Charles Edwards has lifted the lid on Lord Celebrimbor’s dark dilemma and his tortured relationship with Annatar - aka Sauron - in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2.
The elven-smith didn’t trust his companion at the start of this year’s eight-part series, yet was convinced to continue forging rings of power when Halbrand revealed himself to be Annatar, Lord of Gifts, a messenger from the Valar (below).
Celebrimbor agreed to forge seven rings for the dwarves of Khazad-dûm, however he became increasingly wary of his blonde companion, especially when he heard rumours of the dwarven rings' dark properties.
When Annatar (Charlie Vickers) suggested making nine rings for mortal men, the elven-smith refused, saying their work was now finished, however he was shocked when the 'Lord of Gifts' decided to proceed without him.
Yet Celebrimbor was tricked into helping him in this week’s fifth episode, setting in motion a chain of events that will have serious repercussions in Middle-Earth for centuries to come.
“Sauron really drives this season,” says Charles Edwards, who plays Celebrimbor. “It’s very much about how easily good can tip into evil through manipulation, predatory behavior and seduction.”
“Celebrimbor is heroic in a way because his intentions are good,” he continues. “Although they become twisted and muddied. What befalls him later in the season is quite tragic. It's sad to see what happens to him.
“I think he wants his name on a plaque somewhere saying he did this, but he also wants whatever that thing is to have been of benefit. So he's kind of a dichotomy. Because he’s someone who's very susceptible to vanity and shiny things, but also someone who wants to be remembered for having done something good.”
Shooting scenes with Charlie Vickers - who plays Annatar - was also a real pleasure for Edwards, who said their characters reminded him of a married couple.
“Even against this massive backdrop of Tolkien’s world, their relationship actually becomes quite domestic in a funny kind of way,” he says. “They spend a lot of time together. They bicker, they start to p*ss other off. They play mind games with each other. They disagree. I really loved that side of it.”
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 continues on Thursday on Prime Video
