"You are all welcome here."
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has launched to much critical acclaim, but some stars of the show have unfortunately been the victims of racist abuse from viewers.
The Amazon series currently stands at 3.2 out of 5 on Google Reviews, with some reviewers citing the race of actors as the reason for their one star score for the series.
In defence of the cast, original hobbits Elijah Wood, Dominic Monaghan, and Billy Boyd shared a tweet in solidarity with the cast, wearing shirts that read "You are all welcome here" in Elvish.
https://twitter.com/elijahwood/status/1567538865203970048?s=20&t=ME9VQ8IlY2Hp1_3RHy2sjA
Sean Astin, who played Samwise Gamgee in the Peter Jackson Trilogy, shared a photo sporting the same design.
https://twitter.com/SeanAstin/status/1567540575317925890?s=20&t=CG35OUaGI9ZnucSBgX0ZWA
The cast of The Rings of Power released a statement in response to the criticism, saying that "they stand together in absolute solidarity and against the relentless racism, threats, harassment, and abuse some of our castmates of colour are being subject to on a daily basis".
"We refuse to ignore it or tolerate it. JRR Tolkien created a world which, by definition, is multicultural. A world in which free peoples from different races and cultures join together, in fellowship, to defeat the forces of evil.
“'Rings of Power' reflects that. Our world has never been all white, fantasy has never been all white. Middle-earth is not all white. BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People Of Color) belong in Middle-earth and they are here to stay.
"Finally, all our love and fellowship go out to the fans supporting us, especially fans of colour who are themselves being attacked simply for existing in this fandom. We see you, your bravery, and endless creativity.
"Your cosplays, fancams, fan art, and insights make this community a richer place and remind us of our purpose. You are valid, you are loved, and you belong. You are an integral part of the LOTR family - thanks for having our backs.”
