Eärien (Ema Horvath) is not having a good time in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2.
She believes her brother, Isildur (Maxim Baldry), is dead. Her father, Elendil (Lloyd Owen), is on the opposing side amid political turmoil, remaining loyal to Queen Regent Míriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) instead of swearing fealty to Ar-Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle). Oh, and her boyfriend, Kemen (Leon Wadham), killed Valandil (Alex Tarrant), her close friend since childhood.
In episode five, “Halls of Stone,” we see the wedge driven deeper between Eärien and Elendil.
Recently, I had the privilege of chatting with Ema Horvath about Eärien’s headspace in “Halls of Stone,” what it was like shooting the Sea Guard scene and more. As to be expected, spoilers abound for episode five.
RELATED: Read our recap for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, “Halls of Stone”
This interview is condensed for length and clarity.
Where Is Eärien?
Melody McCune: Let’s start off with Eärien’s headspace in episode five, especially after her interactions with Elendil and Valandil. Where is she right now?
Ema Horvath: I think [in] the front half of the season, before we get to this episode, she’s still making a choice. It was really important for me, for the audience, to see that on her face. Her clothes are getting more beautiful, but the person in them is dying a bit.
We don’t see her very often, but off-screen, the headcanon for me is that she hasn’t been sleeping. This is a lot more difficult than it appears when she finally does the deed in episode three. By episode five, the confrontation with Elendil is one of those moments where she’s made her choice. But if she relaxes or looks her father in the eye, it might all come crashing down, and she might feel ashamed of what she’s done.
So, it is a bit of a stiff kind of friction of power. It almost feels silly when you watch it because it’s Elendil the Tall, and she’s talking to him the way she is. At the end of that, you see that interaction with Valandil where she does have a moment of, “Oh crap, someone I’ve known since I was a baby is upset with me. Maybe I should reevaluate where my life is going and how I’m handling this.” The season is kind of back and forth for her.
The Sea Guard Scene
MM: I think that translates really well onscreen. You can see how conflicted she is about all this and having to go against her father.
The scene with the Sea Guard being stripped of their rank was pretty tense. What was it like getting to shoot that?
EH: It was interesting because, again, it was the first time I got to talk to Lloyd the way I did, so that was fun. It’s also the silliness of it — our height difference.
Everything feels very silly. It’s this girl who feels, deep down, that her father maybe doesn’t quite love her the way she needs to be loved. If she can’t have his love, she’ll have power and respect. No matter the terrible things she has to do to get it.
Grief or True Belief
MM: Do you think Eärien’s more driven by grief over thinking her brother is dead versus actually believing Pharazôn is a legitimate ruler for Númenor?
EH: I think both. There are a lot of things at play. We spend so much time with Elendil; people know him, but at this point in the story, you have to realize that Pharazôn’s way of thinking is actually mainstream. Her father’s way of thinking is very outdated and bizarre to her and a lot of people.
I don’t think she has the experience or the age to really make an educated choice about that. But I think, from the point of view of her youth and everything, she 100 percent believes he’s a better ruler.
MM: What can you tease about how the tragedy in the shrine will affect Eärien’s relationship with Elendil moving forward?
EH: I don’t think she’s ready to fall from the ranks she’s achieved, but her mind is starting to make allowances and try to figure out how she can save the people she loves and still stay where she is.
Building a Relationship
MM: What has it been like getting to explore this complex father-daughter relationship with Lloyd?
EH: It was awesome. I loved shooting this season, mainly because while reading the scripts, I was like, “Oh, I’m going to spend so much time with Lloyd on the phone.” He’s a really thoughtful actor who likes to talk things over, and I’d never get sick of that.
Obviously, [there are] the family dynamics, personal conversations about certain substitutions and certain scenes, and what we were bringing to the table. I also had something personal happening while we were shooting, [which] Lloyd knew about. He’s wonderful, not only as an actor but also as a semi-father figure. That was the greatest joy of this season.
MM: Describe the rest of the Númenor Season 2 arc in three words.
EH: I’ll say, “She’s getting hers.”
The Palantír
MM: I like that. What do you think Eärien saw in the palantír in Season 1, and could that have informed her distrust of Míriel?
EH: So, I’ve seen this debate online. I’m sorry to burst the bubble, but she hasn’t looked into it.
MM: Really? I even rewatched the episode, and it looked like she did. Interesting.
EH: She’s a bit of a rule follower, you know? She’s frightened of those objects.
MM: She sees it and is like, “Oh, this is not good to have.”
EH: She knows what it is because she grew up hearing about them. Her father knows a great deal about them, but there’s fear attached to these objects. Also, there’s a desire to do the right thing.
Just (Musical) Vibes
MM: Last question. If you could choose a song that represents the vibe of your character, what would you pick?
EH: “The Archer” by Taylor Swift.
MM: Oh, that’s a good one.
EH: That’s the song I was listening to. I started with a lot more, but by the end of the season, that was the only one I was listening to.
RELATED: Read our recaps for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power drops new episodes every Thursday on Prime Video.
Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week: PRINCESS DISA
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
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