcs and warriors in The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. Their connection to Tolkien extends even further than this too, with both appearing as stuntmen in The Hobbit trilogy as well.
Looking for more on The Rings of Power? Check out our breakdown of all of the major characters, who exactly The Stranger might be, and what you need to know about Adar.
