The former Rings of Power cast member, Joseph Mawle, has explained why he is no longer playing Adar in the fantasy series from season 2 onwards. Mawle played the antagonist Adar in the recent first season of the Lord of the Rings TV series.
Mawle’s Adar, who was an original Lord of the Rings character created for the show, was widely regarded as being one of the highlights of the season. Adar was a mysterious and sympathetic antagonist, who described himself as being the father of the Orcs. Throughout the first season, his ambition was to turn the Southlands into a habitable environment for his Orcs, so they could avoid the pain of the sunlight.
There was much speculation as the season progressed that Mawle’s Adar was, in fact, Sauron in disguise. This didn’t end up being the case, however the character’s story is far from over and a confrontation between Adar and the real Sauron is set to be a major plot point in Rings of Power season 2.
However, despite the importance of the character and the fact that he was one of the most well-received aspects of the series Joseph Mawle is leaving his role as Adar and the character has been recast for season 2. This was a huge surprise, and something that many fans were disappointed to learn given how well Mawle has performed.
Now, Mawle has explained why he has left Middle-earth. Taking to Twitter to speak about the decision, the actor said “I loved my time exploring middle earth and diving into Tolkien’s mythology. I’m so honoured that the character was liked. He cared deeply about telling you his story. Though as an actor it remains my wish, my job description to explore new characters and worlds. Wishing all the best to cast and crew for S2, I’ll be cheering you on from the sidelines X”
So, Mawle makes it clear that his decision not to return for Rings of Power season 2 is due to wanting to explore and take on other opportunities. The actor has been replaced by Sam Hazeldine, who will take over the role, and six other new actors have also joined the already sprawling cast. Hopefully, Hazeldine will be able to define himself in the role of Adar with the same success as Mawle.
For more on Middle-earth, check out our guides to Galadriel, Elrond, Celebrimbor, and Gil-Galad. Or, find out all you need to know about the new Lord of the Rings movie with our guide to the Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim release date. You can also learn about the anime movie‘s characters Helm Hammerhand, Hèra, Freca, Wulf, Fréaláf Hildeson, and Éowyn.