The Season 2 finale of Rings of Power finally gave us an answer to one of the show’s most pressing questions: What is The Stranger’s name? It turns out, most guesses were right and Daniel Weyman’s wizard is named Gandalf. However, the journey to get to that choice both on screen and off wasn’t a straight path. So, I asked the showrunners how they figured out that this magical being was indeed the iconic Lord of the Rings character, and they told me how the actor who plays him impacted their decision.
Following Rings of Power’s Season 2 run on the 2024 TV schedule, showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay told the House of R podcast that The Stranger’s name wasn’t set in stone from the beginning. They wanted to go on the journey Weyman’s character went on and evolve his story to the point where he earned his moniker. So, when I asked about that and how Weyman impacted that process, McKay told me: