Owain Arthur (‘The Rings of Power’) on how he did ‘detective work’ to learn all about Prince Durin [Complete Interview Transcript]
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During a recent Gold Derby video interview, contributing editor Sam Eckmann spoke in-depth with Owain Arthur (“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”) about Season 1 of his Amazon Prime Video drama, which is eligible at the 2023 Emmys. Watch the full video above and read the complete interview transcript below.
The actor plays dwarven Prince Durin IV on the TV adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien‘s epic novels about Middle-earth that’s set thousands of years before the events of “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings.” It’s one of the most expensive series ever produced for television, and the second season is expected to debut sometime in 2024.
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As soon as he got the role of Durin, Arthur set about trying to learn everything he could about the character. As he explained in our webchat, “What are the rules I need to follow? What do we know already? What is written down about Durin that we can find out?” He added that “as an actor, you kind of hunt for those information and you do detective work and almost a psychologist’s work really, just to figure out who he is.”
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Sam Eckmann: Hello everyone. I’m Sam Eckmann of Gold Derby here with Owain Arthur, who plays Prince Durin IV on Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. There is so much material, an immense amount of material, when it comes to Middle-earth from Tolkien’s books, to the previous film trilogy. Was it ever important for you to really dive into all of that to get inspiration for this character, or did you have to leave that alone?
Owain Arthur: No. I mean, there are a few things when you approach it all, I think that you need to look for that are the given circumstances that you need to know. Like, what are the rules I need to follow? What do we know already? What is written down about Durin that we can find out? Because as an actor, you kind of hunt for those information and you do detective work and almost a psychologist’s work really, just to figure out who he is. And then you get a better grasp of how he would react to various scenarios. And you get a true … or you begin to get the order of this character. So I did that. Even though there’s not much written about Durin himself, there’s a lot on dwarves, obviously, in the books. And there’s a joy, I think, to the dwarves that I get from the source material. So that was the main thing I wanted to explore was where is the joy in Durin and where is the joy in the dwarves? And it’s a very human side to him that I enjoy exploring.
SE: Yeah. Well, that’s kind of the cool thing about this project is because it’s taking place in Tolkien’s Second Age where he really … there’s the least amount written about this age, I would say. So there’s a bit of room to play there and room to create without being tied to certain specifics. Is there a certain aspect of Durin in that sense, that you really connected with?
OA: Yeah, there was actually, the fact that these dwarves are in a mountain. So I grew up on a side of a mountain in Wales, not in Scotland, but in Wales. And there’s a working-class element to them that I can connect to. You’re surrounded by hardworking men in North Wales growing up, and women also, but specifically men, I think. And that’s something I grew up with. And there were challenges when you grow up as a man, the toxicity that is surrounded by us, of how strong you are, how hardworking you are. And there was a lot of that I could bring into Durin’s role in Durin’s outlook on life, I think. And what I enjoyed and what I enjoy doing with Durin is that yes, he is in that world, but he’s wise to it. He knows that it exists and that it’s not a particularly good thing to be this toxic. And I think that his friendship with Elrond, I think is a testament to that, that it just makes him a slightly wiser dwarf to the others, I think, and further reaching. And he could look outwards as opposed to block the outside and stay in that traditional secretive way. So I was really keen on exploring that because I think as a teenager, as a Welshman growing up, was surrounded by that and didn’t really feel comfortable in that situation. So therefore … Excuse me. So it was a different way to approach a dwarf, I think, and I’m still discovering him.
SE: Yeah, I think you see both of those sides in the relationship between you and Elrond. There’s the side he has to kind of project in that trial when Elrond first enters Moria-
OA: That’s true.
SE: … and then there’s the real friendship, and I would say you and Robert Aramayo, who plays Elrond, have the beating heart of this show to me. That relationship just rings through so clearly. Did you two immediately click on set? How did you develop their chemistry together?
OA: Yeah. Well, Rob is from Hull, again, another working-class community. And the second he arrived in New Zealand, we sat on my balcony drinking cups of tea and just laughing every second. And we really hit it off actually. And what I enjoyed massively about working with Rob is that he’s a thinker like I am. We like to think and go, “Why do people do this? What is this about? Don’t you find this funny? Or don’t you find this annoying?” We were on a common ground with a lot of things, and therefore that conversation carried on into Durin and Elrond, that how we perceived each other. And we just got excited about each other’s characters and the friendship that we were forming for both Owain and Robert and Durin and Elrond as well. And we explored it. We went on a few adventures together in New Zealand, just to see what bonded these two and to explore that. We didn’t have any of the answers at this point, but I think it’s just love. It’s just that pure love and enjoyment of being with a friend that you can say anything to in a positive or a negative way. You will still be best of friends no matter what happens, one would hope. So it was a really strong bond and an adventure and an exploration as well, into that bond. That was great to play because there was a lot of push and pulling there. There were obstacles and objectives that kind of got in the way, and it’s a real push and pull between the right thing and the wrong thing to do. Do you follow your heart or do you follow your brain? Do you follow your traditions or the future? So it’s a real complex character, I think. And obviously, you add onto that, the fact that Durin’s a dwarf. Then you can really play those extremities of the emotions that he’s feeling. And he wears his heart on his sleeve, and he’s present. He’s right there in the moment. He’s reacting in that moment. And to be able to have that avenue as an actor, it’s a gift. It’s a gift that I loved exploring and improvising sometimes on set.
SE: Yeah. I really loved the scene between you two, where against your father’s wishes, Durin and Elrond go to mine for mithril. And you have this really tender, quiet conversation together where you sort of find similarities. We almost get Duran’s secret name, not quite, but almost get it. What is it like in a show so epic in scope, to just be able to zoom in and have these very quiet human moments?
OA: Yeah, it’s a gift, honestly. We’re surrounded by Middle-earth. You walk onto set, and you’re just in that moment instantly. And in particular the scene you’re talking about, I know that there was a lot of stress laid on Durin, and the stakes were really high there, to be in that scenario in the first place. And he was exhausted. He was mining like there was no tomorrow, literally, no tomorrow for his friend. So when you reach that climax of stress, I suppose, that you become more vulnerable. And it’s a really strange experience to have to be that exhausted, that it just brings all these emotions out of you and it gives you perspective of who you are and where you are. And that was something Durin experienced in that moment, I think. And when he couldn’t move anymore, they cracked a joke and they drank some water. I think there was a perspective of life and what Elrond meant to Durin in that moment, just came over him. And it was great to explore. How much do you reveal with Elrond in that moment? And it was very intimate and very human, like you say, a very human moment. I was touched by it anyway, in that moment.
SE: Extremely touching stuff. Yeah. And it results in a really epic showdown with Durin’s dad, because Durin is in defiance of his father, King Durin, who is played by Peter Mullan, and you have a really powerful scene with him where you basically defy his orders. What was that like for you, working opposite him?
OA: It was scary.
SE: I can see that.
OA: It was scary, yeah, when you hold your father in that high regard, and not just your father, your king. And you know you’ve gone against him, but you know in your heart that he’s done the right thing and that there’s injustice in the fact that we’re not helping my best friend here. We’re just going to stand back and watch him die. I can’t believe it. And it shows the strength, but it shows also a vulnerability and an innocence in Durin maybe, that he wasn’t able to bite his tongue in that time, to respect his father’s thoughts, his father’s orders. I mean, it’s so exciting to be working with Peter Mullan. I consider him a massive heavyweight in our industry, and to work with him on and off set is just a gift. And you know when you’re on set and you’re looking into that character’s eyes and you know that you are affecting him and he’s affecting you. He beautifully told me one day, you be the lamp and I’ll be the lampshade, or I’ll be in the lamp and you be the lampshade.” And I just thought, what a beautiful analogy that is to describe two actors in a scene and contributing light to the screen. And it was just joyous to be working with Peter. And I can also say that it was an even better experience in season two to be working with him. But there’s a lot more to come. And yeah, I have again been blessed with having this opportunity to work with Peter and also to be given such wonderful scenes by the showrunners and a lovely arc for this character. So it’s been joyous, I have to say.
SE: Oh, we can’t wait till season two. Very much looking forward to that. It’s interesting too, you talked about being surrounded by Middle-earth in these scenes, and it seems to me from an audience perspective that there is so much in terms of practical set around you. And it’s very impressive because Khazad-dûm, this is the first time we’re really seeing it on-screen in its glory days. Because by the time of The Lord of the Rings, it’s in ruin. What does that do for you as an actor, to have all of that actual physical material to work off?
OA: Yeah, it’s great. I mean, you do feel like you’re in a cave. The second you walk onto the stage, it’s dimly lit. So you instantly just walk into this warehouse and you go, “Well, I’m in a cave immediately.” And then you walk through a little passageway and there you are. It’s vast. And they’ve expanded that in season two as well. And we see bigger caverns this time, which I didn’t think was possible. So it is a blessing definitely. But on the same breath, I will also say it’s a hindrance. There are obstacles there too, as an actor, for working with prosthetics and beards and costumes. This was something that I had never done before and I knew I’d have to learn fast on how to break through it, I suppose, or how to work with it, because it exhausts you. I’ve realized that at the end of every day, I feel like I’ve completed a marathon. I’ve never actually completed a marathon. Sorry, that’s the door. They can wait. I’ve never actually completed a marathon, but it’s exhausting to be working with all of that stuff, but also a blessing, again, because it’s another discipline that I’ve kind of had to master in terms of being able to explore the character within these confines and how to express yourself. How does Durin read? So that there were freakish moments when I was looking at myself in the mirror, seeing Durin and not realizing moving an eyebrow and having a remote control over this other guy that was staring back at me. It was quite scary. It was a funny experience that I’ve never done before. So that was a great part of Middle-earth that was on my face. Yeah, and I’m blessed. I’m blessed. I’m glad it’s hard work sometimes, but most of the times I’m really enjoying it. Yeah.
SE: Yeah. It’s a full transformation for sure. How long did that take to get into each day?
OA: It’s about three hours. It takes three hours altogether by the time you arrive and you get on set. So when you consider you arrive at four o’clock in the morning, by the time you get onto set and the crew are kind of walking in saying, “Ah, yeah.” You’re saying hello. It’s like you’ve done a mornings work before the day’s actually started. And then it’s a case of just surviving the day, of not passing out with exhaustion and heat at some points. But yeah, it’s a while. It’s a long day, but a very rewarding one.
SE: Yeah. Well, I think a lot of this season for Durin is about what you touched on before, is kind of about peeling back the layers of someone who is very perhaps rough or proud on the exterior, but is very vulnerable inside. And I think one of the best spots to recognize that in is in his relationship with Disa because it just looks like the two of you, you and Sophia, are having an absolute ball in every scene. What was it like creating that relationship with her?
OA: Yeah, again, I’d say even more than Rob and I, but I think Sophia and myself clicked instantly and she’s just a joyous human being with a massive smile that you can’t help but love. And she’s funny, and therefore you kind of go, “Oh, this is going to be a hoot.” And it was. We just laughed a lot and I think we were … What was great is that we were comfortable enough in each other’s company, that we were able to push boundaries to see how passionate can they get, how strict can she be, and how much do they listen to each other? They do. They lean on each other and they complement each other well. And so therefore, I think collectively, they’re force of nature. And I think it’s just lovely to play opposite a lover or a wife that’s in a marriage that’s working. I don’t think you see that often. There are always cracks, there are always challenges, but I think there connection, their love for each other, is unbreakable. That remains to be seen. But this moment in time is that it’s … they’re a strong couple. They’re a power couple, I suppose, the double Ds.
SE: Yes. It’s very nice to watch two folks just be in love, especially in a world with lots of chaos and strife, certainly.
OA: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah.
SE: Well, we’re greatly anticipating where it’s all going, so we can’t wait to see you again in season two. But thank you, Owain, for talking Durin with me. For everyone who’s watching, make sure you subscribe to Gold Derby. Keep up with us for many more chats like this. Owain, thank you so much.
OA: Thank you. Nice to meet you.
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