- The first season of “Lord of the Rings” is Amazon’s most expensive season to date, securing $465 million in its budget.
- Salke justified the gargantuan amount in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, saying it was necessary for “a full season of a huge world-building show.”
- In a tweet from May 13, Lin said it will be difficult to justify building a “huge world” without any Asian characters.
- “It’s not hard, we’re right here,” he added.
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- Most of the cast are white, with some actors of color in the mix — namely “Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Sophia Nomvete, Sir Lenny Henry, Maxine Cunliffe, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Nazanin Boniadi and Sara Zwangobani.”
- It’s unclear if any of the actors identify as Asian.
- However, THR said the series is filming in New Zealand and some of its unannounced supporting cast are Māori, which are Pacific Islanders.
- Lin’s comment drew mixed reactions from social media users — some argued that there is no Asia in Middle Earth (which is suggestive of Europe), while others felt that Amazon could “head canon” and strive for better representation.