Wheel of Time star was unsure about Lan scene that wasn’t in the books

The Wheel of Time is one of Amazon’s biggest hit shows. Based on the bestselling book series by Robert Jordan (and finished after the author’s untimely death by Brandon Sanderson), The Wheel of Time is a fantasy epic on a grand scale, replete with young heroes on quests, magic, monsters, and politicking. The show received mixed reviews, especially from the fandom; some really enjoyed it, others hated it with a burning passion.

Daniel Henney plays Lan Mandragoran, the warder (magically linked bodyguard) of the Aes Sedai sorceress Moiraine (Rosamund Pike). The Wheel of Time is an ensemble show, and while Henney is only one piece of that puzzle, he brought a lot of heart to the role.

That said, there were complaints from some in the fandom about how different the show’s take on Lan was compared to the books. To me, the biggest was simply how much time and development Lan got in the show, whereas the early books don’t focus on him overmuch. The show gave Lan a fair amount of screen time and explored more of his inner life. Henney, who’s been a fan of the books for years, has some thoughts on that.

Daniel Henney compares show Lan to book Lan

Henney is aware of some of the comments regarding how Lan is different on the show compared to the books. “I find it interesting because I’ve had a lot of people say to me ‘you’re not the Lan that I pictured when I read the books, but now I couldn’t imagine anyone else playing him,'” the actor told Content Mode. “That to me is the best compliment I can receive. Hell, when I read the books, I wasn’t what I pictured either. But when I’m on set in full costume, it just feels right.”

"Some characters take longer to come to you than others. Whether it’s relating to certain aspects of their history, or physical aspects of the role, etc.  Lan came to me quickly. I knew him. I loved him right away when I read the books.  I found connective tissue with him. He’s a wanderer, a boy without a home, a man who values duty above all and is deathly loyal to the ones he loves. I can relate to those traits and that’s why I do feel comfortable in his silence. I feel like I understand why he chooses to do the things he does and why he is the way he is."

Henney also discussed the decision to cast an actor of Asian descent as Lan. “On another note, I think that the fans really felt that the Borderlands must have had Asian influences. I think they think of Sheinar and Malkier and it makes sense that a mixed Asian man like myself would hail from those regions. There’s also a calm and almost samurai-like energy within Lan that clearly reflects the cultures of Korea and Japan.”

Daniel Henney wasn’t sure about including the “designated mourner” scene in Episode 5

Henney was also asked if he was nervous to shoot the emotional funeral scene for his fellow warder Stepin in Episode 5, “Blood Calls Blood.”

“Yes. That scene was postponed a couple of times for various reasons,” Henney said. “So I always kind of knew it was out there…lurking and waiting for me. Haha. I was nervous for various reasons, but mainly I wanted the essence of Lan in the books to remain in him even during those moments. That was tough.”

"I frankly had concerns about whether or not to have that scene in there at all, but after numerous discussions with our writing staff, I too agreed that it was important to showcase how deep the bond really reaches between Lan and Moiraine. It is not in the books, but we felt that it was right for the show.That scene took all day to shoot. I beat myself up (literally) the entire day, and when it was finished, I was so relieved. I didn’t hang on to the scene mentally afterward, but physically, my shoulder was black for about 2 weeks."

We can only imagine how exhausting it must have been to shoot that scene over and over for a whole day. As much as we’d like to say it’s smooth sailing for Lan from here, fans of the books know he’s got plenty more difficult times ahead.

The first season of The Wheel of Time is available now on Prime Video. Season 2 is currently in production, and will air sometime after Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power drops in the fall. There are hints that The Wheel of Time may have already been renewed for season 3, but thus far there has been no official confirmation from Amazon.

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h/t CBR