'The Wheel of Time' cast: What the actors look like compared to their characters
Warning: Major spoilers ahead for season one of "The Wheel of Time."
The hit fantasy drama show returns on Amazon Prime Video.
Like other fantasy shows, some of the actors look very different outside the show.
"The Wheel of Time" season two has arrived on Amazon Prime Video.
The series, based on the book series of the same name, follows a group of villagers who are set on a quest to save the world from the Dark One and his minions.
In season two, the villagers are each on their own journeys after believing they have defeated the Dark One. However, the Dark One still seems to be manipulating events in the world, putting the heroes in danger again.
Here's what to know about the main cast of heroes and villains in "The Wheel of Time."
Moiraine Damodred is the leader of the adventurers.
Moiraine Damodred is part of the Aes Sedai, a group of powerful witches within the fantasy world that use a form of magic called the One Power.
In season one, the Aes Sedai leads a group of villagers from Emond's Field on a quest because she believes one of them is the Dragon Reborn, a powerful channeler of the One Power who is prophesied to fight the Dark One. At the end of the season, Moiraine was cut off from the One Power by the Dark One.
Rosamund Pike wears a wig in the show.
Rosamund Pike is best known for her role in "Gone Girl," for which she was nominated for an Oscar. She's also starred in "Pride & Prejudice" and "Jack Reacher."
Lan Mandragoran is Moraine's Warder.
Warders are special warriors who are bonded to the Aes Sedai to protect them in battle. Lan Mandragoran, a former ruler of the Borderlands, is one of these Warders bonded to Moiraine.
However, at the end of season one, their bond is affected after Moiraine loses the One Power.
Daniel Henney does not normally have his hair tied up in a bun but looks just as stoic as his character.
Daniel Henney is best known for his roles in "Big Hero 6," "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" and "Criminal Minds."
Rand al'Thor is the Dragon Reborn.
When we first meet Rand al'Thor in season one, he is just a farmer in Emond's Field. However, after his village is attacked by the Dark One's monsters, the Trollocs, he follows Moiraine and discovers he is actually the Dragon Reborn.
However, men who can channel can go mad. At the end of season one, after he seems to have defeated the Dark One, he goes into hiding. Only Moiraine knows he's not dead.
Josha Stradowski is a natural redhead, with orange-brown hair.
Josha Stradowski is best known for his role in "Gran Turismo."
Egwene al'Vere is the daughter of the mayor of Emond's Field.
When we first meet Egwene al'Vere in season one, she wants to become a Wisdom, a village healer, for Emond's Field. However, on her journey with Moiraine, she discovers she can channel the One Power and decides she wants to become an Aes Sedai.
Madeleine Madden does not look too different from her character.
Madeleine Madden previously appeared in "Dora and the Lost City of Gold" as well as many other television series.
Nynaeve al'Meara is Emond Field's Wisdom.
Nynaeve al'Meara is the wise but hot-tempered member of the Emond's Field travelers. She was captured during the raid of the village in the first episode of season one but she escapes and joins the others later on.
She discovers she can also channel the One Power but does not want to become an Aes Sedai.
Like Nynaeve, the Zoë Robins is older than most of the main cast at the age of 30.
Zoë Robins previously starred in another fantasy adaptation, "The Shannara Chronicles."
Perrin Aybara is Emond Field's blacksmith.
Perrin Aybara is wracked with guilt for most of season one after he accidentally kills his wife, Laila Dearn, during the Dark One's attack. While on the journey with Moiraine, he also experiences changes to his body that seem to be connected to wolves.
At the end of the season, he is betrayed by Padan Fain, a longtime friend of the village, and thus takes up fighting again.
While the English actor seems to tower over his costars in the show, Daniel Henney and Josha Stradowski are actually the same height as him.
Marcus Rutherford previously starred in the British show "Bulletproof."
Mat Cauthon is the village thief.
Mat Cauthon comes from an unstable home but does what he can to protect his two little sisters, including stealing. He reluctantly joins his friends on their quest but is corrupted by an evil dagger.
After being healed, he ditches his friends.
"The Witcher" actor Dónal Finn will be taking over the role of Mat Cauthon in season two.
Barney Harris was originally cast as Mat but left the role after season one. Dónal Finn, who is known for his roles in "The Witcher," "Cursed" and "Fantastic Beast: The Secrets of Dumbledore," now takes over the role.
Liandrin Guirale is a powerful Aes Sedai.
Liandrin Guirale is one of the Aes Sedai that we meet in season one. She is part of the Red Ajah, one of the seven sections within the Aes Sedai organization. The Red Ajah hate men and hunt all men who try to use the One Power to remove their access to it. Liandrin was one of the Aes Sedai that captured Logain Ablar.
People who lose their ability to use the One Power often become emotionally unstable and die.
Kate Fleetwood wears a blonde wig in "The Wheel of Time."
Kate Fleetwood has previously appeared in "Fate: The Winx Saga," "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1."
Alanna Mosvani is another significant Aes Sedai.
In season one, Alanna Mosvani is an ally of Moiraine and helps her and the other Aes Sedai strip Logain of his magical abilities. She has two Warders whom she is in a sexual relationship with.
Priyanka Bose looks a lot like her character on the show in real life.
Priyanka Bose is an Indian actress best known for her roles in "Lion," "Mortal" and "Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani."
Logain Ablar claims to be the Dragon Reborn.
There have been several men who have claimed to be the Dragon Reborn. Logain Ablar is the latest to declare himself a false Dragon but the man is able to channel the One Power, thus making him a threat. After he tries to build an army, he is captured by the Aes Sedai, and his ability to use the One Power is removed.
Like other men, it seems has been driven mad by his access to the One Power.
Álvaro Morte, best known for his role in "Money Heist," does have long hair and a beard outside the show but his hair is not as long as his character.
Álvaro Morte is best known for starring in the Spanish Netflix series "Money Heist."
Thom Merrilin is a Gleeman, a traveling performer.
After Mat and Rand are separated from the others, they meet a Gleeman called Thom Merrilin. Since he has had past dealings with the Aes Sedai, he decides to help them on their journey.
He is last seen in episode four when he tells the boys to run from a Fade while he fights it.
Alexandre Willaume wears a wig to portray Thom as his hair is a lot shorter than the character.
Alexandre Willaume previously appeared in "Tomb Raider" and Netflix's "1899."
Eamon Valda is a Questioner for the Children of the Light.
The Children of the Light is an organization that hunts down any people of the dark, including the Aes Sedai. Questioners, like Eamon Valda, particularly extract confessions from the accused through torture.
In season one, Eamon captures Egwene and Perrin and tortures them. They eventually stab him and escape.
Abdul Salis has a white streak of hair in real life, not just in the show.
Abdul Salis previously appeared in several movies such as "Love, Actually."
In season one, we get our first look at the Ogier race when we meet Loial.
Ogiers are big non-human species that love to seek out knowledge. Loial meets Rand when they get to the city of Tar Valon and agrees to go on the journey with them.
In the season one finale, he is harmed by Padan Fain during his betrayal.
Behind all the special effects is Hammed Animashaun.
Hammed Animashaun is known for his roles in "Black Mirror" and "The Festival."
Min Farshaw can see visions of people's futures.
In episode seven of season one, Moiraine meets up with a bartender in Fal Dara to ask what she sees in her companions. It turns out the bartender, Min Farshaw, can see vague visions of people's futures when she looks at them.
She leaves Fal Dara in the season finale.
Kae Alexander has short hair outside of the show and tends to dye it.
Kae Alexander previously appeared in "Game of Thrones," which was originally inspired by "The Wheel of Time" books, as well as "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil" and "Fleabag."
Siuan Sanche is the leader of the Aes Sedai.
Siuan Sanche is The Amyrlin Seat, the title given to the person in charge of the Aes Sedai organization. We meet her at the Aes Sedai base, the White Tower, in episode six.
Apart from the tattoos, Sophie Okonedo does not look much different from her character outside the show.
Sophie Okonedo previously appeared in "Death on the Nile," "Heart of Stone" and "Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls."
The Dark One is given a face in "The Wheel of Time" season one finale but its actually Ishamel.
The Emond's Field adventurers believe they are being haunted by the Dark One himself in their dreams for most of season one. The person in their dreams wears a mask but, in the season finale, he removes it to show his true identity to Rand. At the Eye of the World, the Dark One tries to turn Rand to his side but he fights back instead.
Season two reveals that this is actually Ishamael, leader of the Forsaken. The Forsaken are a powerful group of channelers of the One Power that work for the Dark One.
Fares Fares looks a lot like the Dark One under his mask.
Fares Fares is best known for his roles in "Rogue One," "Westworld" and "Child 44."
Padan Fain is a peddler, a traveling merchant, working for the Dark One.
Padan Fain first appears in "The Wheel of Time" premiere as a traveling merchant, a peddler, visiting Emond's Field. However, in the season finale, he attacks Loial, Perrin, and some other soldiers and reveals himself as a Darkfriend, an ally of the Dark One. He tells Perrin that he was visiting the village to help the Dark One find the Dragon Reborn and led the Trollocs there. He then takes a special artifact, the Horn of Valere, and leaves.
Johann Myers looks exactly like his character on the show.
Johann Myers has previously appeared in "Black Hawk Down," "The Medallion" and "State of Play."
Elayne Trakand is an important new character in season two.
In the book series, she is the princess of Andor, the kingdom in which Emond's Field resides. In the book, she also trains to be an Aes Sedai alongside Nynaeve and Egwene in the White Tower.
Ceara Coveney has natural ginger hair like her character.
Ceara Coveney has previously appeared in three short movies and the series "The Wallander."
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