Some actors arrive already purely embodying their character, and for the crew of The Wheel of Time TV show, Rosamund Pike was clearly Moiraine Damodred.
The Wheel of Time TV showrunner (that’s still so weird to say!) Rafe Judkins and the writers’ room took fan questions today for those who wanted to know more about Rosamund Pike’s forthcoming depiction of Moiraine. We’ve assembled their 5 answers below!
Question #1: Character Height vs. Actor Height
I’m of the belief that my most important job is to bring the truth and heart of these characters to life. I’m much more concerned about acting than physicality. I remember being a kid and seeing Hugh Jackman would play Wolverine and was furious – he’s 6’3” and Wolverine is 5’3”!!
— Rafe Judkins (@rafejudkins) July 3, 2019
Judkins went on to add, “To me, it was against the very core of the character that he would be tall. But the truth is, when I saw X-Men — of course Hugh Jackman was Wolverine. It’s so much more important to me to get someone high caliber who embodies the character than a perfect physical match.
Plus there’s a lot we can do with wigs and dye and lighting to still achieve the “iconic looks” of the WoT characters. I think #Twitteroftime will be happy when they see it ;)
Question #2: How Wide Was the Search for Moiraine?
We swung for the fences with Moiraine. We said, for this character, any actress on earth is fair game. And we were inundated with women excited about playing her, from household names to Oscar winners. After the phone call with Rosamund, though, I simply knew it must be her.
— Rafe Judkins (@rafejudkins) July 3, 2019
Question #3: What Accent Will Moiraine and Other Cairhienians Have?
Good catch! This is something we talk about a lot. I’d like to build the accents around the lead characters from that place (Rosamund’s perfect RP for Cairhien, our Lan’s accent for the Malkieri, etc). To me it’s always about getting the best performers in the key roles
— Rafe Judkins (@rafejudkins) July 3, 2019
(Note: RP means Received Pronunciation. Essentially the accent you hear on BBC News, perhaps with more of a “posh” edge to it.)
Here’s a great example of the voice Rosamund Pike may bring to the series:
Question #4: What Confirmed Rosamund Pike in Judkins’ Estimation?
The second was after she spoke about Moiraine’s mission and what it meant to her as a character, how it affected Moiraine’s life and how she sees those who she cares about. It was 100% clear she deeply understood Moiraine and the forces that drive her
— Rafe Judkins (@rafejudkins) July 3, 2019
Question #5: What Extremes Can We Expect to See From Moiraine?
In truth? It’s her acting. And that’s not a cop out answer. So much is asked of this character throughout the series, and I needed someone who is truly one of the world’s best to pull it off. And luckily for all of us, we got her.
— Rafe Judkins (@rafejudkins) July 3, 2019