A selection of relatively unknown actors are poised to become overnight stars as The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power makes its debut on Prime Video, introducing them to legions of viewers around the world.
One such person is Robert Aramayo, who plays Elrond in this prequel series; one of the few characters from JRR Tolkien’s original trilogy of fantasy novels to appear here.
The Rings of Power is set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit, so fan favourites like Frodo and Aragorn simply aren’t around in this era, but immortal half-elven Elrond is present alongside Morfydd Clark‘s younger Galadriel.
Aramayo steps into a coveted role played by Hugo Weaving in Peter Jackson’s film trilogy, but spoke to RadioTimes.com about how he didn’t intend for the earlier incarnation to be a strong influence on his performance.
Who is Robert Aramayo?
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Aramayo hails from Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, where he discovered his love of acting at the young age of just seven years old, with his first lead role being in a production of Bugsy Malone held by his primary school.
At the age of 19, he secured a place at New York City’s Juilliard School, a prestigious and private acting institution which paved the way for his first screen roles.
Though he was born and raised in England, Aramayo’s family comes from Spain.
How old is Robert Aramayo?
Aramayo is 29 years old. He’ll reach his milestone 30th birthday in about two months, on 6th November.
What has Robert Aramayo previously starred in?
Aramayo made his screen debut in 2016 with two high-profile projects, starring in acclaimed psychological thriller Nocturnal Animals (with Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Adams) and HBO’s epic drama Game of Thrones.
He played a young Ned Stark in flashback sequences as part of the show’s sixth and seventh seasons, so Elrond isn’t the first fantasy role he’s inherited from a Lord of the Rings actor (Sean Bean was first to play Ned in season 1).
More recently, Aramayo has appeared in Netflix dramas Mindhunter and Behind Her Eyes, while his film roles include horror flicks Antebellum and The Empty Man as well as action prequel The King’s Man.
What has Robert Aramayo said about joining The Rings of Power?
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In an interview with Rolling Stone, Aramayo discussed taking over the role of Elrond from acting heavyweight Hugo Weaving and what distinguishes the two versions of the character.
“I love those movies, and I love Hugo Weaving – it’s an honour to play the role he played,” he began. “But the most relevant thing, for me, was to look at Elrond’s past, not his future, because there’s so much to achieve – there’s so much ahead of him, in order to become the version we’ve seen and read about in the Third Age.
“At this point, he’s young and very eager and curious about the world. He has a love of mortal beings, but it’s a complicated relationship. Him being a half-Elf, and how that makes him different, was something I was really interested to explore.”
Aramayo certainly is taking the gig seriously, adding in the same interview that he’s been delving deep into Tolkien’s lore for insights on his character at this particular stage in their life.
“That’s been one of the best parts of the job for me,” he said. “Just diving into the legendaria, and realising there was all this other material that existed.”
Is Robert Aramayo on Instagram?
Aramayo does not have a verified Instagram account, although there is one profile claiming to be him – we’ll believe it when we see that blue tick!
Is Robert Aramayo on Twitter?
No, Aramayo is not on Twitter.
Read more on The Rings of Power:
- Rings of Power release schedule: When are Lord of the Rings episodes out?
- How to watch The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies in order
- Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power review – Dazzling prequel doesn’t let Tolkien fans down
- Meet the cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
- What is Valinor in Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power?
- Who is Halbrand in The Rings of Power? Theories for Charlie Vickers’s character
- What are Harfoots? The Rings of Power Hobbits and history explained
- Who is Morgoth in Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power?
- Who is The Stranger in The Rings of Power? Daniel Weyman role theories
- Who is Galadriel’s brother? Meet Finrod actor Will Fletcher
- Who is Galadriel actress Morfydd Clark in The Rings of Power?
- What is the Second Age of Middle-earth? Rings of Power timeline explained
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power episodes 1 and 2 are available now on Amazon Prime Video – you can sign up for a free 30-day Prime Video trial.
If you’re looking for something else to watch in the meantime, check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Fantasy hub.
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