Session 4-33: Casting

All TV shows with any sort of action sequences utilize stunt doubles, because you can't afford to have your main actors get hurt. If a stunt guy ends up in the hospital, that's unfortunate, but the show can go on. You need your lead actors to be on set the next day, and to shoot the next episode in the next week. Obviously, you want actors who can do their own stunts (to a point), but there is certainly not going to be a goal to produce something with battle scenes without the use of stunt doubles. It's up to costuming and directors and coordinating between the actor and the stunt double to make the transition seamless and invisible.
I understand.
 
Looking through the casting results video and the Hosts had some apprehension over casting Daisy Ridley in a supporting role. Any ideas for what else she could do? The best I have right now is questioning the escapees from Tol-en-Gaurhoth in the aftermath of Sauron's defeat. When Glaurung comes in the Fall of Nargothrond, she’s probably toast.
 
In general, I have no intention of plotting out character arcs based on which actor was cast for a particular role. I know that in 'real life', sometimes roles are written with particular actors in mind, and thus the arc of the character may be (in part) determined by the actor. But this is an adaptation, not an original story, and I hope we stay true to our story at all points.

That being said, I'm of course interested in the future arc of Meril in our story.
 
In general, I have no intention of plotting out character arcs based on which actor was cast for a particular role. I know that in 'real life', sometimes roles are written with particular actors in mind, and thus the arc of the character may be (in part) determined by the actor. But this is an adaptation, not an original story, and I hope we stay true to our story at all points.

That being said, I'm of course interested in the future arc of Meril in our story.
What I'm saying is that the Hosts were not sure about casting Ridley in a supporting role, and given that Meril is a character that we mostly have carte blanche with since there's nothing written of Orodreth's wife. I'm also thinking of events where Meril would be present at and what she would be doing.
 
So to get on the topic, what do we see Meril doing? I see her working on an orderly evacuation of Minas Tirith and questioning escapees from Tol-en-Gaurhoth, but I'm at a loss at what else.
 
So to get on the topic, what do we see Meril doing? I see her working on an orderly evacuation of Minas Tirith and questioning escapees from Tol-en-Gaurhoth, but I'm at a loss at what else.

Most of the minor characters' arcs tend to emerge as we get into the meat of the episodes.
 
Whatever Meril's arc entails, it will likely be closely tied to the arcs of Orodreth and their children.

Season 4 saw the introduction of Meril's character at the Mereth Aderthad as a Sinda that Orodreth was obviously interested in. Their wedding took place at Minas Tirith the beginning of Episode 6, but the focus of that episode was on Edhellos and (fake) Angrod. Meril and Orodreth dwell with Finrod at Minas Tirith after their wedding, although Orodreth delivers news of the Ban to the Feanorians and goes to Angband with Celebrimbor in Episode 8. In Episode 9, Orodreth returns to Minas Tirith from a visit with his parents on Dorthonion. I am currently in the process of revising all the Season 4 scripts, but I think I am going to have Meril and Orodreth both returning from Dorthonion. Meril is a healer during the Dagor Aglareb, and this is a role she could reprise in future conflicts. In Episode 13, Meril and Orodreth attend Galadriel and Celeborn's wedding, and, in the final montage, they and Angrod are with young Finduilas when she meets Treebeard.

I expect we will meet young Gil-galad and see more of Finduilas in Season 5, so Meril will likely be present for that. She and Orodreth will be ruling Minas Tirith while Finrod is in Nargothrond. Since Minas Tirith is going to feature prominently in Season 6, we should probably not forget about it during Season 5. We might show a council being held there or a visit from Finrod or Fingolfin or someone else. Orodreth and Meril might go to visit Orodreth's family in Dorthonion or Meril's family in the Falas. Such decisions, as Nick said, are generally made when planning details of individual episodes.

Minas Tirith will be captured in either Season 5 or 6, so we will show Orodreth, Meril, and Finduilas fleeing with their people to Nargothrond. One question associated with this is what will happen to Gil-galad at this time? In The Silmarillion, Fingon is Gil-galad's father and sends him to the Havens after Fingolfin's death. We could have Orodreth send Gil-galad away after the Dagor Bragollach (and maybe Meril could go with him), or we could have the family stay together until the fall of Nargothrond.

In Season 6, Orodreth will become king of Nargothrond when Finrod leaves with Beren, Celegorm and Curufin will bring Luthien to Nargothrond, and the people of Nargothrond will drive out Celegorm and Curufin when they learn of Finrod's death. Meril can take part in the scenes we use to depict these events, and she will probably stand by Orodreth whatever he does.

Nargothrond will feature again in later seasons, when Gwindor leads his company to participate in the Nirnaeth and in all the events associated with Turin. Meril can speak in support of or against Gwindor when he leaves, have interactions with Turin, and talk to Finduilas about her feelings. Again, the specifics of Meril's actions will largely depend on the details of the individual episodes.

Meril could die in the Fall of Nargothrond, but she does not necessarily have to. She could die before that, or she could escape Nargothrond and die in the Third Kinslaying or the War of Wrath, or she could survive and sail back to Valinor or stick around during the Second Age when her son is High King.

Meril is a character we pretty much invented, so her arc can be whatever we want it to be. However, we should make sure it supports and fits into the stories Tolkien wrote.
 
Whatever Meril's arc entails, it will likely be closely tied to the arcs of Orodreth and their children.

Season 4 saw the introduction of Meril's character at the Mereth Aderthad as a Sinda that Orodreth was obviously interested in. Their wedding took place at Minas Tirith the beginning of Episode 6, but the focus of that episode was on Edhellos and (fake) Angrod. Meril and Orodreth dwell with Finrod at Minas Tirith after their wedding, although Orodreth delivers news of the Ban to the Feanorians and goes to Angband with Celebrimbor in Episode 8. In Episode 9, Orodreth returns to Minas Tirith from a visit with his parents on Dorthonion. I am currently in the process of revising all the Season 4 scripts, but I think I am going to have Meril and Orodreth both returning from Dorthonion. Meril is a healer during the Dagor Aglareb, and this is a role she could reprise in future conflicts. In Episode 13, Meril and Orodreth attend Galadriel and Celeborn's wedding, and, in the final montage, they and Angrod are with young Finduilas when she meets Treebeard.

I expect we will meet young Gil-galad and see more of Finduilas in Season 5, so Meril will likely be present for that. She and Orodreth will be ruling Minas Tirith while Finrod is in Nargothrond. Since Minas Tirith is going to feature prominently in Season 6, we should probably not forget about it during Season 5. We might show a council being held there or a visit from Finrod or Fingolfin or someone else. Orodreth and Meril might go to visit Orodreth's family in Dorthonion or Meril's family in the Falas. Such decisions, as Nick said, are generally made when planning details of individual episodes.

Minas Tirith will be captured in either Season 5 or 6, so we will show Orodreth, Meril, and Finduilas fleeing with their people to Nargothrond. One question associated with this is what will happen to Gil-galad at this time? In The Silmarillion, Fingon is Gil-galad's father and sends him to the Havens after Fingolfin's death. We could have Orodreth send Gil-galad away after the Dagor Bragollach (and maybe Meril could go with him), or we could have the family stay together until the fall of Nargothrond.

In Season 6, Orodreth will become king of Nargothrond when Finrod leaves with Beren, Celegorm and Curufin will bring Luthien to Nargothrond, and the people of Nargothrond will drive out Celegorm and Curufin when they learn of Finrod's death. Meril can take part in the scenes we use to depict these events, and she will probably stand by Orodreth whatever he does.

Nargothrond will feature again in later seasons, when Gwindor leads his company to participate in the Nirnaeth and in all the events associated with Turin. Meril can speak in support of or against Gwindor when he leaves, have interactions with Turin, and talk to Finduilas about her feelings. Again, the specifics of Meril's actions will largely depend on the details of the individual episodes.

Meril could die in the Fall of Nargothrond, but she does not necessarily have to. She could die before that, or she could escape Nargothrond and die in the Third Kinslaying or the War of Wrath, or she could survive and sail back to Valinor or stick around during the Second Age when her son is High King.

Meril is a character we pretty much invented, so her arc can be whatever we want it to be. However, we should make sure it supports and fits into the stories Tolkien wrote.
To quote John Callen: "Crikey, we got carte blanche!"
 
Whatever Meril's arc entails, it will likely be closely tied to the arcs of Orodreth and their children.

Season 4 saw the introduction of Meril's character at the Mereth Aderthad as a Sinda that Orodreth was obviously interested in. Their wedding took place at Minas Tirith the beginning of Episode 6, but the focus of that episode was on Edhellos and (fake) Angrod. Meril and Orodreth dwell with Finrod at Minas Tirith after their wedding, although Orodreth delivers news of the Ban to the Feanorians and goes to Angband with Celebrimbor in Episode 8. In Episode 9, Orodreth returns to Minas Tirith from a visit with his parents on Dorthonion. I am currently in the process of revising all the Season 4 scripts, but I think I am going to have Meril and Orodreth both returning from Dorthonion. Meril is a healer during the Dagor Aglareb, and this is a role she could reprise in future conflicts. In Episode 13, Meril and Orodreth attend Galadriel and Celeborn's wedding, and, in the final montage, they and Angrod are with young Finduilas when she meets Treebeard.

I expect we will meet young Gil-galad and see more of Finduilas in Season 5, so Meril will likely be present for that. She and Orodreth will be ruling Minas Tirith while Finrod is in Nargothrond. Since Minas Tirith is going to feature prominently in Season 6, we should probably not forget about it during Season 5. We might show a council being held there or a visit from Finrod or Fingolfin or someone else. Orodreth and Meril might go to visit Orodreth's family in Dorthonion or Meril's family in the Falas. Such decisions, as Nick said, are generally made when planning details of individual episodes.

Minas Tirith will be captured in either Season 5 or 6, so we will show Orodreth, Meril, and Finduilas fleeing with their people to Nargothrond. One question associated with this is what will happen to Gil-galad at this time? In The Silmarillion, Fingon is Gil-galad's father and sends him to the Havens after Fingolfin's death. We could have Orodreth send Gil-galad away after the Dagor Bragollach (and maybe Meril could go with him), or we could have the family stay together until the fall of Nargothrond.

In Season 6, Orodreth will become king of Nargothrond when Finrod leaves with Beren, Celegorm and Curufin will bring Luthien to Nargothrond, and the people of Nargothrond will drive out Celegorm and Curufin when they learn of Finrod's death. Meril can take part in the scenes we use to depict these events, and she will probably stand by Orodreth whatever he does.

Nargothrond will feature again in later seasons, when Gwindor leads his company to participate in the Nirnaeth and in all the events associated with Turin. Meril can speak in support of or against Gwindor when he leaves, have interactions with Turin, and talk to Finduilas about her feelings. Again, the specifics of Meril's actions will largely depend on the details of the individual episodes.

Meril could die in the Fall of Nargothrond, but she does not necessarily have to. She could die before that, or she could escape Nargothrond and die in the Third Kinslaying or the War of Wrath, or she could survive and sail back to Valinor or stick around during the Second Age when her son is High King.

Meril is a character we pretty much invented, so her arc can be whatever we want it to be. However, we should make sure it supports and fits into the stories Tolkien wrote.
We could have her go with Gil-galad to Cirdan. Cirdan hasn't had many people to talk to for a while.
 
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