Casting Brandon Sanderson's Live-Action Stormlight Archive Series: All 9 Main Roles
Faith Roswell is a Senior Writer on Screen Rant's Classic TV team. Since earning her degree in Creative Writing over a decade ago, Faith has written articles on film and TV from a variety of different angles. Faith now combines her knowledge of psychology with her love of monster movies to give more insight into what makes the best ones.
You may have read her Screen Rant lists and features covering horror, sci-fi, and fantasy, or read her Amazon Top 10 book, "Movie Monsters of the Deep."
Faith has had an extensive career as a writer, appearing on BBC live radio, researching true crime for Rotten Mango podcast, and writing for publications including Mental Floss, Atlas Obscura, and The Daily Jaws before beginning here at Screen Rant.
The upcoming adaptation of Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive looks set to be the most exciting upcoming fantasy TV series currently in development. While original TV series like Stranger Things have made their mark on the fantasy landscape, most adaptations, with the exception of Dungeons & Dragons projects, have not fared so well. The Wheel of Time and The Witcher looked set to be groundbreaking achievements for the genre, but where they failed to live up to their potential, The Stormlight Archive may be the fantasy TV show franchise we need.
One main reason is due to Brandon Sanderson's unprecedented creative control over his projects. The author has been more involved than virtually any other, which has allowed him to oversee the creative process, including the casting, which he has been passionate about. The best fantasy TV show ensemble casts have excellent chemistry and acting ability, but bringing an already beloved character to life is a challenge for any actor, and while Sanderson has a very specific vision, these actors could do the characters justice.
Aramis Knight As Kaladin Stormblessed
Of all the actors who would be perfect for Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive, Aramis Knight has repeatedly drawn the attention of fans, who have seen him as a potentially perfect choice for Kaladin Stormblessed. Kaladin's formidable martial arts and healing skills make him one of the series' most conflicted characters, suffering from depression and survivors' guilt, and torn between the desire to heal and the need to kill in order to protect people.
This internal struggle makes Kaladin one of fantasy's most interesting heroes, and as he also needs to inspire loyalty from the people he commands, this adds an extra layer of nuance. Knight's martial arts-heavy work in Into the Badlands and Ms. Marvel make him an ideal actor to handle the action scenes, while he often plays characters with difficult backstories, proving him capable of taking on the role of a man with the world on his shoulders.
Sadie Sink As Shallan Davar
Shallan Davar is one of the central characters in The Stormlight Archive, and a fan favorite who has inspired considerable debate over her potential casting. She is intelligent, witty, artistic, and complicated in a very human way, as most of Sanderson's characters are. Coming from a troubled family background, she uses humor as a shield, often projecting a confident and charming exterior as she struggles beneath the surface.
This description could easily apply to Stranger Things' Max, Sadie Sink's breakout role, which won her the Hollywood Critics Association TV Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series, Drama. Sadie Sink's best movies and TV shows all showcase her ability to play a multifaceted character with emotional depth that shows in her face without the need for extensive dialogue, and Shallan feels like a continuation of these characters, but at a more mature level.
Jason Momoa As Dalinar Kholin
Practically unstoppable on the battlefield, the highprince of Alethkar was once a ruthless warrior whose fearsome reputation as "the Blackthorn" preceded him. The fantasy genre is full of archetypes like this, but Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere books stand out for the way they turn these tropes upside-down, and the character we meet is no longer a warlord. Dalinar Kholin is now a very introspective man, and casting him requires an actor with more than just an imposing physique.
Question 1 of 3
At first glance, Dalinar is similar to Khal Drogo, Jason Momoa's character in Game of Thrones, but the role needs elements of Momoa's other characters to be a successful casting. While best known as an action star with a commanding screen presence, Momoa's performances in Dune and See showcase more of the range that he is not always assumed to have, and playing out Dalinar's redemption arc would be a good opportunity to highlight his more subtle acting skills.
Dallas Liu As Adolin Kholin
The friendly and charming prince is the opposite of what a reader would expect the son of the Blackthorn to be, but Adolin Kholin's fan-described "golden retriever energy" has made him one of the most popular characters in the Cosmere universe. Adolin is so important that he is one of the few characters that Brandon Sanderson has personally fan-cast. However, while Sanderson suggested Alex Landi for the role, he has since aged beyond the character.
Dallas Liu already resembles a younger Landi and did his own stunts in Avatar: the Last Airbender, where he played Prince Zuko, also a fan favorite character. Zuko's journey from villain to hero is one of the best storylines in the fantasy genre, and Liu has both the charm, humor, and physical fighting training to convincingly play Adolin, including his complicated relationship with his father.
Sean Kaufman As Renarin Kholin
With a former warlord as a father and a celebrated swordsman as a brother, Renarin Kholin has a lot to live up to, and the responsibility weighs on him, despite his growing knowledge that he has skills of his own. Renarin's story is one of the most unsettling in the Cosmere universe, with the younger prince becoming a Truthwatcher, which drastically changes his demeanor from a gentle, reserved, and studious boy into one who can see elements of the future.
Any actor playing Renarin must be able to capture the shyness and anxiety that Sanderson has confirmed he has, before also portraying deep and complicated wisdom far beyond that of most other characters. Sean Kaufman's performance in The Summer I Turned Pretty showcases a seemingly outgoing character experiencing moments of vulnerability, and he could expand on this role while being believable as Dallas Liu's younger brother.
Florence Faivre As Jasnah Kholin
The scholarly Jasnah is one of the most intelligent and politically influential women in the Cosmere universe, and her radical honesty makes her polarizing among fans. Any actor playing Jasnah must be able to straddle the line between her admirable insistence on speaking her mind and her willingness to suggest the unthinkable, as she must remain likable even while suggesting options that frighten career politicians.
Florence Faivre was captivating during her short scenes as The Expanse's Julie Mao, even while being seen through cameras and the eyes of other characters. Mao's rebellious streak as she breaks from her highly influential family hits similar notes to Jasnah's arc, despite the stories being drastically different genres and with different final fates. Faivre can convey intelligence and conviction without needing to overact, and this is likely to be the key to keeping Jasnah fascinating, even to viewers who do not like the character.
Michelle Yeoh As Navani Kholin
Michelle Yeoh's career-defining movies began by showcasing her work as a talented martial artist, but her nuanced character acting has taken center stage in recent years, with Everything Everywhere All At Once and Wicked both focusing on her ability to make even an exaggerated character feel real. Yeoh may still be defined by her stunts and action work, but playing the Cosmere universe's Navani Kholin would give her even more to work with, as the character has one of Roshar's leading scientific minds.
Everything Everywhere All At Once won Michelle Yeoh an Academy Award for Best Actress.
Even in book form, Navani feels vivid and three-dimensional, negotiating with kings in a political firestorm one moment and being absorbed in an experiment the next. Her dedication to her family sets her as the Kholin matriarch, but to put her on the sidelines as merely a wife and mother does not do her justice. Formidably intelligent, her curiosity and stubbornness allow her to break the rules, which often works in her favor, and this combination of grit and joy is the perfect opportunity for Michelle Yeoh to continue her streak of playing compelling and unpredictable characters.
Bill Skarsgård As Szeth-Son-Neturo
Szeth-Son-Neturo is one of the most frightening characters in Brandon Sanderson's books. Known as "The Assassin in White," his supernatural abilities allow him to manipulate the forces of the Earth, yet he believes he is being forced to kill against his will. Obeying the possessor of his Oathstone, Szeth's mind has fractured, with the belief that he has no choice forming the basis for his every action, including murder.
Bill Skarsgård's best movies and TV shows see him playing some fantastically unhinged characters, including IT's Pennywise and Boy Kills World's nameless "Boy," but playing Szeth could redeem his attempt at The Crow's Eric Draven. His performance was one of the few factors praised by critics, and it proves that he can carry the combination of deep sorrow, eerie stillness, and lethal fighting ability that is needed to embody the horror and tragedy driving Szeth.
William Fichtner As Hoid
Hoid is not strictly a main character in the Cosmere universe, but he is one of Brandon Sanderson's best antihero characters and an important recurring figure. Showing up in various guises, Hoid is not recognized until he makes himself known. This requires an established character actor who can blend into the background until he is needed, and William Fichtner is more than capable of taking on Hoid's many guises and personas.
As a master of Lightweaving, Hoid's appearance often shifts, but Fichtner shares this chameleon-like ability to transform himself, and he has made his career playing characters who are often difficult to read. Prison Break's Alex Mahone is a more grounded example, with the character being a villain, dangerous enemy, and loyal ally over time, while always remaining somewhat mysterious. This slightly remote quality makes Fichtner perfect casting for the enigmatic Hoid.
The Stormlight Archive
- Created by
- Brandon Sanderson
- Character(s)
- Kaladin Stormblessed, Shallan Davar, Dalinar Kholin, Adolin Kholin, Jasnah Kholin, Szeth-son-son-Vallano, Navani Kholin
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.