Movies News Talk
The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne explained how Charlie Vickers' audition for Elrond would lead to his casting as the villain, Sauron. The Prime Video fantasy epic explores the Second Age of Middle Earth, as Sauron begins to gather the power needed to dominate the world.
Payne said that Vickers had the qualities they were looking for in the Elven hero, but McKay revealed that season 1 director J.A. Bayona suggested they use Vickers' chemistry to craft a Sauron who can use those qualities to deceive.
McKay said: "Our eyes lit up like a pinball machine. We said, 'Now his charm and warmth are a weapon. If this works, it will pay dividends down the road. When he goes dark, you will weirdly still like him and want to go on his journey, even though the things he's doing are repellent to you.' I think the results speak for themselves in Season 2."
Across season 1 of The Rings Of Power, the whereabouts of Sauron were a key running mystery. Several figures, including Halbrand, were set up as potential suspects. The mysterious Stranger, pursued by three women who believed him to be Sauron, was later revealed to be one of Middle Earth's Istari. The Fallen Elf Adar led legions of orcs in a campaign that would lead to Mordor's formation. While Halbrand's nature as a new character may have raised brows, other threads deflected from the truth.
Halbrand's tale was constructed to seem incredibly familiar to longtime Lord of the Ring fans, as the backstory Rings of Power season 1 gave him holds many parallels to that of Aragorn. Like Aragorn, Halbrand is supposedly a king stripped of his title and roaming Middle Earth, until joining Galadriel's quest spurs him into action as a reluctant hero who would later embrace his destiny. However, as viewers and Galadriel would soon learn, this fable had lured them into a false sense of security, with Sauron succeeding in planting the seeds for his rise.
With Vickers' portrayal of Sauron and his complicated relationship with Galadriel becoming a fan-favorite dynamic of Rings of Power season 1, it is clear McKay, Payne, and Bayona's casting gamble paid off. While the actor fit the hero role for most of the season, his sudden turn in episode 8 is both a stark contrast to the Halbrand persona and a powerful performance that takes viewers by surprise. And with the true Sauron now roaming Middle Earth in Rings of Power season 2, many may be keen to see Vickers embrace his darker side as a deceiving Dark Lord.