With a trajectory that spans more than 20 years, Spanish director J. A. Bayona wants to keep growing and trying new things in his career.

He has not only dabbled in film and television but his work encompasses music videos as well. He is a fan of the work of Golden Globe winner Guillermo del Toro, whom he calls his mentor since the latter produced his first film, The Orphanage.

“Guillermo and I are very good friends,” he said in my interview with him on the red carpet at the recent premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power in Culver City. “Working with him was wonderful. He is my mentor.”

Bayona, who directed Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, is also noted for the poetic fantasy A Monster Calls, the terrifying The Orphanage, and the real-life disaster drama The Impossible.

Now, he directs the first two episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which will debut on September 2 on Amazon Prime Video.

For Bayona, it was a great challenge to be part of the production since he is a fan of the J. R. R. Tolkien world, a universe that is known by millions of people around the world.

 

What was your experience being part of this story?

For me, it was wonderful because I’m a big fan of the books. And to be able to jump right into the second stage of something we’ve never seen before, it’s fantastic.

What can we expect from the story?

It really is a new story set before the movies we saw. In some way, it is based on Tolkien’s work because he wrote the appendices of The Lord of the Rings where a series of facts were established, and what we are doing here is telling an original story following the notes that Tolkien left behind.

How many episodes are there in the first season and how many did you direct?

There are eight chapters and I directed the first two. The first is called Shadow of the Past. The first two episodes will be released at the same time around the world so all fans can experience them simultaneously.

 

How did you get the opportunity to participate in the production?

The truth is that the two showrunners, Patrick McKay and John D. Payne, knew my work and they really like my films. We came into contact, and we sat down to talk, I loved the scripts and from the moment I read them, I wanted to be part of the project.

What was the biggest challenge you faced?

I think the biggest challenge was building so many different kingdoms with so many characters. It is a cast with more than 20 new characters. Finding them and putting them all in the same tone (in acting) was the biggest hurdle.

As a Hispanic, how lucky do you feel to be a part of this great production?

For me, it is an honor as a Hispanic to take the helm of such a large ship. The truth is that I really enjoyed it with the actors. It was fantastic to be able to see them again (at the premiere).

I spent almost a year and a half in New Zealand filming with them. We spent that entire time together. Seeing each other again is very exciting.

What will the public expect to see in this series?

What I hope is that the public falls in love with Middle Earth again and wants to read the books again. The love of books is what made us do this series and it would be wonderful if people came back to them.

Do you live in Los Angeles?

No, I live in Barcelona. The series was shot in New Zealand. I was working there and then I went back to my home in Spain.

What is next in your career after this series?

This year, I have been shooting a film called Society of the Snow which is about the plane with the rugby team of Uruguay that crashed in the Andes in 1972. We’re finishing filming it and next week, I’m going to the Andes to shoot what’s left.

The actors are new and young, Argentines and Uruguayans. It is the first time that we have shot with Uruguayan actors. It is a pleasure because I have not shot in Spanish for 15 years.

Will you stay in Spain or move to Hollywood?

I am very happy in Spain and you really live very well here (in Los Angeles). I always have one foot here in Hollywood, as they say. I have great friends and I have worked a lot. I would love to continue working.

Translated by Mario Amaya