There’s a New Adar? ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ Replaces Joseph Mawle with Sam Hazeldine

No, your eyes do not deceive you. There is a new actor playing Adar in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 on Prime Video. Game of Thrones alum Joseph Mawle played the nefarious “father” of the orcs — excuse me, they prefer the term “uruks” — in Season 1, but now he’s been replaced with Sam Hazeldine. So why did The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power cast a new actor to play Adar? What’s Adar’s whole deal? How is he related to Morgoth and Sauron’s backstory? And where have you seen Sam Hazeldine before?

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 opens with a unique flashback, taking us back to the dawn of Middle-earth’s Second Age. The evil Morgoth has been defeated and his lieutenant Sauron (Jack Lowden) is intent on taking over his place as leader of all the darkness. However, there’s one problem: the orcs aren’t exactly Team Sauron. At the very moment in which the “Father” of the orcs, Adar is poised to crown Sauron, he stabs him in the back. This is why in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 1, Adar insisted to Galadriel that he had killed Sauron. He did. However, Sauron lived on as a vampiric creature dwelling in cracks and crevices before ultimately becoming reborn in his Charlie Vickers/Halbrand form.

In The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Episode 1 “Elven Kings Under the Sky,” “Halbrand” returns to Mordor. (He literally just walks in to Mordor, flouting Boromir’s famous line.) He attempts to bargain with Adar, who doesn’t realize that he’s talking to his sworn nemesis Sauron. However, what Sauron does achieve here is planting the idea that he is back, setting Adar off on a mission to destroy the dark “wizard” at all costs.

Okay, but why did Prime Video’s The Rings of Power replace Joseph Mawle with Sam Hazeldine? And who exactly is Sam Hazeldine? Here’s everything you need to know about the new guy cast as Adar in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power….

Why Did The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Replace Joseph Mawle With Sam Hazeldine as Adar?

Was there some dark sorcery at play behind the scenes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power that drove Joseph Mawle away from the series? Hardly. In fact, it seems that the British actor left of his own accord to pursue other opportunities.

When it was initially announced that Sam Hazeldine would be replacing him in Season 2, Mawle explained the casting shakeup on Twitter: “I loved my time exploring middle earth and diving into Tolkien’s mythology. I’m so honoured that the character was liked. He cared deeply about telling you his story. Though as an actor it remains my wish, my job description to explore new characters and worlds.”

I loved my time exploring middle earth and diving into Tolkien’s mythology. I’m so honoured that the character was liked. He cared deeply about telling you his story. Though as an actor it remains my wish, my job description to explore new characters and worlds. Wishing all the

— Joseph Mawle (@realjosephmawle) December 1, 2022

In a second tweet, Mawle finished his thoughts: “Wishing all the Best to cast and crew for S2, I’ll be cheering you on from the sidelines X”

Mawle went on to appear in the Yellowstone prequel 1923 and played Sir Walter Raleigh in The Serpent Queen Season 2.

Who is Sam Hazeldine? Meet the Actor Cast as Adar in The Rings of Power Season 2:

Sam Hazeldine is a 52-year-old English actor from London. He made his onscreen debut in the sixth season of Prime Suspect and has appeared in everything from The Witcher and Peaky Blinders to The Last Duel and Masters of the Air. You can follow Hazeldine on Instagram @samhazeldine.