CASTING For Amazon's Wheel of Time series

[Anita Blake]

i agree with that. I kinda of feel like the two rivers is described as a pretty homegenous place. Everyone has brown hair and brown eyes, except for rand, he stands out. But I also suppose that in terms of narrative story telling, it's not really important that it be that way, though to be honest, i felt like it's a very visual way of story-telling - you can tell at a glance where a character is from because of their appearance, although some people will defy expectations, like having blue eyes in spite of being Tairen. Then again, casting people based solely on physical traits isn't always the best way to go about it, so perhaps it's good that we're not even going to take that into consideration. I'd rather talented people be cast in roles based on their performances than that they fit some description (though, if Verin isn't stout, i can't even).

But yeah, they're all very pretty, in a kind of specific modern way. lol, i showed my fiance these pics, and then gave a description of Rand as being the most desperately boring character (because, honestly, he is), and he was like "yeah, then i guess they cast him perfectly, that guy's looks pretty boring".

[dark fuschia]

yes i also thought shannara series. I watched the first two episodes of that feeling very excited, and then found myself bored to tears and didn't bother with the rest. I also felt like it conveyed none of the feeling and excitement and adventure of the books.

[Malcor Sylverwood]

I managed the first season. The missus and I keep some shows for when are eating lunch .. Those are the unimportant ones like...Shannara.

-Malcor 'on a ferry atm' Sylverwood

[night faerie]

I am disappointed that they aren't keeping the races individualized according to nation. Like Anita Blake said, it's a visual storytelling that I was so looking forward to. Plus there are SO many characters (even if you pare down a good bit) it would help to differentiate. Not so disappointed that it's ruined for me, but it definitely is a let down. And while I agree it's not a good idea to cast based primarily on appearance, I also think if we're gonna say we couldn't find a person of this race that's talented enough to pull it off, then I think you just didn't look hard enough. Surely every race has tons of talented folk if that were the avenue they chose to pursue. But you know... it is what it is.

[dark fuschia]

Haha love the idea of lunch tv shows

[night faerie]

... and we have LAN

Daniel Henney
Korean actor, 39 years of age and 6'2"

[night faerie]

It feels like they're casting really fast. Is this worrisome?
... night "not in the biz" faerie

[Anita Blake]

Hmmm. I am so skeptical. I kind of feel like Lan is a bellwether, they way they went with him tells a lot about the general direction of the way things are going to go. This guy seems... too young and pretty. I mean, he might actually be close to the right age, but he's so smooth and youthful, and Lan should be, well... craggy. He should have a really interesting face, and this guy's face is blandly handsome. Then again, actor headshots are supposed to make you look blandly attractive, so maybe i shouldn't judge solely on headshots, but the casting of this thing makes me worried. I 100% would have accepted Ken Watanabe or Hiroyuki Sanada - both very attractive, but with sharper features and who have the acting chops to play that kind of stoic hero-guy that is Lan. Lan should look kind of mean and unfriendly until you get to know him, and I'm not getting that from this guy.

All this cast seems to be just really kinda pretty, in not very interesting ways. (except the girl they case as Egwene, she's got an interesting look). Just typical. Rosamund Pike is very average-pretty, which I suppose if fair for Moiraine, but I'm gonna say it, I'm mad they cast a blonde for Moiraine. I know they can dye her hair, but honestly, Lena Heady's wig hair looks awful for the entire duration of GOT, and even though she killed it as Cersei, I already loved her in everything she's ever been in and I'm pretty neutral on Rosamund Pike.

Maybe I'm old, but the kinds of teenagers that get cast in shows these days just aren't great, or interesting. Case in point: the entire cast of Sabrina. Ugh.

I feel like this thing is moving very quickly, and like there's no reason to be making these casting announcements yet, because it's not like they're casting Big Name Actors. There's no way they are anywhere close to production yet, maybe just at table reads, and probably not even that if they just figured out their Lan. I feel like at best, these actors are going through some sword-training, action-training stuff. I'd be more curious to know who will be doing their set design and costumes, since that will be a really big indicator of what this show is going to look like. The actors could very easily be replaced at this stage, I can't imagine they even have a finalized script at this stage, and if they do, that's scary, because they should really be putting their time in on that, not on finding cute people to dress up.

/obligatory grumping

[Anita Blake]

Hmmm... ok, i just did some digging, and the Costume Designer is Isis Mussenden, who did the costumes on Lion the Witch & The Wardobe & Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which gives her some credibility. (also: American Psycho, The Wolverine, and Dante's Peak, to grab a random selection of movies ranging from good to pretty awful). She's been around enough to know her business, and since this series is like 90% clothes, she's got a pretty huge job. Doesn't look like they've hired a production designer yet (at least, not that they've put on IMDB).

I checked out the producers on IMDB, and some of them have some serious credentials, but one of the exec producers is a cinematographer, which seems weird. It's this Rafe Judkins guy that has me worried. Much seems to be made of the fact that he was a supervising producer on a season of Agents of SHIELD, and he wrote a handful of episodes, but also, he wrote My Own Worst Enemy, which was a terrible show. I watched it, and I have regrets. He's been a script editor on a handful of episodes of some mid-level shows, and some a bit of supervising producer work on 1 series. I have some deep distrust of his IMDB credits list. When I'd worked on as many shows as he did, I knew nothing about my craft. Also, that was like, 6 months into my career because I worked at the film equivalent of a puppy mill where we cranked out garbage like there was no tomorrow, but I digress. I mean, I can appreciate that he's had a few different types of jobs in the industry, but looking at his resume, he seems like a guy with big dreams and not a lot of experience to back those up. Maybe I'm jealous? Possibly. Dude's jumping up in his career like time served means nothing!

[night faerie]

Someone other than me just posted this someplace elsewhere than here:
Billy Zane just said at SLC fanx that he legally has the option to reprise the role of Ishamael in the Amazon adaptation. He did not say whether he was taking the role, but did confirm that he has a limited production role, and that Ishamael may or may not appear until the 2nd season (If there is one he candidly added lol)

[night faerie]

Four more castings!!!
Thom Merrilin (The actor is a year older than me, should I be insulted? I always thought of Thom as OLDer!)
Padan Fain, Loial (YAY!) and Logain
I think their pick for Logain is my favorite so far, based solely on esthetics
https://www.thewrap.com/amazons-whee...-thom-merrlin/

[Malcor Sylverwood]

I really though I had replied to this yesterday. Weird.

I think I like this group more than the previous ones (based on appearance from glamour headshots alone). Except Rosamund Pike, I think I kinda like that one too. These at least seem to have some ways one could describe them other than just 'pretty'.

Still hopeful for a great show!

-Malcor "A case for too much....character" Sylverwood

[Malcor Sylverwood]

Not casting news, but something new--and I don't want to start a new thread. New teaser:

https://twitter.com/WOTonPrime/statu...rc=twsrc%5Etfw

[Malcor Sylverwood]

A six second clip...a glimpse of an important character

https://youtu.be/SCQFyRGFfTU