a NEW Casting Thread (let's keep it nice)

[imlad]

On 10/7/2020 at 8:14 PM, Fano'Lan Redux said:

 

For you both, kudos on the replies and the patience exhibited.

Thank you. I've been down this road before on this very topic, and that's the very reason why I titled this particular thread the way I did. I've spend all my energy getting riled up over this issue that I intend to. Done with that. The two videos I shared say it all, nothing more needs to be said.

[Harldin]

Lets watch season one and then decide wether they have got the casting and look right. Are there going to be changes to the story? yes, am i going to dislike some changes? Yes, am i going to love some changes? Yes. Are there Book Lovers who are going to hate it? Yes. 
Nothing i have seen so far has got me worried in any way, i would rather watch a talented Actor who doesn’t fit the book’s physical description perfectly than a Talentless Hack who does.

[Fano'Lan Redux]

Michael D'Cruz casting speculation out there from rednianintellince:

"In an unrelated note, we can can also confirm that actor Michael D'Cruz (Tyrant, Doctors) will play the role of Zahir in The Wheel of Time. The name seems to be an original one, but given D’Cruze’s Asian looks, we could see him playing a borderlander."

 

Anyone else agree that he looks suited for casting as a Shienaran Lord?  Lord Agelmar would dovetail with the photos of filming locations that would translate to Fal Dara remarkably well - banners and all.

 

 

Edited October 10, 2020 by Fano'Lan Redux

[Harldin]

1 hour ago, Fano'Lan Redux said:

Michael D'Cruz casting speculation out there from rednianintellince:

"In an unrelated note, we can can also confirm that actor Michael D'Cruz (Tyrant, Doctors) will play the role of Zahir in The Wheel of Time. The name seems to be an original one, but given D’Cruze’s Asian looks, we could see him playing a borderlander."

 

Anyone else agree that he looks suited for casting as a Shienaran Lord?  Lord Agelmar would dovetail with the photos of filming locations that would translate to Fal Dara remarkably well - banners and all.

 

 

Could be an amalgamation of Agelmar and Ingtar

[Taishar Hawaii]

On 3/8/2020 at 6:09 AM, imlad said:

 

I'm straight, but I'll concede he's rather pretty.

Waaaaaayyyyyy too pretty. . . Great call for Galad!

 

[Jax Bornhald]

I'm in two minds about the cast in it's current state.  Having a majority of BAME people playing Two Rivers folk comes across as a shoe horning choice to cater to a particular political demographic (which is happening all too often these days).  I will however be reserving final judgement when I eventually watch the TV show.  As for LGBTQ+ stuff, I originally though it would spoil some aspects of the show, but when you read into the story, there is a whole lot of potential for meaningful relationships between characters not of the hetero persuasion, so this is ultimately forgivable IMHO.

 

Let me just say that I only care for the story integrity.  If someone looks different to what I imagined then it's my problem to deal with and not get offended.

 

Hope my comment don't offend and that peeps will intelligently discuss this instead of taking offence.

 

Thank and I love you all 

xx

 

[Elder_Haman]

42 minutes ago, Jax Bornhald said:

I'm in two minds about the cast in it's current state.  Having a majority of BAME people playing Two Rivers folk comes across as a shoe horning choice to cater to a particular political demographic (which is happening all too often these days). 

Jordan's world is a very large place. And we must remember that Rand does stand out among the people of the Two Rivers. The choices smack of care about the source material far more than politics to me (not that political considerations weren't involved - they are involved with seemingly everything these days). It seems that the Two Rivers will be inhabited (mostly) by folks with browner complexions, dark hair and dark eyes. Rand's light skin and fairer features will stand out, as it's meant to.

 

From the limited material available out there, they seem to have chosen excellent actors, not just pretty faces from politically convenient demographics.

 

49 minutes ago, Jax Bornhald said:

As for LGBTQ+ stuff, I originally though it would spoil some aspects of the show, but when you read into the story, there is a whole lot of potential for meaningful relationships between characters not of the hetero persuasion, so this is ultimately forgivable IMHO.

We know for certain that LGBTQ people exist in Jordan's world. I'll be curious as to whether they will deliberately alter the sexuality of one of the main characters. We know Moiraine and Siuan were "pillow friends", so I am nearly certain that will be depicted on screen.

 

But there are other, more controversial, choices they could make. For example, making Elayne a lesbian (or bisexual) and putting her in a relationship with a bisexual Aviendha. The Rand/Elayne relationship could be played as entirely political. 

 

I'm not necessarily against ideas like that, but those are the types of decisions that would have to be off-set by very solid writing to account for the resulting changes to the story. 

 

59 minutes ago, Jax Bornhald said:

Hope my comment don't offend and that peeps will intelligently discuss this instead of taking offence.

You're brave, I'll give you that. Lol. This forum tends to have a light touch when it comes to politically sensitive topics. It's one of the reasons I like it so much here - it's a respite from all of the toxic back and forth you find out there these days.

[The Purple Ajah]

6 hours ago, Jax Bornhald said:

I'm in two minds about the cast in it's current state.  Having a majority of BAME people playing Two Rivers folk comes across as a shoe horning choice to cater to a particular political demographic (which is happening all too often these days).  I will however be reserving final judgement when I eventually watch the TV show.  As for LGBTQ+ stuff, I originally though it would spoil some aspects of the show, but when you read into the story, there is a whole lot of potential for meaningful relationships between characters not of the hetero persuasion, so this is ultimately forgivable IMHO.

 

Let me just say that I only care for the story integrity.  If someone looks different to what I imagined then it's my problem to deal with and not get offended.

 

Hope my comment don't offend and that peeps will intelligently discuss this instead of taking offence.

 

Thank and I love you all 

xx

 

Well, I often think that Wheel of Time is a very diverse setting, in the literal sense that people can look very different even within one nation. For instance, Seanchan has blondes like Alivia, redheads like Ajimbura, but then Tuon is described as dark, and official artist Ariel Burgess has drawn her as a black woman.

 

So to have darker actors in the Two Rivers is fine to me. Egwene's skin tone is not mentioned in the novels, for example. Really, what was more surprising was that Raen is being portrayed by man of South Asian descent, but even the Tinkers will accept people from other nations joining the Way of the Leaf, so it makes sense as travelers of a diverse continent for them to not all look the same.

 

If I expect people to be cast in a certain way, I do hope the Aiel will mostly be pale like Rand's actor, and that Sea Folk will mostly be dark as they are described in the novels. However, appearance is superficial in some ways, and Brandon Sanderson likes to imagine the show as a "new turning of the Wheel", so the appearances can be a little different.

 

FWIW, we do know that the Aiel will probably be redheads:

5 hours ago, Elder_Haman said:

We know for certain that LGBTQ people exist in Jordan's world. I'll be curious as to whether they will deliberately alter the sexuality of one of the main characters. We know Moiraine and Siuan were "pillow friends", so I am nearly certain that will be depicted on screen.

 

But there are other, more controversial, choices they could make. For example, making Elayne a lesbian (or bisexual) and putting her in a relationship with a bisexual Aviendha. The Rand/Elayne relationship could be played as entirely political. 

Just going off Rafe's comments about how he is interested in polyamory more than polygamy, I guess that Elayne, Aviendha, and Rand will all have feelings for each other. And that's not entirely unfounded, in my books: the Companion says Aiel sister-wives consider themselves married to each other as well as to their husband, and during the bonding, Elayne thinks she loves Aviendha, but in a different way to Rand (some read that as platonic, others think it is a different kind of romance).

 

As for other same-sex relationships: Shalon and Lady Ailil have a very explicit love affair when the Sea Folk are in Cairhien. However, the potential scandal is not that they are a same-sex couple, but because Shalon has a husband (who she also loves, but got lonely). There are also some minor characters who are gay, such as Arrela Shiego, Seonid, Solain, and Juilaine, as well as Galina (though she's far from nice).

 

Some interesting quotes from both RJ and Rafe:

 

Quote

Between one-third and one-half of all Aes Sedai (possibly somewhat more) are either gay or (mainly) bisexual to one degree or another. This is in large part because relationships with men are exceedingly difficult: men age and die, many men find a relationship with a woman so powerful difficult. Lesbian relationships between Aes Sedai and non-Aes Sedai are not unknown, but they are not highly common; the same difficulties engendered with men by hugely differing life-spans also works against these, at least as more than dalliances.

 

Thus it is not at all uncommon for pillow friendships to become purely platonic friendships once the young women reach the shawl. Nor is it all that uncommon for the sexual relationship to continue for many, many years, either. Some will continue the relationship intermittently with the same friend with whom they first began, others will occasionally experiment with gay affairs throughout their lives, and some, of course, find out that they are gay. The proportions of gay women to heterosexual among Aes Sedai is roughly the same as in the general population, but the fact that any sister who loves a man must watch him grow old and die while she changes not at all lead some Aes Sedai to invest a strong emotional, and sometimes sexual, component in their long-term friendships with other sisters. Of course, just to confuse matters more, a fair number of those who consider themselves lovers of women and women only will still occasionally experiment with a man. Most, though not all, of these relationships are monogamous, though frequently it is a sequential monogamy. (RJ, Aes Sedai notes)

Quote

I have gay and lesbian characters in my books, but the only time it has really come into the open is with the Aes Sedai because I haven’t been inside the heads of any other characters who are either gay or bi. For the most part, in this world such things are taken as a matter of course.

- The Official Robert Jordan Blog, October 6, 2005

 

Edited April 14, 2021 by The Purple Ajah
Added more links

[Jax Bornhald]

Hey @The Purple Ajah, and @Elder_Haman,you bring some really interesting and detailed points to the topic.  I definitely think I will enjoy my time at DM.  Debating topics with difference of opinion in an adult and concise manner without anyone taking offence is the key to many a social divide in todays world.  I think you have alleviated a major concern of mine to do with the casting choices and I thank you for that ? .  I think that the LGBTQ subject is a very simple one for Mr Judkins to address as there is, as stated, so many instances of it popping up in the series.

 

On a lighter note, I'm really looking forward to seeing Padan Fain for the first time and how his arc plays out.

 

I'll be posting a list of my fantasy cast choices in the near future, if anyone is interested.  But if not that's cool too.

[mistborn82]

Now that I've actually seen pictures of them from a youtube video, Perrin and Lan especially look like how I imagined. Marcus should ask Marvel if he can borrow the super soldier formula. Nyneave is growing on me, especially the serious look but I need to see her in costume. Don't have an opinion on the others, need to see more but I hear good things about Mat.

[Elder_Haman]

On 4/14/2021 at 7:05 PM, mistborn82 said:

Now that I've actually seen pictures of them from a youtube video, Perrin and Lan especially look like how I imagined. Marcus should ask Marvel if he can borrow the super soldier formula. Nyneave is growing on me, especially the serious look but I need to see her in costume. Don't have an opinion on the others, need to see more but I hear good things about Mat.

Honestly, I put very little stock in the 'look' of the actor. Given what can be done with makeup, costumes, etc. a look can change dramatically. 

 

Rosamund Pike (Moiraine) and Daniel Henney (Lan) are both established actors with excellent work to their credit. Alvaro Morte (Logain) is wildly popular in Spain and, judging by what I've seen, is also a very good actor. The rest are mostly unknowns with two or three leading roles in small films to their credit. I've watched clips of all of them and all seem very capable.

 

I'm excited to finally see them on screen. Can't believe we will be getting Wheel of Time this year!

[The Purple Ajah]

42 minutes ago, Elder_Haman said:

Honestly, I put very little stock in the 'look' of the actor. Given what can be done with makeup, costumes, etc. a look can change dramatically. 

 

Rosamund Pike (Moiraine) and Daniel Henney (Lan) are both established actors with excellent work to their credit. Alvaro Morte (Logain) is wildly popular in Spain and, judging by what I've seen, is also a very good actor. The rest are mostly unknowns with two or three leading roles in small films to their credit. I've watched clips of all of them and all seem very capable.

 

I'm excited to finally see them on screen. Can't believe we will be getting Wheel of Time this year!

I would also point out that Sophie Okonedo (Siuan) is also pretty established! She is a Tony winner, and was very well-received in the BBC's production of The Hollow Crown (Based on Shakespeare's Histories). She and Pike struck me as the most impressive castings, but then I am biased, being from the UK, and I am not as familiar with Morte and Henney.

 

Aside from the older, more established characters, I am mostly expecting unknowns. Especially for the younger characters. A show as large and expansive as this is a big commitment for any actor.

[Elder_Haman]

You're absolutely right. I was referring primarily to the Emond's Field folk, but I definitely should not have omitted Sophie. She's very accomplished.

[The Purple Ajah]

If we want to get into more minor characters, Maria Doyle Kennedy (Ila) is great, too! She's played Mistress Cameron in Outlander, Catherine of Aragon in the Tudors, and several other big roles like Orphan Black.

 

There's also Priyanka Bose (Alanna), but I think she's more familiar for her Bollywood/Tollywood films, which I'm not familiar with. 

 

I do know Kate Fleetwood (Liandrin) from roles such as Harlots (Nancy) and ITV's Victoria (Queen Victoria's sister Feodora) too, but she's perhaps not well known as the big names like Pike, Okonedo, etc.

[Harldin]

Michael McHelhatton will of course be immediately recognisable to many Fantasy Fans due to his portrayal as Roose Bolton in Game of Thrones. Am very interested to see him playing what is in many ways a very different role. Has a huge body of work including several dozen Movies and TV Shows.

Kae Alexander is another GOT veteran but won’t be recognisable from her GOT role. While a very minor character in GOT(only 3 Episodes) she was involved in 2 pivotal scenes. 

Edited April 16, 2021 by Harldin

[Elgee]

18 hours ago, Harldin said:

Michael McHelhatton will of course be immediately recognisable to many Fantasy Fans due to his portrayal as Roose Bolton in Game of Thrones.

 

He's the one with the amazing voice, right? I was hoping they'd make him Thom, because he could certainly mesmerize an audience with some story in High Chant. But at least he's playing one of my favourite characters.

[mistborn82]

Who is he playing?

[The Purple Ajah]

30 minutes ago, mistborn82 said:

Who is he playing?

McElhatton will be playing Tam al'Thor, and Kae Alexander is playing Min Farshaw. ?

[mistborn82]

Thanks

[The Purple Ajah]

So, one thing I found when looking at the current Emond's Fielders cast:

• Major: Rand, Mat, Perrin, Egwene, Nynaeve (of course)
• Minor: Tam al'Thor (less minor as the series progresses) Daise Congar, Abell Cauthon, Natti Cauthon, Bran al'Vere, Marin al'Vere, Cenn Buie.

From those still missing, the most important I would consider is Bodewhin Cauthon given her eventual role in the story and strength in the power. Perhaps they don't want to cast her before the return to Two Rivers as she'd be absent for a number of seasons?

 

For the same reason, Egwene's sisters, too - Alene probably being the most important, as she asks Verin and Alanna to be a novice during the return to the Two Rivers.

 

There's also Perrin's family / the Luhhans. Nae'blis on YouTube made an interesting point that the Aybaras are important in order to highlight the despicable nature of Padan Fain.

[Harldin]

On 4/18/2021 at 4:11 AM, Elgee said:

 

He's the one with the amazing voice, right? I was hoping they'd make him Thom, because he could certainly mesmerize an audience with some story in High Chant. But at least he's playing one of my favourite characters.

Amazing voice? Not quite sure what you mean by that one. He has a deep distinctive voice and has done some Video game voiceover but as far as i know he is not well known for his voice.

[Harldin]

On 4/18/2021 at 6:16 AM, mistborn82 said:

Who is he playing?

On the Home Page of this site, you will find a full list of known cast members under “full TV Show details” might be easier then waiting for an answer in the forums. 

[mistborn82]

@The Purple AjahI'm assuming you're correct about about Bode, I wonder if they'll make her more important in Saliday, i.e. give a novice perspective and maybe give her some aspects of Nicola.

As for Egwene's sisters, is that part somewhere else as I didn't think her sisters were ever named and never appeared? I remember something about a different prologue but that's about it.

I think perrin's characters depend largely on what exactly Leyla's relationship to him is and what her role is.

[Harldin]

2 hours ago, mistborn82 said:

@The Purple AjahI'm assuming you're correct about about Bode, I wonder if they'll make her more important in Saliday, i.e. give a novice perspective and maybe give her some aspects of Nicola.

As for Egwene's sisters, is that part somewhere else as I didn't think her sisters were ever named and never appeared? I remember something about a different prologue but that's about it.

I think perrin's characters depend largely on what exactly Leyla's relationship to him is and what her role is.

Leyla is a complete misdirection by Rafe, she is actually Steve’s Wife.?

[mistborn82]

Could they have genderswapped Narg and that's Leyla.