The first three episodes of Amazon Prime’s The Wheel of Time have been released, and there’s an unexpected romance added to the mix! Ceara Coveney and Ayoola Smart sat down with Parade for an exclusive interview about the evolving bond between their characters, Elayne and Aviendha, a connection that honors the spirit of the original book series while adding a new dynamic to the television show.
Their chemistry is undeniable and it’s a lovely surprise for both book readers and show watchers. Both actors were thrilled to bring this relationship to life. In the conversation, Coveney and Smart open up about what drew them to the storyline, how duty and destiny shape their characters, and the parallels they see between Elayne and Aviendha. They also reflect on the emotional weight of their journeys this season and leave us with two perfect words to describe what’s ahead.
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I was so very excited that the two of you are together, especially after watching the first episode! Were you surprised by the inclusion of a romantic story between the two of you?
Ceara Coveney: I really loved reading the first script and realizing that we were doing this, and this was the relationship that we were going to explore. And yeah, and I’m really excited that Rafe [Judkins] and the writer of Episode 1, Justine [Juel Gillmer], really wanted to bring this relationship to life. It’s something that I really picked up on in the books. I think it’s something that’s ambiguous. But, to certain people, it really does shine out. And I think it’s quite obvious.
Ayoola Smart: I think it’s really nice to make that decision early on, and to be like, “This is how we view it in this world that we’ve created. And it was, it was exciting. And it was like, “Oh, we’re straight in”.
Related: How to Read Every ‘Wheel of Time’ Book in Order
We get a tease of it early in Episode 1. But it was exciting that, by the end of the episode, it’s happening.
Ayoola: It’s nice, because then they come together. But it’s that moment together before everything else goes down, which I think is nice.
In the first episode, you’re all together, and then suddenly you’re all off into the world on these different quests. Aviehnda in Episode 1 says, “I have a role to play. This is my duty.” And it feels like that’s what Elayne is going through, too. She puts the crown on and everything. Can you talk about the similarities of your two characters?
Ayoola: Yeah, definitely. I think, like, as you say, I think there’s a lot of similarities between these characters, and I think that’s a lot of why they connect so strongly as they do. They’re two people who understand their role in life, and even if they don’t like that all of the time. I think in preparing for that, it gives you a wealth of depth to draw from when you have an internal struggle between what you know you have to do and maybe what you’d like to do, and also how that interacts with other characters and the people that you meet. And for Avienda, a lot of that’s kind of symbolized in Rand the boy, and then Rand the current ideology and how she struggles with that. So I think preparing for that was fun, because we all love a struggle.
Ceara: Absolutely. I think they really go on very similar journeys. And I think that’s what initially brings them together, is this kind of connection. They see elements of each other in the other, and I think it’s this struggle with her responsibility and her duty for Elayne. It’s new. The cracks appeared in Faime as she realized that the world is so much bigger than she may have understood before. And I think she’s equipped with so much knowledge, but I think she’s starting to understand that maybe she doesn’t have all the experience that she may need. And just really opened up this internal battle for her, and these questions of, who does she want to be in the future, and what kind of leader does she want to be?
Next, ‘The Wheel of Time’ Cast and Showrunner Tease an ‘Epic and Expansive’ Season 3 (Exclusive)
