Recently, Amazon had a hit with The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The piece cost a lot, is getting further seasons, features an expansive cast, but, now, one of the show’s performers has exited his role with no apparent explanation right now.
A press release from the company issued earlier today confirms Joseph Mawle will be out as orc leader Adar in the story to come. He has been replaced by Sam Hazeldine and at the moment Mawle has not commented on just why he will not be back in the role.
Of course, actors and actresses can leave something they are working on for any number of reasons and it is not always the case something terrible happened behind the scenes. While Thora Birch recently left Wednesday on Netflix due to a personal matter, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje famously left Lost due to not feeling at home in Hawaii. Sometimes exits are structured creatively and fans do not often care – after all, look at how many actors played The Mountain on Game of Thrones – but they are mad here.
A post on Reddit where fans are discussing the issue has many saying it is a loss as he was a bright spot in the first season.
Many are naturally speculating on just what happened, and, for one, the possibility exists he could simply be a shy person in television.
Hazeldine has not commented on the decision either as of filing. More to come as we learn it, and, aside from this shift, others signing on to the project include Gabriel Akuwudike, Yasen ‘Zates’ Atour, Ben Daniels, Amelia Kenworthy, Nia Towle, and Nicholas Woodeson. Fingers crossed they don’t receive any backlash, or are at least galvanized by it, as one performer was the first time around.