‘Mortal Kombat’ star accuses ‘Lord Of The Rings’ TV series of lacking diversity

The show's budget recently increased to $465million (£336million) 

Mortal Kombat star Ludi Lin has criticised the forthcoming Lord Of The Rings TV series, saying it lacks Asian actors.

Lin took to Twitter after Amazon Studios chief Jennifer Salke justified the show’s recent budget increase to $465million (£336million).

Lin, who plays Liu Kang in Mortal Kombat, tweeted: “It’s going to be difficult to justify building a ‘huge world’ without any characters that look Asian. Turn that imagine on us. It’s not hard, we’re right here.”

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The budget figures were recently made public as part of the New Zealand government’s Official Information Act, where the project is currently filming. It is expected to film a further five seasons in New Zealand along with a possible spin-off over the next ten years.

Meanwhile, Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd are starting a new podcast about the film series.

The stars, who played hobbits Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck and Peregrin “Pippin” Took respectively, are launching The Friendship Onion on May 18.

The official synopsis for the podcast reads: “Join your favourite Hobbits, friends and co-stars, Billy Boyd and Dom Monaghan as they take a look back at their time on The Lord of the Rings.

“Featuring interviews with cast and crew, diving deep into life behind the scenes, and answering the many fan questions, The Friendship Onion will peel back the layers of their friendship, both on screen and off.”

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“I am contractually obliged to make a glowing comment here in regards to the podcast Billy and I are making together,” Monaghan said in a statement obtained by Deadline.

Boyd added: “Dom took a little persuading, it’s true, but this podcast is going to rock. He is such a joker, you have to love Dom. Ha….but you also have to love bananas, so….yes, send bananas.”

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