Why The Rings Of Power Recast Adar

Updated Oct 11, 2026, 11:15 PM EDT Cher Thompson is a Senior Staff Writer at Screen Rant, where she covers everything from explosive reality TV moments to cast interviews about the twists and turns of scripted dramas. With a background in creative writing, marketing, and teaching, Cher knows how to spot both the storytelling genius and the guilty pleasures in pop culture. Her work blends wit with insight, making readers feel like they’re chatting with a friend who just happens to know way too much about TV. Adar has been recast in The Rings of Power season 2, and the actor change might leave viewers wondering why Joseph Mawle is no longer portraying the character. Adar is a character original to The Rings of Power, and he plays a fairly mysterious role throughout season 1. It's later revealed that he's one of the Elves who was tortured by Morgoth. And The Rings of Power season 2 shows how he tried to kill Sauron, preventing him from reigning over the Orcs. This is why the Orcs call him "father," and it's why they help him conquer the Southlands. Mawle plays Adar impressively in The Rings of Power season 1, conveying the villain's bitterness over his past and compassion for the Orcs with ease. The actor's performance makes Adar a compelling character, even though he's an antagonist. After Mawle's stint as Benjen Stark in Game of Thrones, it's no surprise the actor fit right into a major fantasy series. Sam Hazeldine had big shoes to fill in The Rings of Power season 2, but the actor's performance provided a great sense of confidence that he'd be a great replacement. Joseph Mawle Quit As Adar To Explore Other Opportunities & Roles Mawle's departure from The Rings of Power was announced in December 2022, not long after the first season of the Prime Video series concluded. The actor took to X to explain his reasons for not returning for The Rings of Power season 2, and they have to do with his career aspirations. Mawle wished The Rings of Power cast and crew well, and he expressed gratitude for his time playing Adar. However, the actor admitted his desire to explore other opportunities, writing, "Though as an actor it remains my wish, my job description to explore new characters and worlds." Since bidding farewell to The Rings of Power, Mawle has already appeared in two other TV shows: 1923 and Mary & George. Neither has gotten the amount of attention The Rings of Power did, but 1923 has a lot of potential, as it's a spinoff of the hit Western Yellowstone. According to IMDb, Mawle also has a movie in post-production: The Way of the Wind. The upcoming Biblical drama will see him taking on the role of Saul. The actor was supposed to star in the TV series King & Conqueror, but he's since been replaced by Ingvar Sigurdsson (via Variety). Who Plays Adar In The Rings Of Power & Where You Know Them From) With Mawle leaving The Rings of Power behind, the Prime Video series was tasked with recasting Adar for season 2. Sam Hazeldine brings Adar to life in the Amazon show's subsequent seasons, and the actor succeeded at making a seamless transition. Given Adar's limited amount of screen time in The Rings of Power season 1 — and the two-year break between seasons — the recast doesn't feel all that noticeable. It helps that Adar isn't a main character, but that's not the only reason the change works. Hazeldine also has extensive acting experience that's prepared him for this challenge. Like Mawle, Hazeldine also has a history of appearing in major fantasy series. The new Adar actor plays Barnaby in Netflix's The Sandman, as well as Eredin in The Witcher. Both roles are relatively small within the context of these series. However, they prove the actor is capable of immersing himself in a major fantasy franchise. Viewers will also recognize Hazeldine from shows like Masters of the Air, Rain Dogs, Slow Horses, and Peaky Blinders. The actor has a number of movies under his belt as well, including Ridley Scott's 2021 fantasy release, The Last Duel. Adar's Role Was Different In The Rings Of Power Season 2 Although Hazeldine's experience was already reassuring, the actor had another advantage in The Rings of Power season 2. Adar is the primary villain of The Rings of Power season 1, Sauron mostly lurking in the background. This changes in The Rings of Power season 2, as Halbrand emerges as Sauron at the end of The Rings of Power season 1. With Sauron becoming the main threat to Middle-earth, Adar's role as a villain will be reduced. This didn't necessarily impact the actor's screen time, but it changed the type of character he has to portray. In fact, early on The Rings of Power season 2 trailers suggested that Adar could become a reluctant ally to the Elves — or at the very least to Galadriel. Footage from season 2 saw them standing before an army, with Adar's voice-over suggesting that they share a common enemy. As both have good reason to want Sauron gone, Galadriel would likely have to team up with Adar before season 2 is through. This gave Hazeldine the opportunity to explore a new side of the character — one that's a bit more cooperative than Mawle's iteration. Even in a villainous role, Hazeldine's Adar is no longer scheming and raiding the Southlands. He and the Orcs seem much better off than they were in season 1, and this allows Hazeldine to take a different approach to Adar as well. His debut in The Rings of Power season 2 was promising. How Sam Hazeldine's Adar Compares To Joseph Mawle's Hazeldine makes his entrance as Adar in the first episode of The Rings of Power season 2, and he does an impressive job of taking over the role. It helped that Sauron also had a new actor in Hazeldine's very first scene as Adar, taking the attention off of the recasting. However, even without this distraction, Hazeldine does a solid job of capturing Adar's nuances. The Elf's hatred of Sauron was written all over his face in the first episode, as was his love for the Orcs. Hazeldine highlighted his fear of the villain's return in later episodes impressively as well. Hazeldine's appearance as Adar was, of course, slightly different, but otherwise, he portrayed the character in much the same manner as Mawle. Both were great in the role, and it's fortunate that Prime Video's Lord of the Rings series found two actors who can convincingly bring Adar to life. Hazeldine will likely leave a bigger legacy, as he has more time to evolve as the character asThe Rings of Power continues to build his feud with Sauron. Release Date September 1, 2022 Network Amazon Prime Video Showrunner John D. Payne, Patrick McKay, Louise Hooper, Charlotte Brändström, Wayne Yip Set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power explores the forging of the iconic rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, and the epic events leading up to the stories in J.R.R. Tolkien's classic novels. The series chronicles the creation of legendary characters and the historic alliances and rivalries that shape the fate of Middle-earth. Directors J.A. Bayona, Sanaa Hamri Writers Patrick McKay, John D. Payne, J.R.R. Tolkien, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, Gennifer Hutchison, Stephany Folsom, Nicholas Adams Franchise(s) The Lord of the Rings Seasons 3 Streaming Service(s) Amazon Prime Video