As a fan of both martial arts and fantasy, I am thoroughly impressed by the multitalented actor playing Arondir. His real-life skills, from calligraphy to violin playing, truly bring authenticity to his character. It’s refreshing to see an actor who not only excels in combat scenes but also embodies the cultural richness of Middle-earth through his various artistic talents.
⚠️ WARNING: This post reveals details from Season 2, Episode 7 of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” currently available on Amazon Prime Video.
It’s all-out war in Middle-earth, with orcs and elves at each other’s throats.
In Episode 7 of “Rings of Power”, the Siege of Eregion persists. Adar’s troops, portrayed by Sam Hazeldine, manage to break through the castle defenses and invade the elven fortress. Horde upon horde of gruesome orcs bring devastation upon the city. However, Elrond (Robert Aramayo) devises a strategy to prevent total annihilation – summoning dwarven reinforcements led by Prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur). Yet, when the episode concludes, the dwarves are nowhere to be seen, as King Durin III (Peter Mullan), under the influence of his ring’s power, has been corrupted and brainwashed.
Regrettably, it’s Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) who is having a truly dismal day. He comes to understand the truth about Sauron (Charlie Vickers), and manages to see past the dark lord’s disguise as Annatar. However, once he realizes this, the harm has already been done. Celebrimbor, under Sauron’s instruction, had forged all the rings of power. In a desperate attempt to prevent further catastrophe, the skilled blacksmith destroys his own hands so that he can no longer craft any more potentially harmful jewelry.
In the story, Ismael Cruz Córdova’s character, Arondir, bravely intervenes, rescuing Morfydd Clark’s Galadriel from Adar’s orc encampment. They part with a tender kiss, and then Galadriel and Elrond join the elven forces at Eregion. In an impressive display of elf collaboration, Arondir and Elrond defeat a colossal hill troll that rampages across the battlefield. However, just as Arondir is about to eliminate more orcs, he unexpectedly encounters Adar amidst the chaos and engages in a fierce one-on-one battle. Despite his best efforts, Arondir is overpowered by Adar, who then targets Elrond and seizes his ring of power. The episode concludes ominously, hinting at further devastation to come.
Using EbMaster, Cordova delves into the grueling, bodily preparations he endured this season for playing Arondir. He dissects his troll battle sequence and hints that Season 3 has already begun its development.
How has Arondir’s training evolved since the first season, as we see him doing more acrobatics, combat, and orc slaying in this one?
Everything you see involving wires on the show is my work; it’s me performing most of the stunts, with only a small portion requiring a double due to a single take requirement that needed splitting. I picked up these skills during the first season, receiving training on wires which are quite intricate. In Eregion, you’ll find me up high on that tall wall, executing stunts performed by stuntmen. To prepare for this, I had to build my strength, learn martial arts, and master choreography. Additionally, I attempted to subtly modify the movements to express a touch more of his anger and sorrow.
You do sword fighting and archery — did you get to learn horseback riding for this season, too?
For about two months, I participated in horseback riding. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like there will be any on-camera rides during this season, but I certainly enjoyed it. In an episode, likely the sixth one, you might recall me running through the forest while mounted. That was a scene requiring horseback riding, so I prepared for it. I can’t exactly remember how it came about, but my character just ran. Elves are known for their speed and endurance in the forest, so it didn’t make sense for him to be on a horse. However, I did train, and I must admit, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I learned that I wouldn’t be horseback riding quite some time before the training sessions ended. Despite this, I continued practicing quietly.
Is there any training you haven’t done that you’d like to try?
I’ve never tried stunt driving, but it intrigues me a bit. My skills lie more underwater; I can hold my breath for a while, but I haven’t achieved anything spectacular yet and I yearn to do so. Jumping from any aircraft or going through fire is not my cup of tea; no interest whatsoever. Instead, I am captivated by the artistry of choreography, particularly in martial arts where I strive for graceful precision, like a swift sword’s movement, which I took up this season to slice orcs effectively. As for me, I am constantly pushing my boundaries; anything and everything is on the table! In another life, I delved into 16th-century calligraphy, mastering quill making and paper production. Recently, I even learned to play an entire violin piece for a movie role. That’s me in a nutshell.
In Middle-earth, you’ll find fewer automobiles and aircraft, making it a relatively safe place. However, it’s likely that Arondir will have an opportunity to perform a melody on his violin at some stage!
I’d be thrilled if I could perform in the show, as there’s a lot of lore surrounding elven singing, and we’ve seen it with Gil-galad. Arondir participating in these activities highlights the diversity among elves, given that he’s not a royal or wealthy city dweller, but rather a rugged warrior poet, compensating for any blunders that might stem from the capital. Essentially, he’s the one who steps up to say, “I’ll protect you now, and I’ll protect you again, and I’ll protect you.
With the hill troll fight scene, how much of the monster was practical vs. CGI?
There stood a towering construction, surrounded by numerous mats, nets, and chains. I leaped onto it, pulling it down. It had large feet at the base, which allowed us to connect with it as well. We’d seen sketches of it, so we knew its appearance, and the fight was incredibly lifelike, filled with numerous orcs. The realism made it seem as if the troll was truly present.
As I stood amidst the bustling Eregion battlefield, teeming with orcs and elves, I couldn’t help but wonder about the controlled chaos that must have reigned on set during filming. It certainly seems like a scene of epic proportions!
The energy is there; I feel so immersed. There’s fire, the big wall of Eregion was built, it was so freaking muddy. The landings are completely different. When you land on that, the mud just sucks you in. There are people running around you. So when you’re doing choreography and you learn it in certain directions, you’re completely disoriented. Everyone has to be precise. There are so many swords floating around. It can be overwhelming, but I find it exhilarating. I absolutely love that kind of stuff. For me to have Elrond and Gil-galad close by, those heavy players of the elven world, I felt like one of the guys.
What was the outcome of your confrontation with Adar? Given that you had slain a troll and some orcs earlier, I assumed Arondir would emerge victorious in a one-on-one fight.
In the heat of combat, he grows progressively less cautious, which was my undoing. It’s this impulsiveness that I fell prey to, allowing Adar to gain the upper hand. Emotions overwhelm me, making me vulnerable. Otherwise, Arondir could have matched him evenly. We needed to identify the chink in his armor. You noticed how capable Arondir is; you just watched him team up to slay a troll. There’s no valid reason for him not to be able to engage Adar fairly, unless he allows it. His demeanor shifts significantly, and in that instant of vulnerability, Adar seizes the opportunity. He has been gradually wearing me down, and we had to find that moment.
Officially, we haven’t received a green light for Season 3 yet. However, have we had any conversations about it or perhaps even glimpsed any drafts of the scripts?
From what I’ve gathered so far, it seems they’ve hinted at a potential third installment. I haven’t had the chance to read any scripts yet, but I’m quite certain that’s the plan. I’d be thrilled if I could get my hands on them!
This interview has been edited and condensed.
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2024-09-26 16:17