Amazon has cast Esther McGregor and Emilio Sakraya as Violet Sorrengail and Xaden Riorson, respectively, in its upcoming television adaptation of Rebecca Yarros's bestselling novel Fourth Wing. The casting announcements come as the series is still in the early stages of production.
Fourth Wing follows Violet Sorrengail's journey through the brutal Riders Quadrant at Basgiath War College. The narrative heavily features her complex relationship with Xaden Riorson, a formidable figure whose father was executed by Violet's mother. Their dynamic, which begins with animosity and develops into a romance, is a cornerstone of the story.
According to Deadline, McGregor, known for her roles in Babygirl and We Were Liars, will play Violet, while Sakraya, who appeared in Warrior Nun, will take on the role of Xaden. While fans have expressed approval of the casting choices, noting the actors' potential to embody the characters, some discrepancies between the actors and their book counterparts have been observed.
Specifically, the height difference between Violet and Xaden in the novel is significant, reportedly over a foot, while McGregor and Sakraya have a smaller height differential of approximately 4.7 inches. Additionally, Sakraya is 30 years old, which is older than Xaden's early twenties in the book; this age gap could become a more pronounced issue if the series is renewed for multiple seasons.
With the leads for the central romance now cast, attention turns to the remaining key characters, including Dain Aetos, Rhiannon Matthias, and Liam Mairi, whose casting has yet to be announced.