Lower than per week ago, Prime Video’s latest series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power released a press release on Twitter condemning the racism that’s been directed at its solid members of color. Calling attention to the net threats and abuse some actors have been subjected to, the series’ handle stated in no uncertain terms: “Our world has never been all white, fantasy has never been all white, Middle-earth just isn’t all white. BIPOC belong within the Middle-earth and so they are here to remain.”

Once we caught up with Rings of Power star Ismael Cruz Córdova on the red carpet on the Emmy awards Monday night, he echoed an identical sentiment as he connected his role of Arondir to his larger purpose of accelerating representation for actors of color.

“It’s all been a lifelong journey; I set a mission in my life to be a component of the change in visibility,” Córdova said of his experience working on the series. “To insert myself in places that I used to be told that I couldn’t be — that we were told that we couldn’t be. And I do know that loads of people don’t have the opportunities that I’ve had, but I’m going to do it for us. I’m going to take the lead.”

Córdova, who was born in Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico, has had previous roles in other popular series resembling Ray Donovan and The Undoing. But as he tackles the larger issue of racist backlash to diversity in fantasy, the actor asks for one thing from fans in return. “I’m going to wish y’all to like me and send a very good vibe and let me know that it’s working. And individuals are,” he adds. “Persons are reacting to it. They’re responding to it. They’re saying, ‘Thanks for being there. Thanks for representing us. Thanks for being in that show and letting us dream and soar.’ And that’s all I would like.”

As for many who are proof against the needed increase in multicultural characters that’s happening across series like Rings of Power and House of the Dragon, Córdova says, “I just wanna be there and tell people who we’re here and we’re not going anywhere. That’s the thing. Stay mad.”

Take a look at our full interview with the actor within the video above.