Since they started filming the high-profile fantasy series, the whole cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has spoken out against the racist abuse and harassment they have experienced.
¡°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 colour are being subjected to on a daily basis. We refuse to ignore it or tolerate it¡±
The cast further posted, "JRR 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, and Middle-earth is not all white. BIPOC belong in Middle-earth and they are here to stay."
They concluded with, ¡°Finally, all our love and fellowship go out to the fans supporting us, especially fans of colour who are themselves being attacked simply for existing in this fandom. We see you, your bravery, and endless creativity. Your cosplays, fancams, fan art, and insights make this community a richer place and remind us of our purpose. You are valid, you are loved, and you belong. You are an integral part of the LOTR family thanks for having our backs.¡±
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It's not just Rings of Power that has faced racial criticism for its diverse cast. Moses Ingram, who played Reva in Obi-Wan Kenobi, was also targeted by racial trolls. Earlier this month, racist insults were made online about actor Steve Toussaint, who will play Corlys Velaryon in the Game of Thrones spinoff House of the Dragon.
Following racial taunts directed at many "Rings of Power" actors on Wednesday, original cast members of the "Lord of the Rings" film trilogy stepped in to help. Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan, the top four actors, have posted on social media to show their support for the cast of the Lord of the Rings prequel.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
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