How on Earth do you make Tom Bombadil dramatically compelling?
Omitted from both the 1978 animated film and Peter Jackson’s Oscar-winning trilogy – in the latter case, as Jackson believed he “didn’t advance the plot” – the merry wizard is the most famous Tolkien character yet to appear on our screens. The announcement that he would appear in the second season of The Rings Of Power, played by Rory Kinnear, was tantalising for fans, but it was unclear how he could factor into a series which boasts a mapped-out five season arc.
Showrunners J.D Payne and Patrick McKay have previously referred to the character as “anti-dramatic”, but stressed to Zavvi that he does have an important function within the series and hasn’t just been included purely for fan service.
McKay said: “We don’t do anything just “for the fans” – sorry fans – it’s all about character for us, and the five season, 50-hour journey. This time The Stranger is in the vast, unexplored lands of Rhûn, far east of Middle-earth, trying to find his purpose and his powers, as well as his name – which you will find out by the end of the season!
“When someone is in a quest like that, they need a teacher, and we got to thinking about who could possibly be out there who is even more knowledgeable than a nascent wizard? Tom Bombadil quickly jumped to the top of the list, as he would have been around at this time, but we didn’t know what he would have been doing – the idea that he would crop up in the most unexpected place was delightful and delicious to us.
“Plus, we’re always looking for new parts of Tolkien’s mythology that have not been adapted to the screen in the way they should be, and that was the case with Tom Bombadil. He was a stock waiting to be invested in, and we’re very lucky to be the guys there on the day to buy it!”
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Prior to being cast in the series, Kinnear wasn’t familiar with his character – and it wasn’t until he heard his partner’s excited reaction that he realised this was a figure fans hold in high regard. Speaking to Zavvi, he outlined that this was key in his preparation for a role that came with lofty expectations built in.
“You are aware of the high expectations when you first take the job”, he said, “and you understand that people have been interested to see this character, who has only existed very, very strongly in a lot of people’s imaginations.
“But because he has only existed in people’s imaginations, you are aware that you’re not going to be able to live up to all of those. So you must create your own thing and your own interpretation, using the source material and the script that you’ve been given as well as the dynamics and the relationships that you develop – in this case, with Daniel Weyman as The Stranger throughout the series.
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“So I tried to put the pressure that comes with playing a character like this, and the idea that people were already interested, to one side and try to react and respond as I would to any other part.”
The big difference between Tom Bombadil and Kinnear’s other roles is the fact that this is a character perceived as “anti-dramatic” – not the easiest feat to breathe life into if the material doesn’t offer much to work with, even if that does suggest more freedom in defining his personality.
“I think, if anything, it probably gives the writers more freedom in terms of how they want to use him within the story that they’re telling”, he continued. “And it’s not really creating from scratch, because you are still having to live up to a look that has been established in the book and a sense of who he is.
“That’s an enormous task, as this is someone who has experienced all of Middle-earth and all of time – it’s difficult to convey but essential to find some sense of it within yourself to portray him, to try and make the character credible in some way.
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“In that sense, it’s the same with any character you create, having to find where they sit within you”.
Luckily, it was easy to ground this within his dynamic with Daniel Weyman’s Stranger, who he becomes a mentor to during his journey to remember his past and powers.
As Weyman previously told us: “Tom is a character who has this eternal knowledge, and The Stranger really isn’t at that stage with his wizardry or his knowledge yet. He’s obviously got to have a massive amount of experience to get there.
“Tom Bombadil is so fast and so dexterous The Stranger has got to work as hard as he can to merely keep up and understand what’s going on. And that’s really helpful for me as an actor, because the joy is in immersing yourself in the present, in the scene that you’re shooting.”
New episodes of Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power premiere every Thursday on Amazon Prime Video.
