Fans of J R R Tolkien are to be spoilt with another lavish screen version of his extraordinary world, as Prime Video’s mega-budget The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power finally premieres.
The show looks set to challenge HBO’s House of the Dragon as the biggest fantasy drama of the year, with a sprawling cast of larger-than-life characters, portrayed by both familiar faces and recent discoveries.
Much attention has been paid to British talent Morfydd Clark, who plays one of the few characters from Tolkien’s original trilogy to appear in this prequel, which is set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit.
The role of Galadriel was previously portrayed by legendary talent Cate Blanchett, so it’s fair to say that Clark has some big shoes to fill in this latest project. Here’s everything you need to know about her.
Who is Morfydd Clark?
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Clark is an actor who made her screen debut back in 2014, but began her career some time earlier by working in the theatre. Her family hails from across the United Kingdom, with Northern Irish and Scottish links on her father’s side, and maternal roots in north Wales.
That said, Clark herself was actually born in Sweden as her father’s work temporarily required them to relocate to Scandinavia. They remained there until she turned two years old and then moved back to Wales. While she admits to retaining very little Swedish, Clark is bilingual; fluent in both English and Welsh.
How old is Morfydd Clark?
Morfydd Clark is 33 years old. Her birthday is 17th March.
What has Morfydd Clark previously starred in?
Clark made her screen debut in 2014 with roles in star-studded indie films Madame Bovary (featuring Mia Wasikowska and Rhys Ifans) and The Falling (with Maisie Williams and Florence Pugh).
She went on to bag roles in 2016’s celebrated adaptation of Love & Friendship, opposite Kate Beckinsale, as well as the considerably less acclaimed period piece Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
Her most recent film roles include Armando Iannucci’s The Personal History of David Copperfield, alligator thriller Crawl and indie horror flick Saint Maud, which earned her a nomination at the British Independent Film Awards.
On the small screen, she has appeared in crime drama The Alienist, Benedict Cumberbatch miniseries Patrick Melrose, fantasy epic His Dark Materials, and the BBC’s recent reimagining of Dracula.
What has Morfydd Clark said about joining The Rings of Power?
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In an interview with GQ, Clark discussed how The Rings of Power could change her life forever, if it becomes the global phenomenon that many are expecting it to be.
“I feel like I’m looking at a big wave,” she said. “Something’s coming… but you don’t know how big it is.”
On stepping into a role once played by Cate Blanchett, Clark added: “That is definitely a frightening prospect; more frightening for some members of the cast than others. It’s a double-edged sword, playing someone who people are really passionate about.”
While speaking to Empire Magazine, the actor also addressed how it took some time for her to ease into the Galadriel role, with the character’s fearlessness in the face of extreme danger being a new trait for her to embody.
“When I was playing Galadriel, the stunt-team said, ‘You’ve got a problem, because you’re used to being attacked on film’,” she recalled. “I would flinch a lot when people came at me.”
Clark continued: “So they did exposure therapy with me, where I would have all these huge, huge men running at me, screaming with swords. To stop me from looking frightened. Because I’ve definitely been cast as the victim. And Galadriel is not that.”
Is Morfydd Clark on Instagram?
Yes, Morfydd Clark is on Instagram.
You can follow her at the handle @morfydd_clark.
Is Morfydd Clark on Twitter?
No, Morfydd Clark is not currently on Twitter.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is available to stream on Prime Video from Friday 2nd September. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.
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