Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings TV series has cast British actor Maxim Baldry in a lead role.
Though Baldry was not included in the list of actors that were announced as part of the cast last January, the 24-year-old thespian was actually linked to the high-profile project as early as last fall. He didn’t have a deal for the show at the time, so his official casting came a bit later than the others.
“We still have a few key roles to cast,” Amazon co-head of TV Vernon Sanders said last January, and Baldry is believed to be playing one those key roles.
Baldry, whose deal has just been closed, joins previously cast Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Nazanin Boniadi, Tom Budge, Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Ema Horvath, Markella Kavenagh, Joseph Mawle, Tyroe Muhafidin, Sophia Nomvete, Megan Richards, Dylan Smith, Charlie Vickers, and Daniel Weyman.
Baldry is best known for his roles as Viktor Goraya in the BBC-HBO drama series Years and Years, Liam Donovan in the soap opera Hollyoaks, Stepan in 2007’s comedy film Mr. Bean’s Holiday, and Ed in 2019’s rom-com flick Last Christmas.
Genre fans, however, may probably know him for his guest appearance in Season 12, episode 8 of BBC America’s Doctor Who, in which he portrayed the role of John Polidon, a physician and writer, who is credited by some as the creator of the vampire genre of fantasy fiction.
Led by showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, The Lord of the Rings TV series will explore new storylines preceding J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring.
J.A. Bayona, who is directing the first two episodes, also serves as an executive producer, alongside his partner Belén Atienza. Also executive producing are Lindsey Weber, Bruce Richmond, Gene Kelly, Sharon Tal Yguado, Gennifer Hutchison, Jason Cahill and Justin Doble.
The Lord of the Rings TV series has no release date yet, but it has already been renewed for a second season ahead of the production start of the first season in New Zealand.