00:00So every person in that wheel then is very important.
00:04They're a very important cog to it.
00:05And it just wouldn't revolve without any one of those
00:08characters.
00:08I just repeated myself.
00:15But what about the characters, though?
00:30Rob, I'll start with you.
00:31I just want to know when you guys are approaching your own production,
00:34whether you touch the Peter Jackson films at all just to set the tone
00:37or for preparation at all, or do you really
00:39want to separate yourselves and do your own thing?
00:42Well, you know, the Peter Jackson films
00:44are like a big part of my life, you know?
00:46I used to watch them as a kid, and Lord of the Rings
00:49in general was a huge part of my life.
00:51And so when you go into it as an actor,
00:52it's like a different sort of perspective, really.
00:55And so I went to, you know, I discovered all this material
00:59that I didn't even know existed about the first stage.
01:01And so I just really dug into that and like a historian, you know?
01:06To that end, you can get swallowed up, you know, researching
01:10the lore that comes with this.
01:13And so how much of that did you rely on just the script
01:17versus branching off of it and sort of digging into further materials?
01:21Well, I think everyone was different, really, you know?
01:23I mean, he is a lawmaster, you know?
01:26So part of the, you know, part of the research for the character,
01:30I felt like was learning as much as I could.
01:34And I think that was more necessary for some people
01:37and less necessary for others.
01:38Yeah, very true.
01:39Tristan, when a series has this many characters
01:42and potential subplots, it can be tough for an audience
01:45to keep it all straight.
01:46And I'm just curious how this series is tackling that.
01:49Are there different ways that the storylines are broken up,
01:52whether it be visually or just the way the characters are grouped?
01:55Well, I think every character is integral to the telling of the story.
02:01So it wouldn't be the same without any one character.
02:04Right.
02:04So it needs all those characters.
02:06You know, there's so many worlds in it and stuff.
02:09And a fantasy world anyway is a very heterogeneous place.
02:14And this is just true to type.
02:16So every person in that wheel then is very important.
02:20They're a very important cult to it.
02:21And it just wouldn't revolve without any one of those characters.
02:24I just repeated myself.
02:31But what about the characters, though?
02:34Honestly, are they important for this?
02:37Megan, what was the moment on set
02:39when the enormity of what you guys were doing finally hit you,
02:43when it finally felt real?
02:44I think one of the moments that was most poignant to me was seeing one of our sets for the
02:52first time.
02:53We worked on location a lot and we were on this farm that had this huge forest.
02:58And they built this incredible set.
02:59Designers were incredible.
03:01They built all of the Half-Foot's homes, which are these carts.
03:03And they're decorated so beautifully.
03:05And they are camouflaged to the environment.
03:08But when I first walked in, there's a scene that you'll see in the show,
03:13which is really beautiful.
03:15And it had all of our background artists who have been working very closely with Lara,
03:19who is our movement director.
03:20And they were creating the sequence.
03:22They were rehearsing it for JA, who was also there.
03:26So doing like a camera rehearsal to see how it fit in the space.
03:28And that's when I first walked in and saw the set.
03:30So I got to see the set as a live, literally a live art form.
03:36And that was when I really was like, I'm in Middle Earth here.
03:40And it was just, yeah, it was just gorgeous.
03:43And people talk about going to New Zealand, you know,
03:45to take tours of the sets that exist and how immersive it is.
03:48I can't imagine.
03:49Is that what the experience is like when you're on those sets there?
03:52Is it that you just feel like you're part of another world?
03:54Absolutely.
03:55It's really similar for me.
03:57One of the first times I was on the set and there were all the background people.
04:02But there was also just everyone around and all working so hard to create
04:06this very real, moving, vibrant beast.
04:10And I was standing there going, this is incredible.
04:13I've said before now that I felt like I was cosplaying.
04:16I was just like entering the space and just being completely overtaken.
04:20It was just extraordinary, really extraordinary.
04:23New Zealand is beautiful.
04:24I love that you mentioned cosplaying because we're here.
04:26Have you guys had a chance to see any rings cosplayers at all?
04:30I am desperate too.
04:31I haven't met.
04:32There's anyone else?
04:32Oh yeah.
04:34Yeah, they're everywhere.
04:36But we haven't got out.
04:37We've been there.
04:39He's breaking free.
04:40Actually, he's doing something.
04:44He dressed up like someone when I was born.
04:47Yeah, I've seen quite a lot of elves.
04:50But I've not actually, I've not seen a dwarf.
04:53Okay.
04:54We're going to have to fix that by tomorrow.
04:55Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
04:59When Tolkien's works came out, it had a lot of parallels to World War II.
05:03And so I'm curious how you think this show, this series,
05:06if it does at all, reflects and comments on our modern culture.
05:11I think we can relate to the world that we live in now,
05:16certainly with Middle Earth.
05:19Sure.
05:20Being out in New Zealand felt like Middle Earth
05:23because it's an island in the middle of the ocean, you know.
05:27And certainly with Khazad-dûm,
05:30I related Khazad-dûm to Wales, to where I'm from.
05:36I grew up on the side of the mountain and slate quarries and coal mines as well.
05:44So it's a big part of it.
05:45I'm looking at Tristan here because we're from Wales.
05:50And so, yeah.
05:52So I can relate to Khazad-dûm quite fondly because of Wales.
06:02And yeah.
06:03Gotcha.
06:03No, that makes sense.
06:04This is for anyone.
06:06The show comes with so much anticipation that the internet is flooded with theories.
06:10So, how much have you guys allowed yourself to maybe dip some toes into
06:15what people are speculating before the show even drops?
06:18Do you know what's wonderful about it?
06:20Is that no two imaginations are the same.
06:23They're like fingerprints.
06:24So, you know, you've got to allow people to have their imaginations run wild.
06:29Of course.
06:30And then when they come and see the show,
06:32it'll be similar in some respects and then different in others.
06:36But then is consigned to memory.
06:38So all they've got then is the memory.
06:40Unless they can watch it again, of course.
06:41But if they can do, then they'll go back.
06:44And it'll be all in memory.
06:45And there'll be like a sort of a mesh, I guess.
06:47Like a marriage of these two imaginings of this world.
06:52And that's a lovely thing just to sit down and mull over.
06:54Yeah.
06:54That'll be wonderful.
06:55That's very true.
06:57I heard recently that you guys all got together as a cast and watched the first three episodes.
07:02Were you guys able to participate in that?
07:04What was it like?
07:05What was it like seeing it come to life?
07:07It was a lot of shouting.
07:09There was a lot of shouting.
07:10A lot of emotions.
07:11Yeah, often with someone cheering.
07:12Cheering.
07:13Because also we would see, because we were obviously so immersed in our own worlds,
07:17occasionally we would get to see other worlds, but not often because we were working very hard.
07:22And so, and we spent so long together and know each other really, really well.
07:26And to then see all the hard work that we've been doing up on the screen.
07:30Right, right.
07:30Was just, I mean, we would see people and we'd be like,
07:32Oh my God, you know, like all that stuff.
07:34But then equally a minute later would be in absolute tears as a character,
07:37if something happened to a character.
07:39Sure.
07:39So it was an odd experience of being, oh, there's my, oh my God, is that what?
07:43Oh my God.
07:45It's like, we were so excited.
07:48I very, I very quick, sorry, Owen.
07:50I was just going to say it's a roller coaster.
07:52Yeah.
07:52I very quickly forgot that I was watching my friends though.
07:56Yes.
07:56You know, which, which I think was, you know, I'm obviously very, very quickly.
08:02I was just invested in, in, in the other world that I was watching.
08:07Right.
08:08Yes.
08:08That's compliment.
08:09Yes.
08:09Yeah.
08:10Yes.
08:10That's the best compliment.
08:10I'll get you out of here on this.
08:12Um, how do you all feel about the, uh, the binge model, uh, versus, you know,
08:17being everybody on the same page with each episode dropping, uh, I personally prefer when
08:22everybody's in the same point in the conversation, um, because it's so hard when you get to a full
08:27season drops and the first question you have to ask is like, where are you in the show?
08:30What have you watched?
08:31I agree.
08:32You guys feel that way as well?
08:33Absolutely.
08:34Yeah.
08:34I think it's brilliant how they're doing it.
08:35I think it needs a week to kind of absorb it.
08:38To absorb it.
08:39And maybe go back on it.
08:40There's so much information within each episode that, that, yeah, you do need so much richness
08:46and it offers people an opportunity to then, you know, halfway through a week, go, oh,
08:50I actually need to maybe rewatch that again and absorb it and then be ready for the next
08:55episode.
08:55And also to sort of maintain that hopefully excitement and anticipation, like how wonderful
09:00to see something and go, oh my gosh, and have, and theories with your friends and chatting
09:03and, and all that.
09:04And then you all get to sit down and watch it the next week.
09:06I mean, I think it's great.
09:07That's great.
09:08Yeah.
09:08I'm so happy to have you guys come through.
09:10Thank you very much.
09:10You excited.
09:11Nice to see it.
09:12Yeah.
09:12It's lovely to be here.
09:12Thank you so much.
09:16Bye.
09:18Bye.
09:27Bye.
09:30Bye.
