Ismael Cruz Córdova responds to Prime Video's 'Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' Review Bombing

It isn’t shocking to see some IP property spin-off go wrong. However, it is concerning when a series is getting negative reviews while others are raving on about the show. For the LOTR spin-off Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Prime Video, however, the negative reviews were largely coming from racist trolls who didn’t believe that Tolkien would like to have some diverse casting in the show. Which is when actor Ismael Cruz Córdova, who plays Arondir on the show, responded to the racist feedback the show was getting, BuzzFeed reported. 

The show premiered on Amazon Prime Video with about 25 million views, becoming the biggest premiere in the streaming platform’s history. The show is set thousands of years before The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings and even though it isn’t based on a specific book, it is an original storyline created from Tolkien’s vast and ever-expanding world of Elven folk and Middle-Earth. Many original and diverse characters were created for the sake of this show. Even though the show sounds interesting and has gotten a critics score of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes meanwhile the audience score stands at 39%. 

Noticing the unfair feedback the show has been getting, Cordova decided to take to his Twitter to share a powerful message. “It’s not about the billboard - it’s about becoming unmissable, undeniable, irrevocably present and rooted, as a people, as beings, as individuals. A huge “we are here”. And we have been here,” he wrote. While he didn’t address the racist review bombing explicitly, he did use his platform to share how representation has helped him find joy. “My heart was burning w an unshakable goal: To get to where we were told we couldn't be,” he mentioned. “Here we are. To share it w the two halves of my DNA was absolutely surreal. My heart is full, of love, of them, and all of you who share this same fire.” 

Bringing in a personal anecdote into the conversation, he also wrote, “This billboard was blocks away from a hostel I once had to stay for a while in a room w bunk beds w many other ppl who were struggling w housing and money. We all had a beating heart and hopes of a better future.” While his message is a rally for all marginalised actors, he wants to make it clear that all he’s looking for is a level playing field. “Looking for zero favors but to live with the same chances to dream and thrive as anyone else,” he remarks. “If you’ve ever felt discarded, marginalized, silenced - you are my people. And this moment is yours too!” 

This is not the first TV show or movie to get review bombed. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, A League of Their Own and even the Star Wars series Obi-Wan Kenobi has been getting review bombed for their diverse and well-represented casting and storyline. To combat this review bombing situation, Amazon has staggered reviews on a 72-hour delay so they can filter out all the reviews with racist overtures.

Stream Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Amazon Prime Video.