Anya Taylor-Joy Joins 'Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum' as a Lethal Elf

Anya Taylor-Joy has been cast in the upcoming film The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum and is preparing to dive into J.R.R. Tolkien's world. According to Variety, she will play Seren, a Sindar Elf of the Woodland Realm described as a trusted and lethal agent of King Thranduil.

"It’s so fun," Taylor-Joy told Variety's Marc Malkin at a recent premiere. "I mean, if my tombstone can say ‘Lethal Elf,’ I feel like I did a good job on this planet. So yeah, I’m excited."

What is her character in 'The Hunt for Gollum'?

Taylor-Joy joins the project as Seren, a character new to the cinematic Middle-earth. Her role is defined as a lethal operative serving under Lee Pace's Elvenking Thranduil. The film is set between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogies and follows Aragorn's search for the corrupted creature Gollum.

What did she say about preparing for the role?

The actress admitted she is a recent convert to Tolkien's universe. "I’m about to read the books now, actually," she said. Taylor-Joy explained that as a child, she held a "misguided idea that you could only be a ‘Harry Potter’ fan or a ‘Lord of the Rings’ fan." She watched all the films during the COVID-19 pandemic and realized, "turns out you can love both, and you should."

Who else is in the cast?

She joins a cast that includes fellow newcomers Kate Winslet, Leo Woodall, and Jamie Dornan, who is taking over the role of Aragorn from Viggo Mortensen. Director Andy Serkis, who will reprise his role as Gollum, has said Mortensen is "thrilled" about the direction of the film. Returning franchise stars include Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Elijah Wood as Frodo, and Lee Pace as Thranduil.

Serkis has been tight-lipped about further casting details, telling a podcast, "I really, really don’t want to go into it right now because I do want to save that for, you know, further down the line." The film is scheduled for a theatrical release in 2027.