Friday, February 22, 2013

Non-Aligned Characters

This is just going to be a general list of characters I felt were important enough to pick actors for, even though they can't really be sorted into any other category...yet.

Berelain sur Paendrag Paeron is probably more good than bad, but she's also a seductress and entirely out for her own purposes. She needs to be, to cop an annoying popular meme "sexy and know it" (Oh, god, I can already see the "I'm Berelain and I know it" memes). I chose Gwendoline Taylor, who, judging from pictures of her, can pull this off.

I like Max Benitz as Prince Gawyn Trakand, Elayne's brother and conflicted Youngling leader. Gawyn is a supporting character, but could be an interesting one as he is Egwene's primary love interest despite technically working for the wrong side. Benitz is mostly familiar to me thanks to Master & Commander but he's grown a bit and looks tougher and ready for a role like this one.

Circus master Valan Luca is a fan favorite, and one of those classic unaligned characters who acts as an obstacle but not because he's genuinely bad. He's a fun character and I'd love to cast my first choice, Oded Fehr, but Fehr is more of a leading man, at least on TV, and probably wouldn't take this supporting role. So, I went with Aaron Jakubenko.

Then there's Sebban Balwer, who starts off as Pedron Niall's secretary but isn't really "aligned" with the Whitecloaks per se, and later becomes part of Perrin's entourage. But I'm not sure if we can call him "good". I always got the feeling something was "up" with him. He's repeatedly described as older, shrunken and "dried up", like a bird. So I picked Rome's Alan Williams.

Alliandre Kigarin, the queen of Ghealdan, probably should be in the "good" column due to how she's pretty much the definition of "broken bird". I'm putting her here because I'm not sure where Jordan was headed with this character. I also don't know what nationality she's really supposed to resemble, but being beautiful, having dark hair and kind of a long nose made me think Soraya Radford would work in this part.

Another broken bird, this one by the Seanchan instead of the Shaido, Amathera Lounalt could easily be played by the lovely Kaniehtiio Horn, who is Canadian. This is a smaller, nondescript role so really it's not a big deal who is cast here.

One role that could be a lot of fun is the idiot High Lord Weiramon of Tear. Of course, he's actually a Darkfriend, but one of the few that is surprising because his idiocy is frequently used as comic relief. Keeping the Mediterranean look of the Tairens in mind, I chose Declan Conlon.

For the smaller but long-term role of Dyeline Taravin, I chose Joanne Farrell, again, mostly for her look.

Alivia, the three-century old former damane, is fierce and hates the Seanchan with every fibre of her being. I'm still not ready to call her "good" but at least she's on Rand's side, for the moment. Penny Downie will play her.

Else Grinwell, an incidental character from the first two books, shows up a few times to cause trouble, mostly by being a silly, boy-crazy idiot. I wasn't going to cast her at all, but then I saw Amber Beattie, who looks so much like the character that I just couldn't resist.


The Illuminators only show up incidentially, but Mistress Aludra's quest to invent the cannon must mean she plays an important part. Really, she isn't described much besides being black, being middle-aged but still pretty, and having dreds. Anyone can play her, but Ayisha Issa looks pretty close to how I pictured her.

Now we come to a few characters that I'm not certain need to be included, but I cast anyway because I figured maybe they could feature in one or two episodes, and the fans would ask where they are if I didn't cast them. First is the Queen of Altara, Tylin Mitsobar, played by Liz May Brice, who is the right age and is still a handsome woman despite her age, which is also true of Tylin.

Next we have her son, Beslan. As he won't appear often, I chose Golden Boy's Theo James to play him, but I chiefly know James thanks to Downton Abbey. He's got the olive skin and good looks.

Setalle Anan, the innkeeper who secretly works for the Kin, could be played by Frances Barber.

Meanwhile Reanne Corley, leader of the Kin, could be played by Annette Crosby.

Next Up: Asha'man!

1 comment:

  1. Y'know, I always had this silly idea for a casting "gag" of sorts where the character of Mordeth, in his original form, would be played by Titus Welliver. It wouldn't be the first time he plays a ghost that's somehow related to a smokey cloud. *cough* Lost *cough*

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