Dwarf beards and prosthetics melting off in brutal UK heat on 'Rings of Power' set
A British heatwave has unleashed a new villain on the cast and crew of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: sweat.
Variety reports from the Shepperton Studios set of Season 3, where temperatures topped 90 degrees in late June. The report details the chaos caused by the intense conditions, with the dwarf characters in their heavy costumes and elaborate beards suffering the most.
Makeup designer Flora Moody told the outlet that actor Eddie Marsan's prosthetic beard "suddenly peeled off in a close-up." The beards, made of yak tail hair, are bulkier and heavier for the new season, making them more liable to slip when the glue mixes with sweat. The prosthetics team is constantly prodding actors' faces to prevent noses and ears from coming loose too.
The crew has deployed mini fans and even ice vests powered by battery packs to cool actors between takes. Outside, a fully costumed orc actor reportedly declared it "hotter than the fiery pits of Mordor."
The elves, with less heavy hair and costumes, reportedly fared better. Actor Morfydd Clark noted the costume department's efforts to keep the elves "looking effortlessly cool while we’re all a bit sweaty and red."
