‘The Rings of Power’ showrunner and Latter-day Saint J.D. Payne reflects on how mission lessons, faith shaped his career

“This life is one that I feel I’ve been able to create in partnership with Heavenly Father,” Payne says

Published: Aug 29, 2024, 2:14 p.m. MDT

Left, showrunner J.D. Payne and his wife, Rachel Payne, attend a "The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power" press event in San Diego, California, on July 25, 2024. Jerod Harris, Getty Images for Amazon MGM Studios

Several years ago, Amazon acquired the rights to J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” series and sought creative guidance from Hollywood writers for a new show.

Latter-day Saint screenwriter J.D. Payne remembers some writers pitching ideas that centered on a single character, such as the adventures of young Aragorn or a spinoff about Gimli the dwarf.

Payne and his writing partner of 25 years, Patrick McKay, envisioned a grand, sweeping epic that he compared to a Christmas feast.

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