Charlie Vickers also shared his pump-up playlist with EW, and how it changed from Halbrand to Sauron.

The first season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power was shrouded in secrecy. Going in, we knew the show would be set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, but not much else. That put a lot of pressure on the huge ensemble cast not to spoil anything ahead of time.

Season 2 is different. Sure, there are a lot of new things in store from the next chapter of Prime Video’s epic fantasy series based on the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, which kicks off Aug. 29, but at least now we know who Sauron is. Viewers are going into season 2 aware that the iconic Dark Lord is played by Charlie Vickers, and that his season 1 character, Halbrand, was merely a disguise.

While visiting Entertainment Weekly‘s Comic-Con 2024 video studio on Saturday, Vickers admitted that he “got so good at lying” while promoting season 1 and protecting his big secret. “I told so many lies on that press tour.”

Charlie Vickers as Halbrand, a.k.a. the dark lord Sauron, on ‘The Rings of Power’.Amazon Studios

With that major spoiler and the show’s first season now in the rear view, Vickers has been able to experience the excitement of Comic-Con in a different way this year. “Hall H yesterday was amazing, and you can feel the energy,” he said. “It’s been really special.”

In season 2 of The Rings of Power, Vickers will eschew the greasy hair and rugged exterior of Halbrand in favor of a new form: Annatar, the Lord of Gifts. In order to convince the great elven smith Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) to forge the titular rings of power with him, Sauron disguises himself as an elf-like mystic. During their video interview with EW, Vickers and Edwards revealed the music they used to pump themselves up for their scenes together this season.

“Mine was Philip Glass,” Edwards said. “The soundtrack to the movie The Hours… Arpeggios over and over and over.”

Vickers actually changed up his music in season 2, to reflect the change in his performance from Halbrand to Sauron.

“I had a playlist. There was a bit of Johnny Cash for Halbrand, and then for Sauron it was quite a lot of choirs,” Vickers explained. “Like King’s College Cambridge choir, choral music.”

Costar Morfydd Clark, who plays Galadriel and spent a lot of time with Vickers in season 1 before her character finally discovered the truth about Halbrand, interjected with an observation. “Wasn’t Galadriel’s theme one of your top-played?” she asked.

“It was one,” Vickers confirmed. “I’ve just plagiarized your theme to Sauron. That’s his theme now!”

“Oh, that’s quite dark actually,” Clark replied.

“Yeah, but also telling of their relationship,” observed Benjamin Walker, who plays the Elven king Gil-galad. “Like, ‘I’m usurping a part of you.'”

Watch the video above for more from Vickers, Edwards, Clark, Walker, and more of their Rings of Power castmates.