Editor’s note: The below interview contains light spoilers for The Wheel of Time Season 3.Three seasons in, The Wheel of Time has no shortage of villains — or, at the very least, more antagonistic characters that stand in opposition to our heroes and their mission. While the Prime Video adaptation of Robert Jordan’s expansive book series has already debuted more ancient baddies in the form of the Forsaken, other new faces in Season 3 are already establishing themselves as obstacles — including Elaida do Avriny a’Roihan, played by Shohreh Aghdashloo, a member of the Red Ajah and advisor to Queen Morgase Trakand (Olivia Williams) who seems to be making her own moves inside the White Tower now that she’s sticking around Tar Valon, much to Siuan Sanche’s (Sophie Okonedo) chagrin.
In the wake of The Wheel of Time Season 3 premiering on Prime Video, Collider had the opportunity to speak with Aghdashloo via Zoom about her unlikely journey to joining the fantasy series and how it partially manifested through the passion of devoted Expanse fans on social media. Over the course of the interview, which you can read below, Aghdashloo also discusses why she wanted to be “honest” in her portrayal of Elaida, what she enjoyed about facing off with Sophie Okonedo this season, why she loves her character’s flaws, and more.
COLLIDER: Now that we can talk about The Wheel of Time, and the story of how you were cast, I think a lot of people mostly know bits and pieces — because fans were really rallying behind you to join the show in some capacity, and I know [showrunner] Rafe [Judkins] reached out to you, but I would love to hear the exact story of how you were cast. Did Rafe actually slide into your DMs and start the conversation there?
SHOHREH AGHDASHLOO: It was incredible. I’ve worked in Hollywood for 50 years—half a century. Nothing like that had ever happened to me before. As soon as I was done with The Expanse, the fans of The Expanse and those who liked my work on The Expanse, they started saying, “We need to find her another TV series because we want to see her at work.” I thought, “Oh my god, I’m at home. I’m no longer ‘that strange actor’ coming from the other half of the world.” I am at home with them, with my family, who want to see me again, who want me to keep working. I was so surprised and shocked to some point.
One of them came up with the idea of The Wheel of Time. I had seen The Wheel of Time, and I was thinking, “Would there be a place for me in The Wheel of Time?” Obviously, I didn’t say anything. It wasn’t for me to initiate. Then [fans] started saying, “Yes, she should come to The Wheel of Time, and she can do a good job with the series.” At that point, my social media person said, “Shoreh, you need to say something here. The numbers are going.” I said, “I cannot believe this.” I was still in the process of understanding and digesting the thought of being in The Wheel of Time, chosen by my fans—obviously The Expanse fans, and then the ones who like my work. Again, I couldn’t say anything.
They didn’t stop. I could write a book about this. After two days, [the fans] came up with the idea that I should play Cadsuane. Then, again, I was thinking, “What to say? What not to say?” I said, “Why do you want me to play Cadsuane?” They said, “Because her character’s as strong as Avasarala in The Expanse.” I was so proud of myself, and then the fact that I had a family now, and the family was thinking of me. Again, I said, “Well, it’s not for me to initiate. Let’s go find a showrunner!” One of them came up with his name: the amazing Rafe Judkins, our showrunner—one of the best showrunners I’ve ever worked with. He started DMing, saying, “Yes, she’s been on our radar since 2018, but we knew she was busy with The Expanse. She’s not busy anymore? Bring her over.” Two weeks after, I received an offer from Rafe.
I was so happy. I could not believe it. “It’s for real,” I told my agent, and he said, “Yes! Why are you so surprised? Your fans have decided you’re going to be in that show.” I had a meeting with the casting director of The Wheel of Time, we went for a coffee. She said, “You know what’s happening out there?” I said, “I know.” She said, “Rafe had you in mind, and he’s going to ask you to come out and join.”
Shohreh Aghdashloo Wanted To Be “Honest” in Portraying Elaida in ‘The Wheel of Time’

Image via Prime Video

Fans of the books know, and I’m sure you know now, having taken the role on, about how complicated a character Elaida is—complicated, to say the least. That’s just scratching the surface, describing her that way. When you’re playing a character like this, do you hone in on specific traits or aspects where you feel that, even if you can’t put yourself specifically in that position, you can at least understand, sympathize, or identify with them, to some extent?
AGHDASHLOO: Sympathize, no, because in sympathizing, there is a kind of feeling of being sorry for the person, no matter what. Not judging my characters in general will not allow me to either sympathize with them or empathize. For me, the process starts with breaking the codes, finding out who Elaida is, gathering up all the details, and piling them on top of one another to find this character. Thankfully, there are good writers. The novelist, of course, Sir [Robert] Jordan, has given us so many details about our characters that make it easy. But with others, sometimes I have to try to break the codes for days until I’m like, “Oh, okay, that’s why she is doing this.”
This one was easier, because I knew all the details about her. I’m not judging her, and not thinking she’s a bad person — because predators, to be honest, don’t think of themselves as “bad people.” Sometimes, I make a joke that bad actors think that because their character is a villain, they start making faces like a demon. In real life, predators do not think of themselves as “bad people.” They believe in what they are doing, like Elaida; she truly believes in her mission and what she wants to prove to all the powerful females and politicians at the White Tower. So, all I did was try to be as honest, as sincere, in portraying her character as possible.
Shohreh Aghdashloo on Why She Enjoys Squaring Off With Sophie Okonedo in ‘The Wheel of Time’

Image via Prime Video

One of the things the beginning of Season 3 sets up really well is the rivalry that exists between Elaida and Siuan. What did you personally enjoy about getting to face off with Sophie Okonedo this season? The two of you have some really great butting-heads moments, to put it lightly.
AGHDASHLOO: Thank you! Thank you for saying that. Sophie is an amazing actress and a good professional. It takes two to tango. It truly is a fact that if my fellow actor does not shine, I won’t shine. So, when the two of us met one another, obviously, I kissed her and told her that I’d seen The Wheel of Time and how much I’ve enjoyed her work on The Wheel of Time.
But when we were on the set, we started looking at one another, and she was Siuan Sanche, and I was Elaida do Avriny, and… “No matter what, I am here to take my revenge. You betrayed me, and God knows how many other people were involved in this conspiracy. I am here to take care of that, and I won’t stop until I find out why you betrayed me, who betrayed me. And not until all of us get together in oneness, in harmony, in a peaceful coexistence, will we be able to win this war.”

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“This Is My Favorite Season By Far”: ‘The Wheel of Time’s Daniel Henney and Sophie Okonedo Discuss That Thrilling Season 3 Opening

Henney also explains the significance of Lan giving Nynaeve that ring and Okonedo reflects on the love between Siuan and Moiraine.

One thing that these first episodes hint at is that Elaida seems to be dealing with some kind of tremor. What can you tease about the physical symptoms that she’s having and the effect they might even be having on her mental state, too, in the middle of everything that she is focused on?
AGHDASHLOO: I loved it when I found out that this could be considered as a disability. I love the fact that she’s not flawless — that, in fact, there is a flaw that she is trying to hide from the others. Whether it’s physical or mental, I personally don’t know yet, but I have a feeling that it may be as a result of being betrayed, having to leave the Tower, and trying to solve everything on her own, and finally deciding to get back to the White Tower. Her score with Moiraine and Siuan might have given her this kind of disability that she buries and tries to hide from the others. But I love the fact that she’s not flawless.
New episodes of The Wheel of Time Season 3 premiere Thursdays on Prime Video.

The Wheel of Time

Release Date

November 18, 2021

Network

Prime Video

Showrunner

Rafe Judkins

Directors

Sanaa Hamri, Ciaran Donnelly, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Thomas Napper, Maja Vrvilo, Wayne Che Yip

Writers

Amanda Kate Shuman, Dave Hill, Rohit Kumar, Justine Juel Gillmer, Celine Song, Rammy Park, The Clarksons Twins, Katherine B. McKenna