Amazon's 'Lord of the Rings' series ropes in 20 actors

Los Angeles: 'Amazon Studios' announced the addition of 20 actors to its sprawling cast for the 'Lord of the Rings' adaptation.

The newcomers include actors Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Maxim Baldry, Ian Blackburn, Kip Chapman, Anthony Crum, Maxine

Cunliffe, Trystan Gravelle, Sir Lenny Henry, Thusitha Jayasundera, Fabian McCallum, Simon Merrells, Geoff Morrell and Peter Mullan.

Also joining the cast are actors Lloyd Owen, Augustus Prew, Peter Tait, Alex Tarrant, Leon Wadham, Benjamin Walker and Sara Zwangobani.

The much-anticipated show, based on JRR Tolkien's classic fantasy novels is currently in production in New Zealand after resuming shooting in September following a Coronavirus pandemic-forced shutdown.

The new cast members join Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Nazanin Boniadi, Tom Budge, Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Ema Horvath, Markella Kavenagh, Joseph Mawle, Tyroe Muhafidin, Sophia Nomvete, Megan Richards, Dylan Smith, Charlie Vickers and Daniel Weyman. JD Payne and Patrick McKay are attached as showrunners and executive producers. They are also leading the writing team.

The series will not be a retelling of Peter Jackson's Oscar-winning film trilogy. It will explore the story set before the events in the first LOTR novel 'The Fellowship of the Ring'.