Warning: SPOILERS for The Wheel of Time season 2.

Summary

• The Wheel of Time season 2 brings its own unique adaptation of the fantasy epic, with changes made to fit the 8-episode season order while maintaining a love for the source material.
• The portrayal of the Forsaken in the series has been expanded upon, particularly Ishamael, played by Fares Fares, showcasing the hierarchy of the Dark One's minions and the human desires behind the villains.
• Fares Fares discusses his experience playing Ishamael, including the freedom of portraying a character with thousands of years of history, learning and speaking the Old Tongue, and making creative choices to bring the character to life on screen.

The Wheel of Time season 2 cemented the Prime Video series as its own unique telling of Robert Jordan’s fantasy epic. Certain book elements were changed to fit an 8-episode season order, while others were brought to life with a clear love for the source material that translated on the screen. The season 2 finale saw Rand al’Thor officially proclaimed the Dragon Reborn, leading into a season 3 in which the character begins to realize his full world-saving potential.

One of the most unique things about the adaptation is how The Wheel of Time’s Forsaken have been explored and expanded on. Most prominent in the first two seasons is Ishamael, played in the show by Swedish-Lebanese actor Fares Fares. The Wheel of Time series’ Ishamael was a huge player in both season finales, but also has offered audiences a look into the hierarchy of the Dark One’s minions and the human desires behind the show’s villains.

Screen Rant interviewed Fares Fares about his time portraying Ishamael, interacting with the rest of the cast, and whether he will be seen again in the future. Note: This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Fares Fares On The Wheel Of Time Season 2

Screen Rant: What is the trick to playing somebody who has thousands of years of history under their belt? Does that give you a lot of room as an actor?

Fares Fares: Yeah, it does, because it's almost like playing a character with no rules. The character is so old; he knows so much that you can do whatever you want with it. Also, being from a different age and a different culture, if there is an idea that you want to try, it's possible to do it because the man is all-powerful, very, very old, and has lived through thousands of years.

Which also came with its own language. What was it like having to learn, speak, and film a scene in the Old Tongue?

Fares Fares: It was really interesting. It was [about] practicing it a lot and really understanding all the words to be able to put the right emotions to them. Like everything when it comes to acting, it’s very important to truly believe what you say; if the words didn’t mean anything to you, you wouldn’t be able to give them the right emotion. It was lots of fun practicing on my own with our dialect coach, who is also the one that invented the language, you could say; at least, [they] put it together from all the stuff that was already out there. It wasn’t just about the way the words sounded; it was also about the meaning of the words and sentences and stuff. Then, I practiced a lot with Alexander, who played Lews. It was fun.

It's fun to see you use your whole body in scenes; when Ishamael is close to the ta’veren, he's touching them, speaking right in their faces, and touching their faces. Were those things all in the script or were those choices that you made?

Fares Fares: I would say that all that stuff was choices that I made. Some of that was written in the script, but not all the being so close [and] the touching stuff. I felt it made him more human in a way, and that he believed in it; just being close to everything. It could be like he was in somebody’s head or crawling in their skin. It just made it more interesting to make the scenes that way.

You have some great scenes with Josha Stradowski and Natasha O’Keeffe when it’s Lanfear, Ishamael, and Rand that harken back to what their relationship was like years ago. What, to you, was that relationship?

Fares Fares: For me, it was [that] the three of them were probably inseparable before everything started. They were great friends, and maybe even more than that. He still feels the same way about both Lanfear and Lews, although he knows that Lews just wanted to do it differently. You can see that, in a way, they wanted the same thing, but Ishamael believed that everything needed to stop in order to make everything become better. For Lews, it was kind of like, “Your solution to everything is [one in which] everyone would die; ending everything.” Ishamael was kind of cynical, I guess, and he thought that there was no other way than ending the suffering.

But all the stuff with Natasha was really great to work on, because I could imagine the three of them just sitting, having wine, talking about life, and having all of those philosophical conversations. So, I saw them as great friends, and [being] really close to each other.

I spoke to your VFX supervisor who said he worked with a lot of the cast on channeling, and making sure it was an extension of character. I was wondering if you were part of that process and how you envisioned Ishamael using the Power.

Fares Fares: For me, it was [that] when Ishamael used the Power, he wouldn’t be as animated as the others. He would do very small movements, almost just with his fingers, because it wasn’t an effort for him to use the Power; he was just so powerful. Because of that, I actually got the freedom to do whatever I want, which was great. I didn’t have to practice any choreographed movements or anything.

And we talked about you and Natasha working together. Do you have a favorite scene that you were able to do with her?

Fares Fares: All the stuff, actually, with Natasha was probably my favorite to work on. It started when I first met Natasha; we started talking about characters, we just had great chemistry, and we tried to come up with a sign for our Forsaken group. It was like the two of us were Forsaken, and we were different than everybody else. We even were from a different time, we dressed differently, and we used to be old friends. It was just great chemistry. We played around with the scenes and the writers and Rafe were so open to it, so it was just great working on them.

I don’t know how much you can speak to this, but I have to ask: does the name Moridin mean anything to you? Do you feel like there’s any chance we’ll see you again?

Fares Fares: Who knows? Nobody knows.

Finally, is there anything that the Dark One could tempt you, Fares, with to get you to turn?

Fares Fares: Me, personally?

Yeah.

Fares Fares: I think I’m just too much of a good guy. [Laughs] No, I don’t think so.

About The Wheel Of Time Season 2

In Season Two, threats new and very old seek out the young friends from the Two Rivers, now scattered over the world. The woman who found and guided them is now powerless to help, and so they must find other sources of strength. In each other, or themselves. In the Light ... or the Dark.

Check back for our other The Wheel of Time season 2 post-season interviews:

• Rafe Judkins
• Zoë Robins
• Josha Stradowski
• Daniel Henney
• Donal Finn
• Marcus Rutherford
• Kate Fleetwood

The Wheel of Time season 2 is out now on Prime Video.