Casting Amazon's Fourth Wing TV Show: 15 Actors Who'd Be Perfect For Main Roles

Amazon MGM Studios has officially ordered a series adaptation of romantasy sensation Fourth Wing, raising questions about who will play the series' many fascinating characters. Author Rebecca Yarros has announced the Empyrean series will span five books, with three currently available — Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, and Onyx Storm — alongside Threshing Day, a collection of 13 short stories about Xaden, Ridoc, Rhiannon, and other characters' experiences during that ultimate test. A Fourth Wing graphic novel adaptation is slated for release next year. The Empyrean fandom is immense; Onyx Storm was the fastest-selling adult novel in 20 years upon its release (via The New York Times). The plot centers around Violet Sorrengail, a 20-year-old thrust into the Riders Quadrant at Basgiath War College by her mother to train as a dragon rider. There, she falls in love with mysterious rebel leader Xaden Riorson, all while taming two dragons, unlocking her unusual powers, and facing terrifying dark magic wielders. Amazon is producing its Fourth Wing adaptation in collaboration with Michael B. Jordan's Outlier Society. While there has been no official casting yet, Jordan confirmed the creative team's desire to avoid any "obvious choices": "It allows people to, like, fall in love with the characters that they have imagined in their head without any baggage, with projecting their own feelings on certain casts," Jordan said in an interview. Casting will be crucial, as the show will be live-action. 15 Madelaine Petsch as Andarna (Voice) Madelaine Petsch is best known for her role as Cheryl Blossom, the chaotic, "kill-them-with-kindness" mean girl from Riverdale. Petsch's excellent portrayal of faux innocence is bolstered by her ability to pretend to be sweet. She very quickly became a fan favorite for her antics. Although this was used for manipulation purposes in Riverdale, Petsch's sweet, high-pitched voice would be perfect for Andarna, Violet's youngest dragon, in Fourth Wing. Petsch's voice, coupled with her proven talent for portraying compelling characters, makes her an excellent choice for bringing the charming gold dragon to life. While there can be a tendency to cast voice actors for mystical creatures who can sound older, wiser, and command a sense of gravitas, Andarna is a relatively young dragon who waited 640 years to hatch. She needs an actor who has a youthful presence in their voice, making Petsch a great choice. 14 Idris Elba as Tairn (Voice) Strangely, Elba's resume isn't stacked with voice-over work, especially compared to his live-action record. He might be best known for dramas like Luther and The Wire, but he has arguably one of the most distinctive voices on screen today. Idris Elba is the perfect choice to play Tairn, the ancient, battle-hardened dragon from Fourth Wing. Tairn helps raise Andarna, and they both end up bonding with Violet, though it's previously been unheard of for a human to bond with more than one dragon. Idris Elba's movies and TV shows have consistently showcased his deep and captivating voice. It perfectly aligns with Tairn's centuries-old wisdom and battlefield experience, giving an authoritative and commanding tone that embodies the dragon's no-nonsense attitude. Elba's voice, with its rich timbre and British accent, adds an extra layer of sophistication that would make Tairn a true character. 13 Ella Balinska as Rhiannon Matthias Ella Balinska has demonstrated that she knows exactly how to handle an action role. Starring as one of the three formidable angels in Charlie's Angels (2019) and in Netflix's live-action adaptation of Resident Evil, she clearly knows a thing or two about action sequences. Unfortunately, neither was a hit with audiences, even though the casting was fantastic. Ballinksa, in particular, stood out in both as a fierce fighter. This makes her perfect for the role of Rhiannon, as the cadets of Basgiath War College evade death every single day. Many training scenes in Fourth Wing focus on hand-to-hand combat. As an experienced action star, Balinska can handle those scenes without problems. With Rhiannon leading Violet's hand-to-hand combat training, an actor with fight experience would be a good fit. 12 Samuel Braun as Dain Aetos Credit: Craig Minielly / ©Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection Best known for his role as Josh Regis in Netflix's latest sports romance series, Crew Girl, 23-year-old Samuel Braun is an ideal pick to play Dain. In Fourth Wing, Dain has been Violet's best friend since childhood, as the two grew up together with military parents and traveled together. Still, Dain quickly shows his true colors, and the two drift apart. Dain needs an actor who can switch between silent and moody, jealous and angry, hurt and caring. Throughout Crew Girl, Braun's character experiences a tough, introspective journey, as he deals with a life-threatening illness, feelings for someone he shouldn't have feelings for, and a troubled relationship with his family. He'd handle Dain's two-sided personality easily, and he's got the right look for the character, too. 11 Abbie Hern as Imogen Cardulo Abbie Hern could be described as an up-and-coming actor even though she’s been acting for years. Many of her roles have been in short films or as supporting players, including Princess Bess in Prime Video's excellent historical fantasy, My Lady Jane. She's currently playing football superstar Gemma Jay in season 4 of Ted Lasso. Her role as Mae in Enola Holmes 2 is what makes her the best choice for Imogen, though, as Hern alternates easily between being hard and caustic and loyal and protective. Mae keeps her best friend’s secrets until she is murdered for them, but Hern plays Mae as a fierce young woman who knows how difficult it is to survive in a society that will do anything to silence dissenters. That is Imogen. Imogen is a child of rebellion, conscripted into the Riders Quadrant. She’s a little older and wiser than Violet and her friends and understands the world around her better than they do. Imogen also proves herself a fierce fighter and an incredibly loyal friend, someone who softens to Violet when she realizes they aren’t actually enemies. Hern would play her flawlessly. 10 Stephen Kalyn as Jack Barlowe Credit: Prime Video Physically, Off Campus heartthrob Dean DiLaurentis, as played by Stephen Kalyn, fits Jack Barlowe's description to a T. He's got an imposing physique, blonde hair, and blue eyes, all of which contrast sharply with Jack's vicious, menacing personality. (Never mind that Kalyn's natural hair color is apparently brown). Jack isn't just vicious, though. He's also arrogant and a masterful combatant. He's actually responsible for most of the deaths of fellow cadets who end up killed during training because he believes that anyone who lacks physical strength shouldn't be part of the Riders Quadrant. While Stephen Kalyn's Dean isn't a murderous criminal, he can be incredibly cocky and arrogant, just like Jack. Combined with the rage and fire we saw during his performance in Gen V, Kalyn could absolutely handle playing this Fourth Wing villain. 9 Nicholas Duvernay as Ridoc Gamlyn Image via MovieStillsDB Ridoc is one of the funniest and most loyal characters in the Empyrean saga. He needs an actor who can be a supportive friend, a fierce fighter, and wonderfully sarcastic. Duvernay's roles as Zion in The White Lotus season 3 and as Kel in Mindy Kaling's comedy Not Suitable for Work prove that he can excel in all of those areas. Luckily, Duvernay is still in his 20s; he's a little bit older than Ridoc, but not by much. He could grow into the role. With Duvernay's innate charisma, charm, and comedic chops, he'd be a perfect fit for this fan-favorite character. 8 Calam Lynch as Sawyer Henrick Calam Lynch has been active in the British film and television industry for nearly a decade, mostly in supporting roles. British television fans might recognize him from the comedy Derry Girls, the period romance Bridgerton, or the miniseries Archie. He also appeared in the 2024 dark comedy Sweetpea. His roles haven’t been action-heavy, so appearing in a fantasy that requires him to wield a sword and ride a dragon would be a new challenge, but Lynch could have fun with Sawyer's repeat first-year student character. The character is often the straight-laced man to Ridoc’s comedy, a leader among the students, and calm and collected in the face of the hot-heads around him. 7 Jacob Gibson as Bodhi Durran Image via MovieStillsDB Xaden needs a second he can trust by his side, and no one is more trustworthy (or brave) than Jacob Gibson's Usopp in Netflix's live-action One Piece. Bodhi, Xaden's cousin, is much more naturally approachable than Xaden (he smiles a lot), and Gibson has an incredible innate charm that would suit Bodhi's personality perfectly. He's a little older, but Gibson has a youthful exuberance that makes it easy to forget the actor's real age. The One Piece actor has also proven he can handle fantastical action scenes and a story's emotional, cathartic moments. The deep loyalty and respect Usopp feels for his captain, Luffy, is exactly what Bodhi feels for Xaden, even though they're family. Gibson might be busy with One Piece, but who knows? He might manage to find time in his busy schedule for Fourth Wing. 6 Lena Headey as General Sorrengail While many actresses can channel the strength of a military commander and the protective instincts of a mother, Lena Headey is the most obvious pick for the role. Headey has a huge body of work, but she’s best known for the fierce Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones. While Cersei is more diabolical than General Sorrengail, they share a lot of the same traits. Cunning, ruthless, a bit manipulative, and fearsome. The character needs to be revered and structured, inspiring loyalty among her students. She also, however, has to be able to hint at her softer past. Her life has hardened her, and the audience needs to see who she used to be. Headey would be perfect. She has the range and the gravitas to pull this off.