Geekery: More ‘Wheel of Time’ Cast Revealed – Lots of New Faces
Amazon has announced the more cast members for the series based on Robert Jordan’s beloved series of novels. There are a lot of young, ‘no-name’ actors on the list. The choice of using lesser-known actors came up a lot in the comments when Rosamund Pike was announced – folks mentioning Amazon should cast in the same way that Game of Thrones and other series that have become huge hits have. Introducing new faces does have advantages. Audiences get to watch actors grow in their characters, and they have no preconceived notions about how each actor works.
Before I get to the introductions, this is Amazon’s synopsis of the series:
Set in a sprawling, epic world where magic exists and only certain women are allowed to access it, the story follows Moiraine, a member of the incredibly powerful all-female organization called the Aes Sedai, as she arrives in the small town of Two Rivers. There, she embarks on a dangerous, world-spanning journey with five young men and women, one of whom is prophesied to be the Dragon Reborn, who will either save or destroy humanity.
Meet the party…
Josha Stradowski as Rand Al’Thor – He has a background in theater/stage acting that goes back to his childhood; he also has TV credits for teen drama series that aired in The Netherlands.
Marcus Rutherford as Perrin Aybara – The actor from London has won a British Independent Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer. Past projects include Obey and County Lines.
Madeleine Madden as Egwene Al’Vere – Her most recent project is Dora and the Lost City of Gold (in theaters now). Her resume includes a ton of TV work, including High Life and Tidelands (available on Netflix).
Zoë Robins as Nynaeve – She mainly has TV credits. The New Zealander is known for playing the White Ranger in the Power Rangers Ninja Steel series; as well as The Killian Curse and The Shannara Chronicles.
Barney Harris as Mat Cauthon – He starred in The Billionaire Boys Club in 2018 and Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk in 2016.
And, as announced a few months back, Rosamund Pike will be playing Moiraine as well as acting as one of the series’ producers.
Amazon hasn’t announced a release date, or how they’re going to utilize the sixteen books to create a story for the show. The writer’s room is headed by showrunner Rafe Judkins – who started his career as a contestant on Survivor and has since worked on The 4400, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Hemlock Grove. That’s good or bad news depending on how you liked those shows.
I haven’t read the books, so for those who have: what are your thoughts on casting so far?
