Get excited, romantasy fans! The best-selling Emperyan novels by Rebecca Yarros are on their way to your television screen. Prime Video is producing the Fourth Wing series, and we’re excited because the books are filled with romance, magic, and battles. Of course, we have a lot of ideas about what we want from the series. That includes the casting. Aside from the lead couple, there are many supporting characters for actors to sink their talents into. We’ve come up with our list of actors we’d like to see play some of the major characters in the Fourth Wing series. Let’s talk about it!
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Violet
Violet Sorrengail is the main character of Fourth Wing, and the books are all told from her POV. (Well, almost all.) The story begins when she enters Basgiath War College. It is the place where Navarre trains its future generations to be scribes, healers, infantry, or dragon riders. Violet intends to be a scribe. However, her mother, a General, forces her into the dragon riders’ quadrant. Violet also has a physical condition that causes her bones to dislocate easily. She’s short, too. (And short women like me all cheered!) Everyone assumes she’ll die in the Riders’ Quadrant. But she surprises them all. The actress playing all this has to have a lot of emotional command, and we think Mackenzie Foy is the one to do it. Look at Interstellar for just one example of what she can do. We’d love to see her play Violet.
Xaden
Violet’s love interest is Xaden Riorson. He’s already a wing leader in the Riders’ Quadrant, and he’s also the son of the man who led a failed revolt against Navarre’s leadership years ago. Xaden is tall, hot, and a person of color. This role is a gold mine for a young up-and-coming actor. It must not be whitewashed. When people think of a leading man, they probably think of a role like this one, one that combines action and romance with a little bit of danger. Xaden’s involvement in the revolution and various plot twists in later books provide a lot of drama. We think the actor who could take advantage of this role in many ways is Evan Evagora. It’s time for him to expand beyond his Romulan turn on Star Trek: Picard. As long as he has chemistry with whoever is cast as Violet, Evagora is our pick for this opportunity.
Rhiannon
Surrounding Violet and Xaden are other cadets in the Riders’ Quadrant, and one of them is Rhiannon. She and Violet bond on the first day at Basgiath. They become fast friends when Violet helps her, and Rhiannon proves to be a skilled fighter. She is also an example of LGBTQ+ representation in this series. We think Amandla Stenberg could be the perfect Rhiannon. The Acolyte has already proven that she can handle physically demanding roles. Between that Star Wars series and The Hunger Games when she was young, Stenberg understands the pressure of a large fandom. Rhiannon is a likable character as well, and we have no doubt Stenberg can convey all that to the audience.
MORE: For more about Amandla Stenberg, read our review of The Acolyte 1×08!
Ridoc
You know that one character that every story has, the one who is the comedic relief? The one who makes everyone laugh? The one everyone likes? That’s Ridoc. Another close friend and classmate of Violet, he’s also an equal-opportunity charmer. Yarros does not shy away from the cadets’ romantic and sexual lives. Though Violet and Xaden are the focus, other characters get experience as well. Ridoc plays the field in the background throughout a lot of the action. He’s endearing instead of off-putting, though, mostly because he’s funny, too. We hope Rhenzy Feliz gets a chance to play him. Ever since the amazing series The Penguin, we’ve wanted Feliz booked and busy. We love Ridoc, and we think Feliz will be able to make all viewers do the same.
General Lilith Sorrengail
Let’s get to one of the older roles. Violet’s mother is a tough-as-nails military leader, and she’s been through Basgiath’s Riders’ Quadrant herself. The way she disregards her daughter’s plans for her own future by placing her in the Riders’ Quadrant is insensitive. But the character grows more complex as the story goes on. More and more layers to this mother are revealed, and this character needs an actress who can accomplish all that. An actress of award-winning caliber. Rachel Weisz is our dream choice for this role. Not only does she fit the physical description of the character, but she also has the chops to make the audience believe she is both a general and a mother. This casting would be exciting.
Mira
Violet’s relationship with her mother is complicated, but she thankfully has more family to rely on. Mira is Violet’s older sister. She is a successful dragon rider in Navarre’s military, and she and Violet are close. This dynamic is an important one to show. It contrasts with the interaction between Violet and her mother. Mira is strong and reliable, and Violet counts on her a lot. She’s involved in a lot of the action as well. After Shazam! and Shazam: Fury of the Gods, we wanted to see more of Grace Caroline Currey. Mira could be just the role for her. Going from a superhero to a dragon rider wouldn’t exactly be a step down! And this role would give her more screen time.
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Tairn
There is only one choice for the voice of Tairn, the majestic dragon Violet bonds with: Idris Elba. He has done voiceover work before, and his distinctive timbre would be perfect for the ancient, wise, and curmudgeonly creature. Navarre’s magic can only be channeled by humans after they bond with a dragon. Besides that, the dragons have their own intricate social organization. All that mystery and intensity would be a cinch for Elba’s unique voice. Tairn is a major character so he needs a major acting talent to give him a voice. That’s Elba.
So, Fourth Wing readers, what do you think? Do you agree with our choices? Which actors do you want in the upcoming Prime Video series? Let us know in the comments!
Love the books! Can’t wait for this series to come out!