Even before the premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, the series received a vocal backlash for including people of color in leading roles. However, the online vitriol has only increased since the series’ debut earlier this month. Several cast members have been receiving numerous racist messages via social media as the series has been review bombed by “fans” who declared it “woke” or somehow inferior for including Black people as elves and dwarves. Now, the entire Rings of Power cast has released a statement condemning the hate targeted at some of its members.
“We, the cast of Rings of Power, stand together in absolute solidarity and against the relentless racism, threats, harassment, and abuse some of our castmates of color are being subjected to on a daily basis. We refuse to ignore it or tolerate it. J.R.R. Tolkien created a world which, by definition, is multi-cultural. A world in which free peoples from, different races and cultures join together, in fellowship, to defeat the forces of evil.
Rings of Power reflects that. Our world has never been all white, fantasy has never been all white, Middle-earth is not all white. BIPOC belong in Middle-earth and they are here to stay.”
We stand in solidarity with our cast. #YouAreAllWelcomeHere pic.twitter.com/HLIQdyqLmr
— The Lord of the Rings on Prime (@LOTRonPrime) September 7, 2022
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Additionally, Elijah Wood, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan, three of the leading Hobbits in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, have also united with the Rings of Power cast to condemn the racism faced by its actors. As a show of unity, Wood, Boyd, and Monaghan posed together wearing shirts featuring the ears of Middle-earth’s inhabitants with many different skin tones.
One of The Rings of Powers‘ stars, Ismael Cruz Córdova, offered his appreciation for the gesture of support.
Much love
— Ismael Cruz Cordova (@IsmaelC_C) September 7, 2022
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Recommended Reading: J.R.R. Tolkien 4-Book Boxed Set: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
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