Morfydd Clark, who plays Galadriel in The Rings of Power season 2, on how it is liberating to portray a strong-minded woman
Galadriel and Halbrand
Imagine devouring JRR Tolkien’s books in your childhood, and then becoming a part of its on-screen universe as an actor. Morfydd Clark laughs, saying that as “cheesy” as it sounds, being a part of The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power has been a dream come true for her. Having been drawn to the world of fantasy since childhood, playing Galadriel in the Amazon Prime Video series was both exhilarating and challenging for the actor. In conversation with mid-day, Clark sheds light on the character, getting to know the Tolkien community, and the joy of seeing her favourite books come alive.
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Edited excerpts from the interview.
How many of JRR Tolkien’s books have you read?
I read The Hobbit when I was little and then I listened to The Lord the Rings’ audiobooks throughout my teenage years. So, they’re a part of my psyche. Since doing this, I have discovered The Silmarillion [series] and everything in Appendices [of The Lord of The Rings]. As a child, I always escaped into fantasy. [There was a] longing for this other world, where things made more sense even though there were fairies and elves. I always hoped that I’d be in a fantasy one day, and then to be in Tolkien’s [world] was unbelievable. It’s cheesy to say it, but playing Galadriel was like a dream come true.
Peter Mullan as Durin III and Sophia Nomvete plays Princess Disa, the first Black female dwarf
Did you go back and read up on Galadriel when you got to know that you’re playing her?
Yes. We were in New Zealand for the first season and we had a lot of prep time because lots of decisions had to be made—from the look to the body language. We, in the cast, had a little Tolkien group where everyone would chat about everything and we all learned together. I continue to learn since doing this series. I’ve also got to know quite a few Tolkien experts through this.
What was your first impression of Galadriel?
When I was 10 or 11 and had watched [The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, 2001], I remember feeling this sense of awe when she came on the screen. It has been fun to find out that before she was living a peaceful life in Lothlórien [the vast woodland realm of the Galadhrim where the elves are located], she did loads of wild things.
It’s interesting to see women play such powerful roles, be it yours or Sophia Nomvete’s, especially when the story talks about an era of men. How important, do you feel, it is to put women in positions of power?
I feel if you’re writing fantasy, you should flip everything. Why not write a world where the rules aren’t the same? Galadriel is obviously an elf, but even if she was a human in this world, she hasn’t been brought up with [the idea] to shrink or to be pleasing [to others]. As women, we’re given shame quite early on, and she doesn’t have that. That has been liberating for me. People who are watching her, may feel, ‘She is quite sure of herself’ and have a little think about it.
How much of the script changed on the set?
Not much. The outline remained similar, but the showrunners and writers will [change some bits] because there is a huge amount of physical stuff to figure out. So, you’ve got your grounding in the script, and occasionally you can wiggle about, and it all feels so collaborative.
How did you break down the scene when Galadriel realises Sauron’s true motivations?
Sauron is a shapeshifter, master manipulator, and he gave exactly the right performance to Galadriel. I was lucky to be acting opposite Charlie [Vickers]. I had never seen him switch until we shot that sequence. [I was amazed] at how Halbrand disappeared at that moment [from his performance]. She is angry with him, and more importantly, with herself. I was focusing on that feeling of ‘How could I be so stupid?’
Did any stunt, wearing the 15-kilo armour, scare you?
I was more scared watching the stuntmen do wild things. Sometimes it felt like I was in Cirque du Soleil [laughs]! As an actor, you are kept so safe, like in a cotton wool box, but getting on a horse is always [tough]. I feel a lot better about that now.
Was it tougher in the water or climbing the mountain?
The water! The gown I was wearing on the raft sequence was made of wool. It became heavier the longer I wore it, especially after I was in the water. And we were in the water for ages! I was to use [only] my arms [to climb the raft], but obviously, I had to also look graceful all the time.
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