Shohreh Aghdashloo, an accomplished TV and film actor, is said to be joining the cast of Prime Video’s fantasy epic The Wheel of Time in a major role.
Wheel of Time scooper WoT Up! reported in a new video that Aghdashloo would be playing Elaida do Avriny a’Roihan, an Aes Sedai character from the source novels. Aghdashloo is known for roles in The Punisher, The Expanse, X-Men 3, and many more.
Aghdashloo already has a unique history with The Wheel of Time, with her apparent casting in the show having begun with an exchange on X (formerly Twitter) with showrunner Rafe Judkins. In December 2021, Aghdashloo responded to fans nominating her for a role by tagging Judkins in the X thread and telling him, “…The fans say, we need to talk.” Judkins replied within hours, saying, “Girl, I’m in … You’ve been on my mood board for a certain character since 2018 haha.”
Although fans in the thread had suggested Aghdashloo for a different Aes Sedai, Cadsuane Melaidhrin, Judkins made no mention of which character he had in mind for her.
Who will Shohreh Aghdashloo play in The Wheel of Time?
The Wheel of Time, based on the beloved book series by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, is set in a world where certain women have access to powerful magic and can join the feared and respected order of Aes Sedai. However, men with the same ability are doomed to mentally snap and endanger everyone around them. Elaida is an Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah, who are dedicated to hunting down and controlling these men, making her inherently opposed to some of the story’s protagonists.
Aghdashloo is perhaps best known for playing Chrisjen Avasarala in The Expanse through the entire Prime Video sci-fi series. She also appeared as Farah Madani, Agent Dinah Madani’s mother, in The Punisher, as Grayson in Arcane, Dr. Kavita Rao in X-Men: The Last Stand, and as Commodore Paris in Star Trek Beyond.
The Wheel of Time Season 2 is now playing on Prime Video, with new episodes airing on Fridays.
