‘Wonder Woman’ Actor Saïd Taghmaoui Cast as ‘Legion’ Season 2 Villain #SDCC2017
Saïd Taghmaoui stole our hearts this summer during his breakout performance in Wonder Woman. Not only was his character charming, but his lament about how racism prevented him from pursuing his interest in acting struck a poignant chord with audiences as well.
In comparison, Taghmaoui’s career has been nothing but great opportunities and incredible roles. And it looks like audiences won’t have to wait too long to see the well-known actor grace their screens once more, as Taghmaoui has been cast as Amahl Farouk in the FX television series, Legion.
Source: Marvel Comics
The announcement came during the show’s Thursday panel at San Diego Comic Con. Led by several members of the cast and crew – such as show creator and executive producer Noah Hawley, executive producer and head of Marvel Television Jeph Loeb, as well as actors Dan Stevens and Aubrey Plaza – the panel revealed various news and exclusive clips concerning the second season of Legion.
For those unfamiliar with the show, the character of Farouk is a somewhat obscure X-Men mutant also known as the Shadow King. As one of the oldest and most powerful telepaths in the world, his dreams of world domination are so violent that his evil convinced Charles Xavier to create the X-Men in the first place.
His official description on the show is “a villain with a thousand faces,” with an equally creepy creation myth and modus operandi:
It is rumored he is the spawn of the first nightmare, which is fitting because fear is his weapon of choice in exposing weakness in others. To Farouk, fear equals weakness and he fears nothing. Which is why he takes such delight in seeing others squirm — a reminder he is more powerful than them.
Legion fans have seen the Shadow King numerous times in the first season, though not in his true form. He has appeared on the show behind various names and faces, with different actors representing physical manifestations of his psychological attacks. At the same time, Farouk is best remembered by fans for his more grotesque appearances.
Source: FX
With Taghmaoui now cast as the man behind the mask, showrunners promise a new and exciting side to the character:
In his real form, he is always nattily dressed. Dapper with a thin Clark Gable-style mustache. His eyes forever hidden behind a pair of ornate sunglasses. He was hip long before there was such an idea. He can seductively hold court on any topic and in any language, but his true passion lies in the singular timeless notion of power and amassing as much of it as possible.
How do you feel about the long-awaited appearance of Amahl Farouk on the show? Are you happy that Saïd Taghmaoui was cast in the role, or would you like to see a different actor portray this interesting new villain?
Legion will return to FX sometime in early 2018 for a ten-episode second season.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
