The Rings of Power, the latest TV series to expand upon the rich world of the Lord of the Rings movies, has spoken out against the vile racism and anti-Black rhetoric directed at cast members of the fantasy series in a new statement.
Since the series dropped on Amazon Prime, some toxic ‘fans’ have been targeting non-white cast members with disgusting racist abuse, because in a show filled with elves, hobbits, and various other fantastical elements, ethnic diversity is where they draw the line, apparently.
The statement, which was posted on the official Rings of Power Twitter account, was written on behalf of the whole cast of the series. “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,” the statement reads.
“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, Middle-earth is not all white. BIPOC belong in Middle-earth and they are here to stay.”
The statement concluded by thanking fans for standing up for the cast members facing racist abuse. “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,” the statement read.
“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.”
This statement comes after Elijah Wood and other cast members from the original fantasy movie posted a photo of themselves on Twitter in t-shirts which, when translated from Elvish, read, “You are all welcome here.”