Exclusive: Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power star Sara Zwangobani discusses the struggles destined for her halfling family the Brandyfoots.
Sara Zwangobani, who is one of the stars set to feature in Amazon’s Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, has described how her character’s Harfoot family struggles in season 1. Based on the works of prolific fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien, The Rings of Power is set during the Second Age of Middle-earth, thousands of years prior to Frodo and his friends setting out for Mount Doom during the events depicted in The Lord of the Rings. Amazon has spent big in their quest to bring Tolkien’s Middle-earth to their Prime Video streaming service, reportedly making an unprecedented production commitment worth at least $1 billion over five seasons.
In addition to seeing younger versions of characters familiar to Lord of the Rings fans, such as Galadriel and Elrond, The Rings of Power will also introduce a cast of new characters from amongst the varied peoples of Middle-earth. One such race expected to play a major role in the series are the Harfoots, distant ancestors and precursors to the Hobbits of the Shire. Unlike their Shire-bound kin, however, Harfoots are known for their nomadic lifestyles which would see them travel the wilds of Middle-earth.
Zwangobani, who plays the Harfoot known as Marigold Brandyfoot in The Rings of Power, recently spoke with Screen Rant during San Diego Comic-Con 2022. She offered new information about the Brandyfoot clan, teasing the internal struggle that lies among them. Check out Zwangobani’s full comments below:
They have lived a way of life for many generations. They expected that way of life to continue, and then something happens that upsets the balance of that.
Part of the struggle is that there’s some people in my family who are really ready to embrace the new, and there are some people like Marigold, who are just trying to protect what we have. And I think that’s where the challenges lie.
While the histories of Middle-earth are all largely concerned with the doings of races like men, elves and dwarves, it is heartening to see that halflings will not be forgotten in this latest attempt at bringing Tolkien’s world to the screen. While there are some major differences between the Hobbits of the Third Age and their nomadic Harfoot ancestors, fans will be keen to see the influence that they have on helping shape Tolkien’s sprawling fantasy world. Hopefully, their inclusion will also go some way to explaining how Hobbits came to settle in the lands of Arnor and make their beloved home in the Shire.
Though the Brandyfoot family hasn’t gotten much exploration yet onscreen, it sounds like The Rings of Power has found a unique and, perhaps, surprisingly relatable conflict within them. That should give the series a grounded edge. Amongst all the grand actions of mighty kings and brave warriors, and the inevitable rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, The Lord of the Rings has always put much stock in the actions of even the humblest people. Much as Lady Galadriel suggests in Peter Jackson’s The Fellowship of the Ring, “even the smallest person can change the course of the future.” Fans will finally get a chance to meet the Brandyfoot family and see how they will change the course of Middle-earth when Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power hits Prime Video on September 2.
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