Ismael Cruz Cordova is helping break down barriers on television for a while. Now, he’s making history with his role in the new “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” series.
The “Ray Donovan” actor is the first person of color to play an elf in the J.R.R. Tolkien series.
“I have been driven by the aspect of representation. So for me, it feels rightful to be included in these spaces and to be seen in these spaces and these narratives, because it represents much more than just me,” he explained to Sam Rubin on the KTLA 5 Morning News.
Being on the expensive set can be summed up in one word for Cordova: magical.
“We had every resource to make this narrative,” he said. “There was no way to do it any other way. It had to be right, and I think we did it. We poured our hearts into it.”
The set also sparked memories of Cordova’s childhood of playing in his backyard.
“I had many of those moments where I’m like, ‘I’m inside my childhood imagination. I’m inside my dream,'” he went on to say. “It’s beyond words, but it was kind of like that sense of wonder.”
Almost a decade ago, Cordova gained national attention for playing a bilingual character on “Sesame Street,” where he sang English and Spanish. He revealed how the experience was a full-circle moment for him.
“I grew up in Puerto Rico, not speaking much English,” he said. “‘Sesame Street’ was one of my first exposures to English and learning the English language.”
“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” is streaming now on Prime Video, with a new episode dropping every Friday.