‘The Rings of Power’ Announces a Major Casting Update as Season 3 Begins Production

Prime Video has officially added three new actors to the sprawling ensemble of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3. Andrew Richardson, Zubin Varla, and Adam Young are joining the hit fantasy series, which recently kicked off production at its new UK home base, Shepperton Studios. Richardson will be a series regular, while Varla and Young will take on recurring roles.

Richardson, a Canadian-born British actor, has making a name for himself in the theatre world with well-reviewed performances in Guys & Dolls, Uncle Vanya, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He also received a nomination for the Ian Charleson Award in 2025, while his next project is Ponies on Peacock alongside Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson.

Varla is an award-winning actor who took home the 2023 Olivier Award for his portrayal of Jerry Falwell in Tammy Faye and has earned multiple Olivier nominations across his theatre career, including A Little Life and Fun Home, which is quite the pedigree. As for TV, he’s been featured in Andor, Deep State, and Silent Witness. Right now, he’s filming a project for the BBC and he also has a Netflix series titled Hostage on the way.

As for Young, he might be best known to horror fans as Jim-Bob in Don’t Breathe 2, while his small screen credits also include Masters of the Air, The Witcher: Blood Origin, and EastEnders — which makes him a proper British actor — along with a résumé of treading the boards that spans everything from Withnail and I to The Alchemist in Germany’s Shakespeare Festival.

What Happened in ‘The Rings of Power’ Season 2?

The third season of The Rings of Power follows a huge second season that finally pulled back the curtain on some major character reveals—most notably identifying The Stranger as a young Gandalf. “I’m excited for this plethora of possible pitfalls, errors and failings that young Gandalf can learn from,” said Daniel Weyman, who plays the role, hinting we’ll see a Gandalf full of flaws and lacking in his wisdom as yet.

Meanwhile, Charlie Vickers’ Sauron heads into Season 3 more dangerous than ever. “He has made nearly all the rings now, but there’s one more… he’s determined and has had in his mind for centuries,” Vickers said. “So, I’m super excited to see him go on the journey and hopefully take over Middle-earth.”

The story will also jump forward in time, as confirmed to Collider by Cynthia Addai-Robinson, who plays Miriel. “There’s a time jump—I know that that’s been publicly said—with how we left off in Season 2. When we return in Season 3, we’re going to be moving forward.”

Season 3 is again led by showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, with an executive team that includes Lindsey Weber, Justin Doble, Kate Hazell, and director Charlotte Brändström.