The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power actress Morfydd Clark sat down with The Direct's Russ Milheim to discuss her character's journey in Season 2 and how he felt coming up against Charlie Vicker's Sauron after so long.
The Season 2 finale saw Galadriel in dire straights as she tried to broker an alliance with Adar and his orcs to kill Sauron once and for all. Sadly, that falls through thanks to Sauron's trickery, and the orcs kill their former master, Adar.
Then, Galadriel finds herself once again face-to-face with Sauron (the big bad who will eventually create the One Ring).
Sadly, for her, it didn't go so well. While she successfully keeps the nine rings for mortal men (and her own elven ring) out of Sauron's grasp, she must fling herself off a cliff to do so.
Thankfully, Elrond, Gil-galad, and Arondir find her body and are able to heal her, thanks to Elrond finally putting on an elven ring of power.
Looking ahead to a potential Season 3, Clark hopes that Galadriel's future arc can include a bit less intensity and be a bit more "joyous":
Galadriel's Potential Season 3 Journey In Rings of Power
- The Direct: "Now, in a hypothetical Season 3, what do you really want to explore with Galadriel next? What's for you? What would you like to see the next step be?"
Clark: I think it'll be fun to see her be a bit swashbuckling and joyous. Who knows if that will happen.
Morfydd Clark on if Galadriel Truly Expected to Die in the Season 2 Finale
Galadriel Was Ready to Die Against Sauron If Needed
- The Direct: "You get to finally reunite with Sauron himself [in the Season 2 finale]. You guys have that big fight, but at the end, did Galadriel really think that she was going to truly die in that moment?
Morfydd Clark: I think that she felt it was a worthy time for her to die. Should she, it would be worth it if she did. But I think she felt that also, his story wasn't over.
- The Direct: "[Earlier in the finale], can you describe what was going through Galadriel's mind when she nearly got that truce with Adar, only for it to be taken away moments later?"
Clark: Yeah, I think it was really illuminating for her because she realized that she does really know Sauron because Adar couldn't tell he was being tricked, and so it was kind of quite confronting that she was like, No, I know his mind, and I know that he's doing this.
It was really fun to film as well, because she had nothing to lose at that point, she's in such terror of what's about to happen, so she was really letting rip, and there was just loads of orcs. And I just love filming with the orcs.
- The Direct: "What was it like getting to finally be on set with Charlie [Vickers] again? Because, you know, you spent all this time in Season 1 and then Season 2, you guys just didn't see each other."
Clark: I did really miss him. It was really strange not being with him, and also he and Charlie [Edwards] were having such a lovely time in their cozy little Forge. We were all in the woods in the middle of the night... And it was amazing to be back with him because he was so transformed.
And just as an actor, it was just really exciting to see such brilliantness, really. I was so frightened by him, and kind of couldn't imagine him being so frightening. And so it was amazing to see that our new iteration of Sauron was so perfect.
Galadriel and Elrond's Rocky Relationship Going Forward
Morfydd Clark Doesn't Think Things Will Get Easier Between Them
- The Direct: "Now, you and Elrond have had a rocky relationship this season. Once Galadriel wakes up, where do you think they'll be in that respect, what is that gonna look?"
Morfydd Clark: I feel that when Elrond is saying like that, the forces are kind of, if they're not weak in body, they're kind of hurt and kind of heart and mind is talking about himself, so I think, I mean, he's really suffered. He's experienced such disappointment in his friend Durin. So, I feel that maybe Galadriel will have to--it will be interesting seeing the dynamic being different because I don't think it will be... But they love each other. That's been so fun to play such great friends, really.
Morfydd Clark on Galadriel's Missing Husband, Celeborn
"I Would Love Him to Pop Up Because I Think It Would Be Nice For Her."
- The Direct: "Now, in the books, and I know you've heard this before, and you talked about it, but Galadriel's husband, Celeborn is there. But in the show, he's been missing since day one. Why do you feel that it's been a good choice for her journey so far to keep him out of the story right now? And do you think he might pop up soon, one day?"
Morfydd Clark: I mean, I would love him to pop up because I think it would be nice for her... [A victory,] and [to] have an ally who--and I like to think that also, there's this part of her we don't know yet because we haven't seen her with her beloved...
It's been really fun for me as an actor to not have him there because there's this extra layer of his absence. And what that does to her, and I feel there's this part of her that she's forgotten as well that will be exciting for her to rediscover.
The Scene Morfydd Clark Is Most Proud of in Rings of Power Season 2
"Acting Opposite Charles Edwards... Just Kind of Makes You So Much Better..."
- The Direct: "Out of Season 2, and everything you did, what was the hardest scene for you as an actor and performance to really nail with the character?"
Morfydd Clark: I mean, I think that when she meets Celebrimbor when he's very near death, and she admits that she wanted something that Sauron offered, that's a huge turning point for her, where she fully owns her mistake and her limits. And so that was something that felt like it had to be done right. And luckily, I was acting opposite Charles Edwards, who just kind of makes you so much better being opposite him.
- The Direct: "Were there any fun to lead in moments that you recall didn't actually make the cut [for Season 2], but you're like, 'Where'd that go?'"
Clark: No, I don't really think so. And I kind of, no, it's more that sometimes I watch it and I'm like, Oh, that was really significant, and I didn't realize it, which I guess is how, like, the writers kind of being clever than me. It's really fun watching it back...
And also it's kind of those bits where you've kind of been preoccupied with, kind of how your swords on your back or something, and then when you watch it, you're like, yeah, that was actually quite important.
Watch the full interview here:
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 is now streaming on Amazon Studios' Prime Video.
