Markella Kavenagh And Megan Richards Explain The Differences Between Harfoots And Hobbits In Rings Of Power - Exclusive

Much has been said so far about the inclusion of Halflings in "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power." Critically, Tolkien himself stated that the Little Folk didn't come into the history books until the Third Age of Middle-earth — that is, well after the "Rings of Power" story wraps up. But wait; there's more.

The prologue to "The Fellowship of the Ring" says that even though the historical data may be lacking, it doesn't mean Hobbits weren't around. The text explains that "The beginning of Hobbits lies far back in the Elder Days that are now lost and forgotten." It also states that while there isn't any information about this time, "Yet it is clear that Hobbits had, in fact, lived quietly in Middle-earth for many long years before other folk became even aware of them." The term "Elder Days" references the time before the beginning of the Second Age and the "Rings of Power" story.

While Hobbit ancestors are around, we don't know anything about them at this time. Fortunately, actors Markella Kavenagh and Megan Richards shed some light on the subject in a recent interview with one of our chief Tolkien experts.

When the term "Hobbit" comes up, it invokes images of cozy, plump Halflings smoking pipeweed, kicking up their hairy feet, and cultivating their prosperous homeland of the Shire. During "The Rings of Power," though, those days of domesticated comfort are still far in the future. In fact, at this point in the story, the primitive branch of Halflings called the Harfoots isn't even in the area of the Shire yet. They're far to the East, and they're wandering.

"The Harfoots are like a nomadic community," said Megan Richards. "We move, we travel through the seasons. We have these carts which are their home, so every family has a home. Whenever they travel, they carry the carts with them, so you literally have your home on your back. That's where they are. They're searching for that feeling of safety and security as well as having that within the community. The home for them is the community and the people that they have around them, all the Harfoots that they have around them."

When specifically asked how the Harfoots will factor into the show, Markella Kavenagh remained cryptic. "You'll have to see, but ... It's an exciting storyline to be a part of, and we get up to a lot of adventure and mischief and perhaps encounter some danger along the way. And yeah, we feature a lot within the community."

Watch our feeds for more thoughts on Harfoots and their undersized adventures as Season 1 (which premiered on Prime Video on September 2) continues to unfold in weekly episodes.