Daniel Henney will play Lan

[JenniferL - Administrator]

On second thought, let’s just make a new thread. 

 

[Mladen - Member]

Although he wouldn't be my first choice, the fact that we got an actor with career in Hollywood instead of K-POP star, makes me more confident about the project. That said, while he is almost 40, Mr Henney really looks young. I always imagined Lan as a seasoned warrior, stern face, but also tenderness in eyes. Mr Henney looks kind, polite, friendly even, just by looking at him. It would be really interesting to see what he can do with the role. 

[Dagon Thyne - Member]

My first choice was Mads Mikkelsen.  He is how I viewed Lan looking.  

[Dagon Thyne - Member]

I never thought of Lan as asian TBPH.  He is never described as looking as such in the books that I remember.  

 

 

[DemandredFO - Member]

First of all, lets not get another thread locked. Second, to my remembering Lan is never described, at least other plains and angles. RJ describes everyone else but beyond what I said above, I don't remember anything more.

[Jaglover - Member]

4 hours ago, Dagon Thyne said:

I never thought of Lan as asian TBPH.  He is never described as looking as such in the books that I remember.  

I doubt he is in the books either, but given the different ethnic origins of Saldaeans it makes sense to simplify matters and make all the borderlanders Asian or central Asian.

 

Guy looks Ok, probably needs to bulk up a bit, but at least he doesn't have the potential to ruin the show. Unlike with another casting which we cannot discuss.  

[Jaglover - Member]

21 minutes ago, DemandredFO said:

First of all, lets not get another thread locked. Second, to my remembering Lan is never described, at least other plains and angles. RJ describes everyone else but beyond what I said above, I don't remember anything more.

Lan is the most prominent character on the EOTW cover. 

 

I've got the double cover, first with him in profile and then underneath with him looking toward the reader. 

[SinisterDeath - Moderator]

1 hour ago, Jaglover said:

Lan is the most prominent character on the EOTW cover. 

 

I've got the double cover, first with him in profile and then underneath with him looking toward the reader. 

Cover Art doesn't help much, not great details. The armor is clearly Japanese, but Lan doesn't wear anything like that in Book 1. 

 

That said, I think they casted him great. He looks almost like the guy I picked, just younger.

 

They can age/rough him up with makeup, and he'll age well if this goes on for 10 seasons.

[RDY - Member]

According to cover art (from The Eye of the World and New Spring) Moiraine should've brown hair. No other artist has drawn her like that except for Darrel Sweet. So we shouldn't trust him so much. Also let's hope trollocs don't look anything like Sweet drew them in the covers of books 2 or 5, because they're described as entirely different inside the books.

 

I'm also relieved that the K-POP singer rumor turned out to be just a rumor. I much prefer this actor, who has appeared in lots of episodes of TV series (and dubbed many movies as well).

[mactwist2 - Member]

Looks good.  Not sure I pictured Lan being Asian but it did seem like some of the borderlanders were or something so I'm good.  I just hope he's a good actor.  He looks familiar but I don't remember him in anything.

[DojoToad - Member]

I can definitely see him as Lan. I’m guessing he can handle a sword based on his Wolverine credit?

[DojoToad - Member]

Is he tall enough to tower over Pike?  Or will they need filming tricks?

[Jaglover - Member]

3 hours ago, RDY said:

According to cover art (from The Eye of the World and New Spring) Moiraine should've brown hair. No other artist has drawn her like that except for Darrel Sweet. 

Well fair enough there but the Morraine he illustrated on the cover of EOTW fits in every other respect. Height, staff, stone on forehead. Also everyone else fits their book description reasonable well. 

 

In any case it doesn't really matter as some of the borderlanders are central Asian, so making  those on the eastern side Korean makes sense. An example of bringing greater diversity into WOT universe that is respectful to the source material and makes logical sense. 

[Dagon Thyne - Member]

13 hours ago, Jaglover said:

I doubt he is in the books either, but given the different ethnic origins of Saldaeans it makes sense to simplify matters and make all the borderlanders Asian or central Asian.

 

Guy looks Ok, probably needs to bulk up a bit, but at least he doesn't have the potential to ruin the show. Unlike with another casting which we cannot discuss.  

Saldeans are north African.  They are supposed to look Egyptian, not asian.

[SinisterDeath - Moderator]

5 hours ago, mactwist2 said:

Looks good.  Not sure I pictured Lan being Asian but it did seem like some of the borderlanders were or something so I'm good.  I just hope he's a good actor.  He looks familiar but I don't remember him in anything.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2024644/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

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[SinisterDeath - Moderator]

1 hour ago, Dagon Thyne said:

Saldeans are north African.  They are supposed to look Egyptian, not asian.

*Shrugs*

Quote

Saldaeans have bold, prominent noses and slightly upturned, almond-shaped eyes.

Quote

Faile hails from Saldaea and like most Saldaean women her hair coloring is black which she wears just past her shoulders. Her other obvious Saldaean features include a bold, hooked nose, high cheekbones, prominent slightly tilted dark eyes, and a wide mouth which some might have found too wide. Faile is tall and slim with a high voice and a flat way of speaking. She is beautiful in an exotic way

I don't see the word Egyptian or Asian anywhere in there.

I've always pictured the actor who plays Faile as looking somewhat Asian, maybe native american, or even from India.

[DemandredFO - Member]

Ok I found out who Lan was, now you two can get back to your I'm really not a racist but... a mod tries to shut you up, can't and the thread gets locked. I'm signing off this thread now, incidentally, this is why humans can't have nice things.

[Jaglover - Member]

8 hours ago, SinisterDeath said:

*Shrugs*

I don't see the word Egyptian or Asian anywhere in there.

I've always pictured the actor who plays Faile as looking somewhat Asian, maybe native american, or even from India.

 

Or central Asian and the preponderance of cavalry would also suggest that as an inspiration. The Turks are often cited as what the people of Saldaea look like (that would be in their original tribes not the people of modern day Turkey) 

[Dagon Thyne - Member]

10 hours ago, SinisterDeath said:

*Shrugs*

I don't see the word Egyptian or Asian anywhere in there.

I've always pictured the actor who plays Faile as looking somewhat Asian, maybe native american, or even from India.

According to RJ, Saldeans are based on North Africans.  Large hooked noses are actually quite common in north Africa, especialy morocco.  

Edited September 6, 2019 by Dagon Thyne

[Jaglover - Member]

1 hour ago, Dagon Thyne said:

According to RJ, Saldeans are based on North Africans.  Large hooked noses are actually quite common in north Africa, especialy morocco.  

Fair enough if that is what RJ said

 

WOT wiki says

"Saldaeans have bold, prominent noses and slightly upturned, almond-shaped eyes. While as ferocious in battle as any of the Border nations, their equestrian skills are undoubtedly superior; no other nation in Randland can match Saldaea for her famed and effective use of light cavalry"

 

Which doesn't exactly match North Africans.  

 

[djanego - Member]

Quick Google says that Daniel Henney is 1.88m, and Rosamund Pike is 1.74m.

I love Lan and I love Daniel Henney so I'm happy. 

 

I think people are obsessing too much over the looks of the cast. Maybe it's because I live in Australia (generally very multicultural) and I'm also mixed race, so I feel like a person's appearance often has nothing to do with their culture, fictional or not. 

[templar7 - Member]

On 9/4/2019 at 8:22 PM, Dagon Thyne said:

My first choice was Mads Mikkelsen.  He is how I viewed Lan looking.  

Always had trouble picturing his face... You nailed it! Nothing against Mr. Henney, I think he is a fine actor but I just don't see it. Every other casting choice so far are rock solid by my book, but I'm 180 off on this one. He'll have to prove me wrong (as I hope he does)

[templar7 - Member]

2 hours ago, djanego said:

Quick Google says that Daniel Henney is 1.88m, and Rosamund Pike is 1.74m.

I love Lan and I love Daniel Henney so I'm happy. 

 

I think people are obsessing too much over the looks of the cast. Maybe it's because I live in Australia (generally very multicultural) and I'm also mixed race, so I feel like a person's appearance often has nothing to do with their culture, fictional or not. 

(on obsessing on looks) I totally agree, I was one of them.  Having read book 1 in the mid 90's I've had pictures in my mind's eye for a long time regarding character appearance and thats a hard visualization to re draw mentally.  But now i'm digging it. I just started a re-read of the series and half way through book 1, and I'm liking all the choices. But not this one. He's just not Lan, not for me anyway. To be clear, my disappointment has nothing to do with ethnicity or Mr. Henney's talent. I just don't see the King of Malkier here. Not yet anyway. Hopefully I'm proven wrong. Wouldn't be the first time.

[wotfan4472 - Member]

I am really happy with this casting. I like the choice. have really enjoyed him in other roles. Cannot wait to see this show!!

[SinisterDeath - Moderator]

3 hours ago, templar7 said:

I just don't see the King of Malkier here. Not yet anyway. Hopefully I'm proven wrong. Wouldn't be the first time.

It's the Aragorn complex. Innately Aragorn & Lan are similar, so many want to see a guy that looks like Aragorn (Some actually want the same actor!)

But, when it comes down to it, descriptions don't really tell you much about how he looks. We can only extrapolate based on the people nearest his homeland.

As to his acting chops, he's got plenty of films/tv shows to watch to see his talent in.

Edited September 6, 2019 by SinisterDeath