The Hunt for Gollum Star Anya Taylor-Joy Says She’s About to Read the Lord of the Rings Books, but She Won’t Find Her ‘Lethal Elf’ Character in Any of J. R. R. Tolkien’s Text
Actress Anya Taylor-Joy has been cast in the upcoming film “The Hunt for Gollum,” marking her entry into the Lord of the Rings universe. The prequel, directed by Andy Serkis (who also portrays Gollum), will feature Taylor-Joy as Seren, a newly created character exclusive to the film.
Seren is characterized as a Sindar Elf of the Woodland Realm and serves as a trusted and lethal agent of King Thranduil, played by Lee Pace. The character will not appear in J.R.R. Tolkien’s original texts, being an original creation for the film adaptation. Taylor-Joy expressed particular enthusiasm for the character’s “lethal” nature in her role.
In an interview with Variety, Taylor-Joy revealed she is just beginning to read the Lord of the Rings books as she prepares for the role. She acknowledged that as a young person, she had chosen to be a Harry Potter fan rather than a Lord of the Rings enthusiast, and had only recently begun watching Peter Jackson’s film adaptations of Tolkien’s work.