Whether it takes makeup, costumes, prosthetics, or props—or all four at once—the magic of bringing a character to life on-screen can make for some amazing transformations. As we gear up for the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on September 1-2 (time zone dependent), we've created side-by-side comparisons of each actor on the red carpet for the series premiere vs. in full costume.
Keep reading for a look at some of the transformations you’ll see in the show.

Markella Kavenagh, Elanor “Nori” Brandyfoot

A split image showing the actor listed above on the red carpet for the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premiere vs in full makeup and costume as their character in the show.
Markella Kavenagh plays Elanor "Nori" Brandyfoot, an adventurous Harfoot (one of three breeds of Hobbits) and an original character created for the show.

Owain Arthur, Prince Durin IV

A split image showing the actor listed above on the red carpet for the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premiere vs in full makeup and costume as their character in the show.
Prince Durin IV, played by Owain Arthur, is royalty in Khazad-dûm, a Dwarven city thriving in the Second Age.

Lloyd Owen, Elendil

A split image showing the actor listed above on the red carpet for the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premiere vs in full makeup and costume as their character in the show.
Elendil, played by Lloyd Owen, is a sea captain who lives in the island kingdom of Númenor. He is father to Eärien and Isildur (more details on these characters below).

Robert Aramayo, Elrond

A split image of the actor who plays Elrond. One image shows him on the red carpet and the other shows him in full costume in the show.
Robert Aramayo plays Elrond, a Half-Elven character fans might recognize from the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Ismael Cruz Córdova, Arondir

A split image showing the actor listed above on the red carpet for the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premiere vs in full makeup and costume as their character in the show.
Played by Ismael Cruz Córdova, Arondir is a Silvan Elf who appears in the Second Age as a guardian of the Southlanders.

Morfydd Clark, Galadriel

A split image showing the actor listed above on the red carpet for the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premiere vs in full makeup and costume as their character in the show.
Galadriel is an important character in Tolkien's work who is well-known by fans of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Her character in The Rings of Power is played by Morfydd Clark.

Ema Horvath, Eärien

A split image showing the actor listed above on the red carpet for the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premiere vs in full makeup and costume as their character in the show.
Eärien, played by Ema Horvath, is a Númenórean woman. She is the daughter of Elendil and Isildur's sister.

Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Queen-Regent Míriel

A split image showing the actor listed above on the red carpet for the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premiere vs in full makeup and costume as their character in the show.
Not yet a full queen, Queen-Regent Míriel is the ruler of the island kingdom of Númenor. Her character is played by Cynthia Addai-Robinson.

Sophia Nomvete, Princess Disa

A split image showing the actor listed above on the red carpet for the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premiere vs in full makeup and costume as their character in the show.
Princess Disa, a dynamic character played by Sophia Nomvete, is princess of Khazad-dûm and wife to Prince Durin IV.

Nazanin Boniadi, Bronwyn

A split image showing the actor listed above on the red carpet for the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premiere vs in full makeup and costume as their character in the show.
Nazanin Boniadi plays Bronwyn, a Southlander who is a healer woman and single mother to Theo (more on Theo's character below).

Maxim Baldry, Isildur

A split image showing the actor listed above on the red carpet for the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premiere vs in full makeup and costume as their character in the show.
Isildur is Eärien's brother and Elendil's son. He appears in the series as a sea cadet who longs for a different life. His character is played by Maxim Baldry.

Trystan Gravelle, Pharazôn,

A split image showing the actor listed above on the red carpet for the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premiere vs in full makeup and costume as their character in the show.
Trystan Gravelle plays Pharazôn, a counsel to Queen-Regent Míriel who is deeply involved in the political workings of the island kingdom of Númenor.

Charlie Vickers, Halbrand

A split image showing the actor listed above on the red carpet for the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premiere vs in full makeup and costume as their character in the show.
Halbrand, played by Charlie Vickers, is a human shipwreck survivor looking for a new beginning.

Tyroe Muhafidin, Theo

A split image showing the actor listed above on the red carpet for the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premiere vs in full makeup and costume as their character in the show.
Theo, the son of Bronwyn, is a young boy from the Southlands who grows frustrated with his circumstances as the series progresses.

Benjamin Walker, High King Gil-galad

A split image showing the actor listed above on the red carpet for the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premiere vs in full makeup and costume as their character in the show.
Gil-galad is High King of the Noldor, one of the main divisions of Elves. His character is played by Benjamin Walker.

Charles Edwards plays Celebrimbor

A split image showing the actor listed above on the red carpet for the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premiere vs in full makeup and costume as their character in the show.
Celebrimbor, played by Charles Edwards, is another important character in Tolkien's work. He is a Ñoldorian prince and the Elven smith responsible for making the Rings of Power.