Attendees at WoTCon 2023 were treated to an exclusive video Q&A from several cast of The Wheel of Time: Rosamund Pike, Josha Stradowski, Marcus Rutherford, Donal Finn and Ceara Coveney. The Q&A session seems to have been recorded as part of the press junket that took place on June 29, 2023.

As recording of the video was not allowed, two of our team members summarized as much as possible from the answers; for that reason, this is not a verbatim transcription.

 

Question: Will Moiraine’s character be more relatable in season 2?

Rosamund: I can’t tell you if you’re going to relate to her or not. I mean I know as part of this Wheel of Time fandom you’re all extraordinary, imaginative, wonderful, slightly out-there people. I guess the question is steering towards are we going to see her having to be… very human. So, yes, I suppose you will see a woman who’s going after the same enemies but without her greatest weapon which is the One Power. So, yes, we’re having to see her struggle with what it means to face those fears on your feet as a human without the power of the universe on your side. 

 

Question: Since you have read the whole series and know Rand’s entire arc, does that affect how you play the character? 

Josha: There are neither beginnings nor endings to the reading of The Wheel of Time. You finish the series, you realize you forgot everything, so you read it again. I definitely know where it’s going now, I’m aware of the arc. But as I said in season 1, he just starts as a shepherd, it’s just taking it step by step. I know what’s coming, but first, he is at the start of season 2 trying to protect his friends, trying to save himself, trying to escape the madness, and that’s something he’s dealing with all by himself. So that first. 

 

Question: Can you share any stories from filming with the Shienaran soldiers?

Marcus: When I was doing the hunt for the horn in our first block with Thomas (Napper) the director, there were a lot of scenes when we all had to ride on horseback one after the other. But when long days happen, horses get tired, so usually what happens is a shot will be on top and you’re playing cool, calm, and collected in the scene and I remember myself, Guy (Roberts), Gregg (Chilingirian) and Arnas (Fedaravičius) just having these horses that were fed up, we were trying to play cool and relaxed for the camera up here but our legs were constantly… [Marcus makes a wobbling gesture here] 

 

Question: Why do you think Mat is such a beloved character in the fandom? 

Donal: I think what I find most admirable about him and the reason that I love him is that there’s a great phrase towards the end of the book where it says “it’s the story of a hero who insists he’s anything but a hero” and I think there’s a beautiful humility in that. There’s strength in the character that maybe we’re not aware of, or that ultimately in challenging times or in tests we out-prove the character that we believe ourselves to be. And I think there’s a beautiful kind of lesson of humility within Mat not giving himself the credit for all the amazing things that he does for other people.

 

Question: Rafe previously mentioned how “Ceara IS Elayne.” Did you also have this realization?

Ceara: I think Rafe definitely had that realization first. I remember even in my early days on set him saying “you just are Elayne”, and I was like, “I am?” So I was reading the scripts and every time I would read Elayne scenes, I would just feel like I get her. I felt like I truly understood her, and I think that’s what I love so much about the Wheel of Time world is that everyone has their person that they connect to because there are so many different characters, and for me that person is Elayne and I feel very lucky. It’s not every day that the stars align and you get to portray that person on screen. And I feel very lucky that Rafe saw that in me.

 

 

 

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