Morfydd Clark shares shock at hate-filled Rings of Power backlash

Morfydd Clark has shared her horror over the hate she received for her role in Amazon Prime's Rings of Power TV show.

The 35-year-old Welsh actress plays the elf Galadriel in the streaming service's big-budget Lord of the Rings prequel - which returns for a second season this month.

But the star was "totally unprepared" for the barrage of hate that was unleashed towards her when the series first debuted in September 2022.

Speaking to Elle, the actress said, "I was just totally unprepared when season 1 came out. I've seen a really dark side of what it means to be someone who (anyone) can write a message to on Instagram, and a really lovely side."

She explained that the negative reactions came, "primarily from men," and added, "Lots of the criticism I got from some (fans) were for the things making other people feel liberated while watching (Galadriel)."

Cate Blanchett played Galadriel in Peter Jackson's celebrated Lord of the Rings film franchise which shows the character at a later stage in life.

Morfydd and the creators of the prequel series turned to author J.R.R. Tolkien's source material to learn that the character had previously had prideful tendencies and served as a warrior - which informed the TV version.

Morfydd explained, "She takes up space; she's unapologetic. I didn't want her to act like a human woman who's been taught not to be abrasive."

Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power returns to Amazon Prime on Thursday 29 August 2024.