June 15th 2023.
Sophia Nomvete, the actress cast in Amazon Prime’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, has been fighting back against racism since her casting. She stars in the show as Disa, the first female dwarf of color. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Nomvete described her casting as a “huge moment, both personally and professionally.” Unfortunately, this joy was eclipsed by the racism she encountered.
“I kind of skipped in naively thinking that it’s gonna be great,” she said. “I’m a dwarf, it’s gonna be such fun.” Nomvete spoke at the second annual Raising Our Voices luncheon to discuss the negative comments she experienced. People were not kind to her, calling her “fat” and “too black” to play the role. She even had one fan ask her to resign from the series. “I’m sure that you’re a wonderful actress and a really lovely person. I just, I don’t think you should be part of this, it’s not right,” they said.
Despite the hurtful words, Nomvete was determined to remain in the role. After seeing her face on a London billboard, she realized that her part in the show represented the future. “For the future of our industry and the generation, it is a must that I stand in my power and my light and do as much as I can with this character,” she said. “I understood the assignment, and that was to help people understand and to embrace them and love them.”
Nomvete’s resilience in the face of racism is an inspiration. She has proven that no matter what people say, it is possible to stand up against hatred and to fight for what is right.
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