Actress Nazanin Boniadi has taken to social media to further explain why she won’t be returning for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2.
Last week, it was reported that Boniadi — who played Bronwyn in the first season — would not be returning for the second season. At the time, it was theorized that Boniadi was stepping away from acting to focus on her humanitarian work.
What did Boniadi say about her exit?
In a recent post on Instagram, Boniadi confirmed her exit from the series, but said that it was actually unrelated to her decision to prioritize her advocacy and charity work.
“I made the choice not to return for season two of [Rings of Power.] This was unrelated to my subsequent decision to prioritize my advocacy,” said Boniadi in the post. “Throughout my career, the values I have held most dear are honesty, empathy and integrity. My character Bronwyn was committed to these same ideals in striving for a fairer world, which is why I connected so deeply with her. I look forward to sharing my latest projects with you soon.”
Previously, Boniadi said that she had paused acting in order to focus on working with the Women Life Freedom movement in her native Iran and to help advocate for the people there.
“In season two of The Rings of Power, Sauron has returned,” the synopsis reads. “Cast out by Galadriel, without army or ally, the rising Dark Lord must now rely on his own cunning to rebuild his strength and oversee the creation of the Rings of Power, which will allow him to bind all the peoples of Middle-earth to his sinister will. Building on season one’s epic scope and ambition, the new season plunges even its most beloved and vulnerable characters into a rising tide of darkness, challenging each to find their place in a world that is increasingly on the brink of calamity. Elves and dwarves, orcs and men, wizards and Harfoots… as friendships are strained and kingdoms begin to fracture, the forces of good will struggle ever more valiantly to hold on to what matters to them most of all… each other.”
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 premieres on August 29, 2024. The first season is currently streaming on Prime Video.
