Ismael Cruz Cordova is making history as the first person of colour to play an elf in the Lord of the Rings franchise. However, this accomplishment has not been met with universal praise. After the announcement of his casting, Cordova received “pure and vicious hate speech” in his DMs nearly every day, along with phone hacking attempts, death threats, and even physical mail. Amazon eventually brought in an on-set therapist to support Cordova, which he credits with helping him cope with the intense abuse.
Despite the backlash, Cordova says he is excited to create something new and to be part of a world that everyone can belong to. He believes that Tolkien’s work and the spirit of Tolkien should encompass anyone who can see themselves in the world he created. The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power features plenty of other actors of colour, including Cynthia Addai-Robinson and Sophia Nomvete, signaling a positive step towards greater representation in the industry.
Cordova’s character, Silvan Elf and main protagonist Arondir, is not in the lore of the Lord of the Rings, which was an issue for some people. However, Cordova notes that revision and representation is necessary for people to see themselves in their beloved fantasies. Cordova hopes that people can look at him and the other actors of colour on the show and see themselves represented in this beautiful world.
The second season of the show will premiere on Amazon Prime later this month, with Cordova and his fellow cast members continuing to break down barriers and open doors for greater diversity in the industry
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