EXCLUSIVE! Charlie Vickers & Charles Edwards on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2, introduction to Tolkien’s work | Not Just Bollywood

Charlie Vickers mentions in the interview that he’s the hero of his own story and he can relate to the ambition of Souron. Both he and Charles Edwards mention that the story of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 gets much more immersive and intense. It is a couple of notches up from the previous season.

Edited excerpts from the interview with Charlie Vickers (Souron) and Charles Edwards (Celebrimbor) in Singapore: 

 What makes you such a great villain Charlie**?**

Charlie Vickers: How I approached it and maybe that’s what makes the character interesting. And I think it was just from not thinking about him as a villain that worked for me. Right. I just tried to work out on what Sauron wants in this time period and the fact that he will stop at nothing to achieve it. I think that kind of elicits some villainous behavior. But I tried to tap into the sides of him. You know, he thinks he’s the hero of his own story. And I think he just thinks that if everyone just played ball, middle earth would be a great place and nothing bad would have to happen if everyone just shut up and listened to me.

How immersive does the character of Souron get with Season 2 ?

Charlie Vickers: It gets very immersive and very intense. It’s very dark and it’s quite gripping. It’s particularly this dynamic where the stakes just get higher and higher and it gets to the point where it’s like you’re questioning the reality of the characters.

How immersive does it get for you? How much has it evolved from season one to Season 2 ?

Charles Edwards: It’s very different. We’re in a very different place. I wanted to try, and in season one, I wanted to try and hint at his weaknesses because those are what Annatar is going to exploit. And I thought it would be good to have those semis on show in the first season so we know where. So we can all see what his weaknesses are. But yes, then he gets in there and starts to pick away at it, stab him, just starts to pull bits off and really puts him through the wringer.

And when was it that you were introduced to Tolkien’s world?

Charles Edwards: Probably when I was about eight or nine. And as far as I remember, and I’m pretty sure it was the Hobbit, I think reading it at school, something like that.

And how interested were you then and now? Charles Edwards:
Very interested. I also love drawing and I loved his illustrations. And that was another thing that really fascinated me about him. There was this book called the Father Christmas Letters, that every year they would send a letter to Father Christmas, him and the family, and he would do drawings on these letters. I thought it was the most delightful book. And then, yeah, Lord of the Rings I tackled a little bit later. I remember it being quite hard work at that age, but I battled through.

You still draw?

 Charles Edwards: Yes, I do. I don’t do it enough, though.

And how much do you relate to the real character and the real character? Is there some similarities?

Charles Edwards: Well, I don’t know, but  I guess you always draw on parts of yourself in a role. And I will always, if there are applicable things to use. Dilemma, yes, I am always in a dilemma. It takes me a long time to make any kind of decision one way or the other. So, yeah, I can understand his, his sort of not knowing which way to turn. I can understand his dedication to his craft. And I guess, you know, depending on who’s trying to corrupt you, his corruptibility.

And you Charlie playing a grey character, maybe some parts of it that you can relate to, maybe Sauron’s ambition? Maybe in a nicer way, a subtle way?

Charlie: Yes, you would hope so. The mass murdering Sauron (laughs). Yes, there are elements for sure. He is very ordered and I kind of am very particular about things being clean and in straight lines and stuff. And that’s. It’s quite a challenge for me to just sort of, if a place is messy, my house is messy. For me to leave it be and not clean everything up is really difficult. Like, I’m constantly fighting it, even if I need to, like, go to sleep or relax. And I think Sauron has that, but on a much greater scale. This is in terms of all humanity.

I don’t like mess. There were a few times I tried to pitch, like, going around, straightening things up, and the directors were like, that’s irrelevant. Stop doing that.

And your introduction to Tolkein, how much are you aware of the history of Middle earth as a kid? Was it from the very beginning?

Charlie: Not from the beginning of my life. I watched the Peter Jackson films, but I really got into it when I was cast and I tried to read everything possible. So now, yeah, I have what I think a decent knowledge of, like, the amount.