Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power’s Adar actor Joseph Mawle explains why he’s quit series

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Poweractor Joseph Mawle has explained why he won’t be in season two.

It was revealed on Thursday (1 December) that the actor would not be reprising the role of Adar in forthcoming episodes.

Mawle made his debut as the orc leader when the first season of the series, based on the work of JRR Tolkien, was released on Prime Video in September.

He took centre stage as the series progressed, and by the end of the season, is shown to become “king of the Southlands” before changing the location’s name to Mordor in a reveal that was criticised by fans.

While the series will bring Adar back for more in season two, it’s been revealed that Mawle will no longer play him.

In a casting notice shared by Amazon on Thursday (1 December), Sam Hazeldine was announced as Mawle’s replacement, although no reason was given.

But Mawle shared an explanation on Twitter shortly after.

He wrote: “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.”

Hazeldine will join new cast members Gabriel Akiwudike, Yasen ‘Zates’ Atour, Ben Daniels, Amelia Kenworthy, Nia Towle and Nicholas Woodeson in the new season.

Speaking about the forthcoming new season, Vernon Sanders, Head of Global Television, Amazon Studios, said: “Since its premiere, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has been bringing audiences together to experience the magic and wonder of JRR Tolkien’s magnificent Middle-earth.

“To date, season one is the top original series for Prime Video in every region and has been viewed by over 100 million people worldwide, a truly global hit that speaks to the universal nature of powerful storytelling.

“We welcome these wonderful actors to our ‘fellowship’ and look forward to telling more incredible Second Age stories in season two.”

Earlier this week, Bernard Hill, who played King Thedon in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, criticised The Rings of Power, calling it a “money-making venture”.