Rory Kinnear to Play Tom Bombadil in ‘The Rings of Power’

The British actor is playing the iconic Tolkien character who has thus far been omitted from screen adaptations of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ stories.

Rory Kinnear as Tom Bombadil in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' season 2. Photo: Prime Video.

Preview:

Rory Kinnear will play Tom Bombadil in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’
He joins the show for its second season.
‘The Rings of Power’ returns in August.

Thanks to the various J.R.R. Tolkien adaptations that have hit screens through the years (especially Peter Jackson’s successful pair of movie trilogies), we’ve had any number of characters parading across the screen. Aragorn. Gandalf. Frodo. Even Grima Wormtongue got his moment.

Yet one who has been shown no love –– even in the BBC radio play versions –– is Tom Bombadil. All that is set to change later this year, as the team behind Prime Video’s ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ have revealed that British actor Rory Kinnear (probably best known for his role as Tanner in the recent Bond movies) will play the character in Season 2.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

"Evil has had many names."

TV-142 SeasonsSeptember 1st, 2022

Watch The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Online

Who is Tom Bombadil?

Rory Kinnear as Tom Bombadil in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' season 2. Photo: Prime Video.

Bombadil is a figure of unknown origin in Tolkien’s works who projects a timeless wisdom, often propelling characters in a direction to see things more clearly and helping them better understand the wide world around them.

In the lore, he claims to be as old as Middle-earth itself, possessing wisdom far beyond the reaches of others. Essential to the spirit of discovery and of the search for meaning, Bombadil is famously clad in yellow boots, blue jacket, and a feathered hat, and prone to enigmatic expressions in singsong verse.

You can sort of see why many filmmakers might have skipped over him. Yet the ‘Rings of Powers’ creators have decided to take on that challenge…

Here’s J. D. Payne on the character:

“He’s whimsical and magical, and almost verging on silly. But also has the wisdom of the ages and the music of the spheres and deep emotional wells of ancient history and myth, and his conception and function are tied to Norse myths and have deep roots in European fairy tale.”

And this is what his fellow executive producer Patrick McKay had to say:

“Weirdly, he’s kind of the most ‘Lord of the Rings’ thing in ‘Lord of the Rings.’ Tom is sort of a curiosity within that structure because while it is darker, Tom Bombadil is singing and saying lines that could be nursery rhymes from children’s poems. So, he sort of defies the tonal shift of the rest of the season and is a real point of light amidst an otherwise sea of darkness.”

Tom Bombadil: Rory Kinnear Talks

(Left) Rory Kinnear as Tom Bombadil in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' season 2. Photo: Prime Video.

This is what Kinnear had to say about playing Tom:

“There’s this sense of huge experience, huge openness, huge empathy, and having gone through so much that he knows it’s the small things that are important. That felt actually quite domestic, felt quite reachable in terms of my understanding of who he was.”

Tom Bombadil: The Book

(Left) Rory Kinnear as Tom Bombadil in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' season 2. Photo: Prime Video.

In addition to the character showing up on TV, the tome ‘The Adventures of Tom Bombadil’ will be re-released in paperback by HarperCollins on August 20th, just ahead of the streaming series’ return.

Here’s Chris Smith, Tolkien Publishing Director at HarperCollins on the decision:

“It’s my hope that, with the introduction of Rory Kinnear’s portrayal of Tom Bombadil in ‘The Rings of Power’, audiences are inspired to learn more about this unique character beloved of generations of readers around the world and will delight in sharing in his many adventures in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth.”

Everything’s coming up Bombadil!