Q&A with The Wheel of Time Season 3 Cast

On February 22, 2025, The Wheel of Time show held an exclusive fan screening event in London, hosted by The Dusty Wheel. Attendees watched Episode 1 of Season 3 on the big screen, followed by a Q&A with Rosamund Pike, Rafe Judkins, Marcus Rutherford and Ceara Coveney moderated by Matt Hatch, The Innkeeper. At the time, the event organizers had requested that the Q&A be kept private. As we later learned, the segment was to be part of the programming for Prime Video’s global online fan event on March 8 where Episode 301 was screened.

Now that the Q&A has been publicly shared, we’ve transcribed it for our readers.

Cast Q&A

Innkeeper: I have like a book of questions over here everyone. It’s awesome to see you. Thank you all for being here. Rafe, uh, honestly where to even start? I hadn’t watched the first 11 minutes before now, and that was just fantastic. So well, done. I mean, as a lifelong fan of these books, that’s the kind of adaptation choice that I love to see. Like, something like this brought to the screen…so I’m just curious, can you tell us what led to kick off the season that way? Like, what don’t we know about what went on behind the scenes to bring to us that that start? 

Rafe Judkins: I mean days, weeks, months of work by hundreds of people and actresses working so hard trapped in that room. Many of them were here today, who spent a long time, uh, in the Tower Hall doing that. But I think, you know, it started with us wanting to pull off a sequence that only Wheel of Time can do. Only we can have a room full of exclusively women and have this massive action sequence together. It comes from the books, and so that was something we really wanted to bring to screen.

Right from the first in the writer’s room on season three, and so we sort of worked… Amazon also asked us, can you…is there a way to start with the bang? We were like, I think there is. Um, you know, and to pull off something like that. At the beginning of the season, you really do have to put all your resources towards it. People were in rehearsals early. The women working with Scarlett Mackmin our movement coordinator, who helps build all of the channeling, the VFX team, Ciaran [Donnelly] our director. Everyone was involved intimately with that fight sequence right from the beginning. You know just to plan and make it look as incredible as it does.

Innkeeper: Yeah, my wife turned to me, and she said, was that only the cold open? I’m exhausted.  [To the crowd] What’d you think about that cold open?  (Crowd cheered.) Yeah that was pretty amazing. Rosamund,  we see Moiraine on  the streets of Tar Valon during that same moment. Is an Exile off in some ways. Someone last seen in the company of the forsaken. Someone who helped bring the news. This devastating news of the Black Ajah. So, tell me in what ways has Moiraine evolved,  since she walked into the two rivers until this moment that we see her on the streets, saving Siuan? 

Rosamund Pike: Oh, that’s a big question. I think when she was tasked with finding the baby and to find the Dragon Reborn, and prepare them to face the last battle…I think when you’re younger and your mentor charges you with that, yes, it’s obviously a massive undertaking, but I think there wasn’t a part of her that thought, ultimately, that she couldn’t do it. 

And I think now she does question whether she can do it. I think there’s more…There have been more and different obstacles than she envisaged. And obviously she feels Siuan didn’t really do her part in preparing the Tower to accept Rand al Thor. I think she feels that she’s putting a fuck of a lot of work and Siuan slightly let her side down.

So, you know, things are a bit different from what she and her head, and obviously, you know, the secret is now out. There are many, many interested parties who also will want to get close to and potentially control the Dragon. You know, she’s been exiled from the tower, that was part of their scheme bu, obviously, they have to see it through and carry on keeping up appearances. 

And plus, there’s been the betrayal by Siuan who used the compulsion on the oath Rod to just force Moiraine to close the waygate in our season two episode seven.

So, I think she knows she’s up against it, and we see that, you know, with the uneasy, would you call it an alliance? I don’t know, but you know, you see a sort of uneasy…beginnings of the working relationship with Lanfear, which is probably not what anyone would imagine.

You know, but in some ways, she’s holding on to the fact that before the Breaking Lanfear loved  the Dragon Reborn, and that is her one sort of risky talisman that she’s holding on to say that Lanfear won’t kill Rand.

So I don’t think she is in a very confident place, Moiraine, at this point. She’s also got an unruly Dragon, who seems to be doing a bit of studying without her. Reading of the scriptures and feeling that he suddenly knows. You know, when someone suddenly reads a book and suddenly thinks they know it all, you feel like, I’ve got.at least 20 years, or probably more, experience than you so, you know, slow down sailor.

Innkeeper: How’s that dynamic? I mean, obviously, with Rand from the very beginning, like, how has that changed for you? I mean, into season three from when you first meet Rand, like, where are you at now with him?

Rosamund:  Well, it’s an amazing journey this season! For Rand and Moiraine, I mean, it’s the heart of the season for me. That relationship, what it is, you know, the complexity of it has undertones of of parent child. And there’s also this deep…you know, after they go through Rhuidean, which, I can’t wait for you to see the fact that we brought Rhuidean to the screen in a really expansive  way that befits the sort of spiritual complexity of that place. Rafe has written a really beautiful episode, which is our episode four. It’s a trial and a test and they come out of it forever changed.

And there’s a knowledge then between them that’s deeper than words. And I think we’ve conveyed that, and I think you’ll see it. So there’s this testy, you know, argumentative relationship between Rand and Moraine, but it evolves into a place of deep trust. And I think you know, Moiraine, as we know, doesn’t find it very easy to trust anyone.And I think she realizes that in order to still have a place in Rand’s life she has to trust him in order to get him to trust her. And that’s not an easy journey for her, but Rhuidean definitely helps them along the path 

Innkeeper: [To crowd] Who is looking forward to seeing Rhuidean? (Crowd cheers) 

Rafe, speaking of that dynamic between Rand and Moiraine, you’ve talked a lot about its been your honor to adapt The Shadow Rising? Why was The Shadow Rising for you such an important aspect of this, you know, preparing for it. Why has this always been something, ever since the very beginning when you pitched the idea, like, why is it so important to you?

Rafe: Yeah, I felt for me when I was reading the books the first time The Shadow Rising was that book that just, suddenly, everything seemed to start to come together. You understood not only the scope of what Robert Jordan was building, but also the depth of it. And how carefully all the pieces had been laid for those characters to land at those places, and to tell a story that’s truly different we hadn’t seen anything like, what happened in book 4, The Shadow Rising. So I think for us, and the writers room, from the beginning really building to this and, and you know, knowing that we needed to put the pieces in place in the earlier seasons to be able to tell this story cleanly and clearly from the books. This was always something that was very forefront in our minds and I think you feel it on screen this season.

You feel that the show is riding forward and now living with these people…you know them, you know this world, and now you get to enjoy it with them. And I think that’s one of the really special things about that book and hopefully, we’ve done it  justice on screen. We worked really hard to try to, but it’s a really iconic piece of fiction. So we’re very lucky that we got to work on it this year and everyone I think was really inspired by it. 

Innkeeper: Yeah, I’m looking forward to it. I think it was a comment by Robert Jordan that he found that the writing of Rhuidean was some of his best work.So we’re looking forward to absolutely seeing that come together this season. Marcus, One of the most prominent moments, I think for all fans…We did a recent rewatch, and I remember everyone loving this moment between you and Ila when you met the Tinkers. She brings to his mind this question of the path to choose between peace and violence, and that’s something we see you struggle with. ever since winternight, many, many years ago, right, even just for us. But we know from the trailer, and what we see in today’s episode, he’s going back to the Two Rivers. So, for you, where is Perrin at? Where’s he in his head returning back to this place? It was such a source of love at home and also this pivotal moment for him, where he, you know, started questioning this idea of what is peace and violence. 

Marcus Rutherford: It was actually like, quite moving, going back to the set in Prague.We went back to that, to represent that sort of Quarry where it was built. There’s this journey for the character of everything he’s kind of gone through, and I think what was really lovely about season two is kind of isolating Perrin. He gets all these different perspectives and these different philosophies about how to navigate stuff, whether he’s with the Sheinarans, when he meets Aviendha, or whether he’s at Elyas, and those different ways of like, how to navigate stuff. He has this sort of tutoring sort of mentorship thing where he can kind of start to kind of form the kind of version that he is of himself. But again, I think what happened at the end of season two, I think he kind of just wants to remove himself from this sort of prophecy. You kind of see him talking to Rand, he’s just like I’m not, I’m not that guy, and I don’t want to be that person. I think being thrust into this quest since Moiraine showed up in the first episode, I think he just wants to seek solace and return home.

I think in returning home, you know  everything’s kind of changed, and he’s a completely different person. And I think, think that kind of inner conflict, and that dichotomy between, you know, wanting to be sort of this passive, gentle, kind of person and wanting to think before things actually happen, but also like the reality of, you know, war and conflict has kind of followed him wherever he’s gone on his journeys and and is that even possible? So, I think going back home and seeing, you know, an immediate threat there, and he isn’t without the help of the other people. And I think that this is a new quest for him. He’s kind of..things have been kind of etching away slowly, and I think he’s been changing without him realizing. I think when he says to Rand in that moment  you can’t be this kind of person. I think he slowly has been changing without realizing. 

I also said to Davina, there was a part of the character I always felt slightly naked on camera, it was really weird. I always thought there was something incomplete about the character and actually putting the lenses in and having those eyes…there was something about it that felt certain and finite and really amazing. And you kind of have these reactions to people on the set and go back, and it reminded me of those passages in the books where he realizes he goes home and everyone’s kind of looking at him. And he has his head down, and he doesn’t want to… So there was this weird journey for the character that kind of mirrored my experience as well. 

And going back to that set that we filmed in 2019, and a lot’s changed, and a lot changed in the world. It was pre-covid; we’ve had people on our cast get married, or have kids and stuff. So, it was just like this amazing thing to return there as the character and as myself, with this kind of new perspective. And to kind of feel you’re the same person, but realize all this, time’s passed, and you’re not. He’s a joy to play, and I think that’s kind of mirrored in this amazing season for him.

I remember reading this book in particular, and I know it’s a big one for Perrin fans.  I think all those people who’ve kind of chipped away at him and in different ways, like Elyas and Aviendha, have gotten him to start to see a version of himself but  there’s one person in particular who comes in this season, who kind of (Crowd starts cheering) almost sort of slaps it out of him and I am incredibly excited for people to see Isabella’s performance. I  think you know, I talked to Rafe when we were casting…The characters on the show are amazing and to bring something new at this stage that is completely different. And to be that kind of being a kind of yin yang to Perrin, but to also be a complete, you know, character in herself with her own motivations and stuff is really exciting. I can’t wait for you to see her work. 

Innkeeper: [To crowd] Any Perrin fans out there? (Crowd cheers)

There is a bit of Perrin’s journey in that homecoming I think we feel that. We feel that we want you to go home, right? And even just being on the stage and being in front of all these fans, it feels like that. Wow, like we’ve been talking about the show and as fans like it’s cathartic to come and chat about this.  Ceara…

Ceara Coveney: Hello!

Innkeeper: (chuckles), Like, honestly, you won us all over as Elayne, like right? (Crowd cheers) yes? There’s something so right about those season two scenes, the dynamic between you and Egwene, and you with Nyaneve; there are some fantastic moments.But honestly, it showed how wise and considerate and strong Elayne is. But we also see in the trailer that her family’s arrived. So I’m kind of. I’m curious, what are the challenges that Elayne feels when it comes to balancing, not only the Tower’s priorities, but also the priorities of the throne…but also Elayne’s priorities, which we saw, you know, change a little bit in this episode. So tell us about it, where is Elayne at?

Ceara Coveney: I think Elayne is in a little bit of turmoil. She’s got quite a lot going on right now. But obviously, we’re introduced to her last season, and it was very much she was in a position where she was a fish out of water, and it was a new environment for her and very different to the world that she knew before. And she met these two incredible, powerful women. I think these relationships really shaped her. And also she was obviously thrown into a life-threatening situation, being kidnapped by Liandrin, and I think the worst almost happened to her. And along with Nynaeve they managed to save Egwene. She was thrown into all these situations where I think her world was really cracked open and she started to really not only see her strengths, but also was maybe exposed to some of her flaws.

And I think the start of season three, she, she’s really starting to explore those things, and I think. She is very passionate about wanting to be the first Aes Sedai queen, so that is a very big driving factor for herselF. But we see that she has quite literally let her hair down, and with the lovely help of Sharon and Davina they’ve really evolved her look. I think we have really shown that she’s really started to question what type of queen she wants to be and what experiences she wants to have. Yeah, and she’s exploring different things.

We also get to introduce her family. A piece from the books that I really drew upon this season was a passage about her being like a towel between two dogs,  between Morgase and Siuan. And I think that imagery has really driven my performance and the internal processes of Elayne. I really think that is where she is at and she’s in between these incredible powerhouses of women. And I think that really informs her strength in standing in herself and figuring out who she wants to be and the path that she wants to take this season. 

She’s really starting to maybe see the world a little bit differently than through the lens of her mother, which is what she’s kind of had before. And she’s starting to really recognize that maybe what the path that her mother hass set out for her, or the way that her mother sees her ascending to the throne, is not actually what is going to be needed in order to be the most powerful queen in the Last Battle. 

Innkeeper: Yeah, that’s fantastic. You brought up explorer and that word hits me with Elayne. I really like that is just on par for what I expect for her, so we can’t wait. We can’t wait. Rosamund, we saw this today in episode one Moiraine has a little bit of an unexpected visitor in Lanfear, and Moiraine grew up in a very political state, and has been around power through the White Tower.as an Aes Sedai I, but do you believe she’s prepared  for this conflict, that seems to be kind of boiling up with with Lanfear? You know, wanting Rand or wanting to push Rand at the same time, and Moiraine has desires to kind of push Rand a certain way too.

Rosamund: Is she prepared for Lanfear? Um, No. I think she’s terrified of Lanfear. You know, I think Lanfear is incredibly frightening, but Moiraine is not going to let anyone into her fear or let anyone see them. Because there’s no boon to you in showing your fear. Eventually, she actually learns this episode, and in the season, that she has to show some vulnerability towards Rand because there’s one point she has to ask for help in a specific area, and he’s probably the only person who can fully understand what she’s asking.

But it’s very unlike Moiraine to ask for help. Is she…

[Rosamund turns to crowd] Who didn’t turn that phone off? 

[back to the question] She..It’s interesting with Lanfear? I mean, I asked Rafe I when we were talking after season two, I said, I think I find Moiraine most interesting in her ruthlessness. I think the zealot in Moiraine, the total single-minded commitment to a cause, and it’s a cause for which she’s prepared to die,  that is a very interesting place to live? You know, in a way, you’re lucky if you can find such a cause in your life.But it also can be alienating for people. And Moiraine in episode 8 of season two when she said I’ll let a thousand people die if it means that he can live, you know that place, I find very interesting and and so Rafe and I talked about it quite a lot, and we find it, we really enjoyed the part where, at the end of episode one, you see Moiraine seemingly let this torture endure.

Obviously, she doesn’t know. We find out that this is connected to the grey man and whoever is producing the grey man, and I don’t know how much you…I’m not going to say too much, but you know, there’s obviously a part of the plan that even Lanfear wasn’t aware of, and the whole thing went out of hand in a way that neither of them were in control of. But we see her ask Lan to wait. You know, we see a pretty cold-blooded woman there. 

Rafe: Yeah, it’s. It’s interesting, I think, to delve into who this woman is and how she can really do this and see that at the same time she does feel for people. She has very close connections with Lan, with Siuan. And her knowledge that she would really sacrifice anything for Rand and for the Dragon Reborn, and for what that means…I think you see that really come to a head for her in a beautiful emotional way at the end of this season.

Rosamund: It’s a big thing to have that kind of commitment and belief in a cause, you know, it’s not, not a lot of people have it. Lots of people would run away, and she doesn’t, she has…

Rafe: And that’s part of her heroism,  her commitment to this cause, even though she will do bad things for it. I think it’s still heroic and and and some of our other characters may come to see that too.

Innkeeper: You’re gonna hate me saying this, but we’re getting close to the last question or two, so I know I know. This question is for any of you who would like to step in here, but I’ll start with you Rafe. as showrunner, executive producer, long time book fan…You’ve talked about this in other seasons, so I’m curious, you know, what are the most dominant Wheel of Time themes tha run throughout season three for you?

Rafe: I mean, I think the idea of homecoming is very present in book four and for all the characters in different ways. Perrin in a more literal way. Elayne with her family. Rand going to a place that is his home, but isn’t, as he journeys into the Aiel Waste. For all of the characters they’re kind of reckoning with the idea of home. And in the room we talked about it a lot, you know that feeling when you’ve lived in a different city for a while after college, and then you go back to your hometown and the feeling of friction and nostalgia that’s associated with that. It shows who you are and how you’re changing from what you were kind of born to be to what you want to be, and I think a lot of our characters are struggling with that this season, and you see that sort of reverberating through all the plot lines.

Innkeeper: And Rosamund, does one strike you also? I mean, you’re a narrator now of the books, and it’s amazing. And I know how much you’ve come to appreciate Robert Jordan’s works. Is there a theme that stands out to you this season?

Rosamund: I think the idea of submission versus strength. You know when one needs to submit and when one needs to seize power and the sort of yin yang of that idea. I think Moiraine explores that a lot in her relationship with Rand, about control and submission. And I think that’s something that Robert Jordan was thinking about a lot in many characters, many dynamics, and especially as it relates to the One Power and the different uses of it between men and women.You know, is the One Power something that you submit to fully, or is it something that you have to dominate? And I think that’s a big question. That’s something I was thinking about a lot this season. 

Innkeeper: I don’t want to put you guys on the spot, but did one come to mind as you were listening, just a theme for Wheel of Time from your time as a character here that stood out to you?

Marcus: I think there’s a sense of duty in this season and fate in that way. I think there’s something about the characters not wanting to maybe admit inside to them or their kind of role in this prophecy. But I think that’s something about season three, where they kind of claim that sense of duty and their responsibility and their role in this. Which is quite interesting, whether that’s kind of reluctantly or pushed, you know, by someone else or whatever. But there’s something about filling that shape.of whatever that role is, whereas I think in season one amd season two, there’s still a little bit of a reluctance there. But there’s something about this season of, kind of stepping into that position, which I think is really interesting. 

Innkeeper: Yeah. I do, I do. That’s fantastic. Thank you! I don’t know Ceara if I put you on a spot there but…

Ceara: Mine is cheesy too. (Crowd laughs)

I think, probably going off of duty, the idea of leadership, and I think a lot of characters are questioning the idea of leadership and what that means to them. Also what a leader looks like and and and what a leader’s duty entails. And what it means to lead people to success. 

Rafe: Ceara also sings this season. (Crowd woohoos!) 

Innkeeper: I just want to thank you for and thank you all. Robert Jordan’s made a huge impact on my life. Honestly, the greatest impact  is you know, just a phrase that sticks with us all, right? That it’s about all of us. It’s all the people whether or not it’s been online, or that I have met in person…It’s all the people that have made the biggest difference, all the fans of Robert Jordan that have connected with me that have made the biggest difference. So I just want to thank Robert Jordan for bringing us all here, and now that we’re all here I want to thank all of you for showing up, and for the 4 of you [the cast], thank you so much for being up here.

Rosamund: And there is more cast here as well!

Rafe: Don’t be shy, go say hello.

Innkeeper: Please do respect the request that they made about the no video and no posting.I really appreciate just the discretion of fans, and I hope you have enjoyed this time here.

Rafe: You are allowed to post how much you love the show and you are allowed to keep it on 24 hours a day the week that we premiere so that we can get a season four on Amazon!

Rosamund: Yes please do that and send that to the gods at Amazon!

 

 

The third season of The Wheel of Time, based on Robert Jordan’s fantasy book series, will premiere on Prime Video on March 13, 2025. All episodes of the first two seasons of The Wheel of Time are now available on Prime Video. The series is co-produced by Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios.

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Editorial note: For clarity and readability, we’ve made minor edits to this interview, such as removing filler words and repetitions. The responses remain true to the original conversation.