As the second season of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power approaches, each of our characters from season one were significantly impacted by the various events. In the case of Queen Míriel, played by actor Cynthia Addai-Robinson, the former Queen-Regent was rendered blind after in episode 7 of the series. She also suffered another loss, the loss of her father and is now Queen. The fate of Númenor hangs in the balance after injury and her decisions will also be impacted by this tragedy.
Black Girl Nerds had the opportunity to travel to the UK where filming took place for season 2 of the series and saw how the sausage is made. Production began in October of 2022 and the interview took place in April of 2023. We sat down along with other members of the press in an interview to discuss her role in season 2 of the series.
Will there be a time jump this season?
You’ve got the forging of the Rings, obviously a major event, their implications and how they sort of play into the storyline in season two, and obviously our lovely Charlie Vickers being revealed as the one and only Sauron and now we’re going to really going to track Sauron and all of his adventures or misadventures in the middle earth through the second season. In the first season, you think of the hero’s journey, and we have obviously many heroes and their various parts of the world and the storylines and season two we’re calling the villain’s journey.
You’re blind now. How did that change your approach in season two?
She not only is blind but she is returning to Númenor in defeat and the sort of endnote for her storyline in season one is sort of essentially the flags at proverbial half mast to signify the King’s death, her father’s death. So that’s quite a lot to kind of leave off in the first season and sets the story for season two for Míriel and for Númenor in general. And in our part of the world, the political ramifications and sort of the divisions in society that we started to see in season one are only exacerbated in season two. And really where Míriel was starting from in the second season is in a place of deep loss in Númenorian’s reaction to society’s reaction to essentially losing battle.
Losing one of your senses, causes another to become heightened. Will another of Míriel’s senses develop as a result of her loss?
Yeah, I think what was interesting, I was told early last season, that this sort of literal and allegorical blindness that was gonna play a part throughout and what was interesting for me is trying to figure out for Míriel how she could sort of be considered almost as an asset, that the sort of loss of her sight was potentially an opportunity to kind of have a heightened awareness using her other senses and abilities and not just for herself, but also now with her relationship to Elendil and he’s essentially her eyes and ears, but they both have something to teach the other.
With the huge pivotal losses Míriel’s been through, does that drive a wedge between the already tumultuous relationship between her and Galadriel?
People have very strong feelings about an elf showing up and also having influence over the Queen’s decision-making and ultimately that was the catalyst for Míriel taking Númenorians into battle and losing. So there’s still a lot of strong feelings about that. And again, we’ll sort of see in season two, how in Nemenorian society how that division continues to deepen. And in terms of how that plays out between Galadriel and Miriel, I would say you just have to watch and find out.
We’re told season 2 is a darker season. How does that impact Queen Míriel’s decisions?
What’s always interesting to me, just in general about Tolkien and his works, or any sort of dramatic work is the yin and the yang, right? You have darkness but you have this counterbalance of light and people in these trenches work their way to the light. Work their way to something hopeful. If you’re going to be battling and fighting, what is it ultimately for? Despite the fact that this does take a darker tone, there are still going to be those elements that speak to hope and the light, and even levity, because people still have those moments of pause, amongst a sort of relentless push of darkness.
Can you share about your experience filming stunts this season?
What’s great about working on a show like this is there are all these different skill sets, things that you know, you hope that you get to do or you never thought you would do. Maybe you’re on a horse. I’m a city girl. So the idea of riding a horse is like a big deal to me. And in season one, with our wonderful stunt department in New Zealand, we sort of have these almost like a kind of a summer camp of horse riding and sword fighting and you know, tumbling or whatever, whatever was specific to you in your world. So we’re just continuing that into the second season. As for me specifically, if I say a bunch more it would give some things away, so I’ll just leave it at that.
This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.
Prime Video has announced that Season 2 will debut globally on Thursday August 29, 2024, in more than 240 countries and territories and multiple languages.