Who is Isildur in The Rings of Power? Meet actor Maxim Baldry
Meet the future High King of Arnor and Gondor.
There are a number of iconic Lord of the Rings characters in The Rings of Power.
The Amazon Prime Video series includes some memorable figures in the form of Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) and Elrond (Robert Aramayo).
However, in The Rings of Power episode 3, the audience is introduced to the island kingdom of Númenor and we meet the likes of Captain Elendil (Lloyd Owen) and his son, Isildur.
However, who is the sailor named Isildur and what is his connection to the lore of Middle-earth?
Here is everything you need to know about Isildur and his actor Maxim Baldry.
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Who is Isildur in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power?
Isildur is a Númenórean sailor and the son of Elendil. He is also the brother of Anárion and their sister Eärien.
Alongside his peers Ontamo and Valandil, Isildur is a sailing cadet but desires further adventures in the West.
The series depicts a difficult relationship between Isildur and his father Elendil as they discuss the importance of duty.
The character was created by J R R Tolkien for The Lord of the Rings, in which he was revealed to be the High King of Arnor and Gondor. He was also the one who cut the One Ring from the finger of the Dark Lord Sauron following the battle that saw him defeated by Isildur's father King Elendil and the Elven High-King Gil-galad, both of whom were also killed in the clash.
Despite coming into possession of the One Ring, King Isildur chose not to destroy it but instead was corrupted by it and kept the Ring for himself.
He went on to plant a seedling of the White Tree in Minas Anor in memory of his late brother, Anárion.
King Isildur would go on to name his nephew Meneldil as King of Gondor while he himself returned to Arnor.
However, at the Gladden Fields, King Isildur's party was attacked by a group of Orcs and he was shot dead in the River Anduin while he tried to swim away. The Ring fell from his finger into the depths of the water.
It was later found many years later by Smeagol, the one who would become Gollum.
Isildur had come to Middle-earth with his family when they escaped the fall of Númenor. The character was portrayed by Harry Sinclair in scenes featured in the prologue of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and other flashbacks within the film.
Who plays Isildur in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power?
Isildur is portrayed in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power by actor Maxim Baldry.
The British actor is best known for his roles as Viktor Goraya in the Russell T Davies dystopian drama series Years & Years, his role as Stepan in Mr Bean's Holiday, and Ed in Last Christmas.
Additionally, Baldry portrayed Liam Donovan in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks from 2016 to 2017.
Baldry also played the historical figure Caesarion in the BBC/HBO historical drama series Rome, along with the historical figure John Polidori in the Doctor Who episode The Haunting of Villa Diodati.
Read more on The Rings of Power:
- Rings of Power release schedule: When are Lord of the Rings episodes out?
- Who is Adar in The Rings of Power? Joseph Mawle character theories
- How to watch The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies in order
- Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power review – Dazzling prequel doesn't let Tolkien fans down
- Meet the cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
- What is Valinor in Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power?
- Who is Halbrand in The Rings of Power? Theories for Charlie Vickers’s character
- Who is Morgoth in Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power?
- Who is The Stranger in The Rings of Power? Daniel Weyman role theories
- Who is Galadriel’s brother? Meet Finrod actor Will Fletcher
- Who is Galadriel actress Morfydd Clark in The Rings of Power?
- Who is Elrond actor Robert Aramayo in The Rings of Power?
- What is the Second Age of Middle-earth? Rings of Power timeline explained
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power episodes 1-3 are available now on Amazon Prime Video – you can sign up now for a free 30-day Prime Video trial. If you’re looking for something else to watch in the meantime, check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Fantasy hub.
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Lewis Knight is the Trends Editor for Radio Times, covering trending titles from TV, Film and more. He previously worked at The Mirror in TV, Film, and Showbiz coverage alongside work on SEO. Alongside his past work in advertising, he possesses a BSc in Psychology and an MA in Film Studies.
