There are a number of iconic Lord of the Rings characters in The Rings of Power.

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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.

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.

Leon Wadham (Kemen), Cynthia Addai-Robinson (Queen Regent Míriel), Trystan Gravelle (Pharazôn), Lloyd Owen (Elendil), Ema Horvath (Eärien), and Maxim Baldry (Isildur)
Kemen, Queen Regent Míriel, Pharazôn, Elendil, Eärien and Isildur. Ben Rothstein/Prime Video

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?

Maxim Baldry attends "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" World Premiere at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on August 30, 2022 in London, England
Maxim Baldry. Jeff Spicer/Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Prime Video

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:

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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