‘Rings of Power’ Racist Backlash – Amazon, Elijah Wood, & Others Speak Out

The Rings of Power is facing racist backlash after casting Black actors. The Hobbits and others are clapping back.

Since the cast was announced, people have been making bigoted comments about the Black members on social media. Mainly targeting Ismael Cruz Córdova who plays the elf Arondir and Sophia Nomvete who plays Dwarven princess Disa. Now that the first episodes have dropped, there’s been complaints about casting Lenny Henry, Sara Zwangobani, and Thusita Jayasundera as Harfoots. I’m sure there will be more about Míriel (played by Cynthia Addai-Robinson) this Friday.

This isn’t a new response from the internet’s cesspool. John Boyega, Halle Bailey, Celina Smith, Idris Elba, Leslie Jones, Amandla Stenberg, Zendaya, Anthony Mackie, Leah Jeffries, Michael B. Jordan, Quvenzhané Wallis, Moses Ingram, and Steve Toussaint have all been attacked by racist online mobs. (Note: they’re not the only ones, just some of the most recent.)

Based on what had happened to other actors, Córdova braced himself for what he knew was coming when he took the role of Arondir. He told Esquire:

“I felt that I could carry that torch. I made sure that my elf was the most Elven, the most incredible because I knew this was coming.”

via Amazon

What’s Being Said

The defense being put up by the mob is the same stuff we’ve seen over the last ten years. No, Tolkien’s books are not rooted in a 100% white experience and they are not a bastion of whiteness. Yes, there were Black people in Europe during medieval times.  No, casting a white actor as Black Panther is not the same as casting a Black actor as a non-canonical Elf created just for a TV series. Tolkien wasn’t clear on whether or not dwarven women have beards or not (see: The Nature of Middle-Earth). No, Dwarves are not cavefish.

Lenny Henry has a great point – he told the Times:

“In worlds of dragons and elves, why is the casting of a black man the limit at which fantasy fans are prepared to suspend their disbelief?”

Things that Middle-Earth has that make any and all of these arguments dumb: giant eagles, Trolls, fellbeasts, wizards that fall out of the sky, Orcs, Elves, immortal beings, Nazgûl, Ents, spiders the size of a compact sedan, dragons, whatever abomination the Watcher in the Water is, giants, werewolves… do you need more examples? This is a fantasy novel.

Having Black characters does not break the internal logic of Lord of the Rings. Someone carrying an iPhone or using a jet pack? Definitely. Black characters? No. Not in the slightest. Don’t fall for it.

Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Lenny Henry, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Sophia Nomvete via Amazon

Some of the Responses to the Rings of Power Racist Backlash

To combat review bombing, Amazon suspended reviews for 72 hours after the first two episodes aired. I wouldn’t trust any of the audience-based aggregate scores out there based on past behavior. They have also put out an official statement backing the show’s actors and creative team.

LucasArts, which has had its own share of racist attacks, also backed the actors…

Neil Gaiman responding to activist Darren Grimes insisting that the Harfoots are white…

Author: Mars Garrett

Pop culture writer and news editor that has been on the BoLS team since 2010. Contributor on the One of Us podcast. Marvel, Vertigo, Batman, and dystopian sci-fi fan. Enjoys bad movies, amazing stunt performances, and the internet. Hates rom-coms. (she/they)