'Shadow and Bone' Cast Break Down New Netflix Series | Around the Table | Entertainment Weekly

Jessie Mei Li, Archie Renaux, Freddy Carter, Amita Suman, Kit Young, Ben Barnes, Leigh Bardugo and Eric Heisserer break down their new Netflix original series 'Shadow and Bone' - based on the Grishaverse novels by Leigh Bardugo.
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About 'Shadow and Bone': Dark forces conspire against orphan mapmaker Alina Starkov when she unleashes an extraordinary power that could change the fate of her war-torn world.
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'Shadow and Bone' Cast Break Down New Netflix Series | Around the Table | Entertainment Weekly
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[@alicerasmussen3543]

Leigh looks like the proudest English teacher, seeing all her students UNDERSTAND the assignment

[@valel1879]

I know right!!! Hahahaha, it's so endearing

[@Tabbyhenne]

I'm an English teacher and I agree!

[@brendadotter4433]

I'm also an English teacher, and I can identify with Leigh Bardugo, too!

[@jenniferg.9017]

This series prove how successful a show can be when people take it seriously and not dismiss it as another teen YA romance and use it as a cash cow. I loved every minute of this show, so much love was put into it. Gosh I’m so excited to see more

[@somethoughts4363]

It makes me wish my other fav YA books could’ve been handled and cast appropriately (cough cough THG) 😫

[@lakaperse6995]

@@somethoughts4363 BY THG , you mean Hunger Games ???

[@abbeyBominable123]

@@somethoughts4363 THG? If you're talking about Hunger Games, ur crazy if u dont think its one of the best book to movie adaptations ever!

[@somethoughts4363]

@@abbeyBominable123 def not alone in my opinion lol. Call jlaw a great actress, sure, yeah. But Katniss was sorely miscast. They whitewashed her. But not just that- age, build, etc. Imagine casting Timothee chamalet as Thor. It don’t make sense. Same goes for Liam hemsworth (tho by mj he gave a great performance). Josh hutcherson was the only one that was spot on to me. True to Peetas looks and character. Aside from casting though, CF was the only movie that was exceptionally good IMO. It went downhill from there when they decided to blatantly cash out more money by splitting the last movie into 2. Was there enough material for that? Nope, which is why it went so slow paced most of the time. In retrospect I can’t distinguish 1 from the other. Which is why CF stands out. And let’s not talk about shaky camera in movie #1 lmao

[@jenniferg.9017]

@@somethoughts4363 I agree... I think making Mockingjay into two parts was such a stupid choice as well... That book was barely 200 pages and just because Harry Potter did that with its 700+ page book does not automatically mean it's a good idea for you to follow suit. But THG was better than the Shadow Hunters "City of Bones" etc. and Divergent series. Both of those were so horrible, there was not even anything to say.

[@justix4321]

when freddy said "what is this feeling that i have for her"- im not crying, you are

[@magdalenadolorico-francoeu4596]

😭😭😭😭

[@ivyare]

exactly

[@sihayradiseocho]

I MEAN AREN'T WE?

[@shreya446]

i screamed so loud and it's 2 am

[@assholebyginger]

I'm so glad Ben Barnes is proud of being in this show. A lot of male actors take on roles where there's a large female fanbase and they're not happy with their work, they're embarrassed by it, and they don't give the art the respect it deserves. Ofc sometimes these books-to-screen adaptations are shitty but I feel like Ben would have given his best even if the script wasn't very good.

[@toastedmarshmallows6348]

IKR. It's a relief that everyone seems to be genuinely invested in the series.

[@AnxietyRat]

100% it's honestly kind of refreshing to see. He isn't brushing it off as "books for teenage girls" like so many male actors do. He is just fully emersing himself in the lore and world building and we LOVE to see it.

[@madinatuleshova6292]

Agree. It’s so heartwarming as a fan of the books to see actors actually loving the characters they play and they universe they are in. I’ve seen a few shows where actors don’t actually like the source material or don’t enjoy the story itself and it’s so heartbreaking to see

[@Andrea-yh3rc]

cough RPattz cough

[@iqmismatch]

Agree....I saw Westworld loved Ben's performance there but never tried to find out his name until I stumbled upon S&B ....he stole the show in every scene he was in, his expressions were just amazing, portrayed every complexity of the emotion beautifully...very nuanced...I had to find out who the actor is and have been listening to so many of his interviews :)....though Alina is the main character but Ben will come out as star from this series 💙

[@b00ksh3]

When Jessie started talking about how much she loves the cast... how her experience was 29201% times better because of them on set... IM NOT CRYING YOU’RE CRYING

[@xpolarisx]

100% relate to Leigh's face

[@mari6617]

so true i’m definitely crying

[@serendipitywaves8768]

Amita and Freddy didn't have to snap this hard with those Kanej feels 😭. Also when amita said ketterdam needs Kaz it reminded me of last scene of ck with Inej saying the same thing pls 😭.

[@pastelchapter9109]

They understood the assignment perfectly🥺😭❤

[@kashvimiglani4640]

ikrr

[@deepalisingh8937]

ikfr

[@fir_li354]

I was about to comment that ! My kanej heart !😭😂

[@Lily_James]

When I tell you I actually squealed out loud when Freddie talked about Kaz's feelings for Inej...

[@magdalenadolorico-francoeu4596]

LITERALLY

[@sabr1nah.]

SOMEONE GIVE ME THE TIME STAMP OF THIS MOMENT 😩

[@magdalenadolorico-francoeu4596]

@@sabr1nah. 16:00

[@Lily_James]

@@sabr1nah. 16:01

[@sabr1nah.]

@@magdalenadolorico-francoeu4596 thank youuu!!!

[@Ilaydaaaaaas]

the title of this video should be „the shadow and bone cast talking about how much they love each other“

[@gabitormes8184]

Ben is a huge book nerd I love it

[@itsproof2]

They all are

[@AuthorZaraHoffman]

@@itsproof2 But Ben had read multiple before being cast whereas most had read 1 and then read the rest after being cast.

[@gretamuellner4728]

I need Ben to do a book talk on rule of wolves

[@maira8510]

Ben is actually an English Lit major

[@rachichi4092]

@@AuthorZaraHoffman Actually he didn't. They were asked in one of the interviews who they thought read all of the books, and all of them said Ben but then he said " No, i haven't" and they all had Pikatchu' surprised face

[@toastedmarshmallows6348]

NOT ME GRINNING LIKE A FOOL WHILE WATCHING THIS. WHY IS THIS MAKING ME SO HAPPY

[@AuthorZaraHoffman]

SAME

[@1iz_]

100% can relate I did even notice it now and here I am...

[@candacekeilah728]

why'd u have to call me out like that HAHAHHA

[@1iz_]

AHAHAHAHA

[@emilyv4805]

When Freddy said “right hand woman” in reference to Inej 🥺. I almost lost it.

[@GothicalDarkAngel]

I wish the actors who play Matthias, Nina, Genya, and Zoya also get interviewed. We or specifically I need their perspectives as well.

[@MARINA-ze1fe]

Ikr

[@Nicole-ul6iv]

Yes! I don't understand why they get no attention. They played a huge role in the story as well.

[@honeybeartae7943]

fr.... like why they acting as if they aren't one of the important characters

[@sweetygrl1234]

I think since this is the first season they weren’t as prominent as the other characters but hopefully next season we’ll get more of them on screen and during interviews

[@aathiranambiar1701]

Ikr that would have been amazing...they are all such great people and actors 💚

[@deepalisingh8937]

freddy talking about kaz's feling for inej I AM CRYING

[@sydneylyman8778]

While this entire cast did the books and characters SO much justice, Freddy and Amita really have such a DEEP understanding of Kaz and Inej. In the scene where Kaz finds Inej trying to search for her parents names on the wall of the dead (ep 3 I think), Kaz tells her that hope is dangerous and he sort of looks away from her really quickly. And Freddy's addition of that look turns it from "Kaz tells Inej not to hope for her parents" into "Kaz knows he shouldn't hope for Inej to have feelings for him" and it's so subtle and so wonderful. Just one of many moments where the cast perfectly portrayed aspects of their characters that haven't even really come into play yet. Perfect cast and crew. 10/10

[@deepalisingh8937]

all the actors played their characters so wonderfully I'm in awe.. especially Amita and Freddy. they did kanej so much justice. all the unspoken words, glances, feels, emotions.. they did it PERFECTLY

[@user-tn9qg4nw5e]

THE EYE CONTACT CONVEYED SO MUCH 😩😩😩

[@alex._420]

FRRR (yes I reply 2 years later shush) like, kanej's ship is almost only unspoken and like, in a show it's usually so hard to convey that but they CRUSHED IT

[@deepalisingh8937]

@@alex._420 exactlyy

[@iyaehsan3840]

Not me staring at Freddy the whole time😶

[@nicolettemaloy]

It’s okay I did the same 😂🤚

[@iyaehsan3840]

@@nicolettemaloy high five😁

[@fitriab3810]

same girl saaame

[@ivyare]

yep that's me

[@tahiriperera2139]

Ben Barne loves words and I'm so here for it

[@ClaraOswinOswaldDW]

when freddy started talking about the church scene with inej saving kaz’s life...im simply gurgling i wanted to throw myself into a wall

[@emilypreston2714]

Anita saying “it’s worth saving this man” like im crying

[@JuliaJiggs]

I can tell everyone in the cast is a Kanej stan by they way they're smiling as Amita and Freddy talk about their characters

[@Chi-np2lz]

they ALL understood the assignment

[@breetasengupta4145]

22 minutes of Ben closely (&proudly) watching his 5 kids answer to the headmaster & headmistress.

[@magdalenadolorico-francoeu4596]

freddy and amita talking about kanej i-🥺

[@honeybeartae7943]

the way freddy and amita just GET their characters !!

[@xpolarisx]

I appreciate how everyone who worked on this show are truly passionate about the books. They did such an excellent job with the casting

[@ameliaevans1668]

Ben hasn’t read them 💀

[@kartikazenithialiveranny155]

Freddy describing Kaz's feeling when Inej killed a man for him IS SO PRECIOUS and flawlessly perfect. Freddy IS Kaz😭💗

[@user-tn9qg4nw5e]

i get what you mean but he's so hilariously the opposite because he's always smiling 😭

[@deepalisingh8937]

"what is this feeling i have for her" KANEJ FEELS

[@Historyandconcertos]

I love how invested Ben Barnes is in the original material and the lore, he's so deeply engrossed in his craft and it's beautiful to watch

[@hazeltug]

I'm sorry but Freddy bragging about Inej and talking about his feelings for her and fully embracing Kanej...I grow more and more in love with this cast every single day.

[@bruadarach9758]

Leigh Bardugo's face throughout this whole interview is everything

[@aslgg254]

ben talks so eloquently i love it

[@Asticek]

i just love when ben is talking about people who played characters that were not in the books or the one time screen characters etc. but all have read all the books and being so invested in it ... you can see the smile Leigh has no her face

[@casualenjoyeroflife]

Ben’s essay answers are my fav thing about these interviews

[@shivyagupta7316]

ben's acting is so good that i feel like he is completely different person when he becomes the darkling

[@manikas-whims]

14:37 Amita and Freddy talking about Kanej. They are the perfect casting! They understand the characters so well 🥺

[@velociraptorlunch]

freddy just interjecting with his witty one liners just sends me every time no but really, freddy is such a well spoken man in all his interviews, it's really admirable, he always has these beautiful quotes and even on his social media

[@nathanielvalbuena6100]

Who else is here stalking all the casts on youtube and following them in all of their social medias after finishing the show! Can't wait for season 2!!! In the meantime ill go continue reading the book

[@kyjoraven9776]

Me when anyone in the cast is talking: Wow they're so so so perfect! Me when Freddy and Amita talk about Kanej: For personal reasons, I will now be passing away. They're SO. PERFEFCT.

[@Lima12321]

I love that the cast and all the writers were fans of the series and read the books just like we did. it showed in their acting and performances, you can tell they really cared about these characters and wanted to bring them to life for everyone and to do it right. A lot of actors when playing a role from a book dont do that, they never read the book or connect to the characters and then the show ends up being bad, but they did and that’s why the show and caste is loved by all of us😭

[@breetasengupta4145]

Love how Freddy switches between "Kaz" & "I" so subtly! ;)

[@malena7728]

I love Ben's face at the end, when Jessie and Archie were talking about they characters like conection a friendship love. I burst laughting. Also this cast is amazing and I love this show very much.

[@YoutubeSun1]

Great catch!! I saw a slight downward grin on Freddy and Kit’s faces during Jessi’s commentary, making me think ...maybe Darklina for the next installment???🥰😆♥️😳. One can hope. 🙏🏼🤩💕

[@hermionegranger9603]

Yes I saw that too I was grinning the whole time

[@ardentlyyearning]

Ben barnes speaking for my soul when he said that he love words. Ugh hard same 😭

[@rebecadesantana3316]

I love the fact they always find a way to say how much impressively talented Kit is. I'm just so obsessed with their cuteness.

[@TessaImAMessa]

I loved when he said non ironically that the story was living rent free in his head! 😂😂😂

[@claireevenno5238]

Ben Barnes being the perfect student with the books juste close to him ... I love both of them so much, can't wait for S2 !

[@soringphonglo9834]

Shadow and Bone was the next Harry Potter moment for me where the cast perfectly (and I mean damn well perfectly!) embodies the character and further elevates the plot.

[@diarrathioune4248]

THEY ALL LOOK SO GOOD, talented and good looking, perfect cast!

[@kashvimiglani4640]

crying kanej tears rn aahhhh

[@y2c1n]

lmao bens face at the end when jessie and archie are talking i cant he looks so maddd ahhah

[@amee7908]

Ben Barnes literally went from being a popular fancast for literally every YA novel ever to actually being in one!

[@Chi-np2lz]

tthe one dislike is from peka rollins

[@Hannah_G]

And heleen

[@geminithetwins]

And Van Eck, and Brum. (Total 4 people)

[@JekkaG89]

My Kanej heart is bursting out of my freaking chest I CANT YOU GUYS

[@pastelchapter9109]

I love them so much. Best cast ever. Shadow and Bone was amazing.

[@VAMPlREGF]

leigh fangirling whenever the cast discussed their characters

[@dariamarchis5979]

We are so lucky we have the best cast ever!🧡

[@deepalisingh8937]

all the kanej feels tho damn I LOVE THEM

[@kunjalgorule9109]

Okay but no one's gonna talk about the Malina speech at the end? Archie and Jessie got their chemistry spot on! It's so cute seeing them talk about Malina's friendship. God I love childhood friends to lovers so much!!

[@amandafacco323]

This cast is perfect

[@Iwtvprintern]

Ben is such a geek I LOVE IT...

[@kelleesoup1708]

The cast was perfect, and I loved them even more after knowing how well they connected off screen too

[@alisagalloza9328]

16:35-16:39 Bens stans Kanej.

[@catcherintherai9099]

right? like how giddy he reacted

[@Iphigenieee]

16:02 he really understands his character completely 👌

[@shivyagupta7316]

i never knew i needed freddy talk about Kaz's feelings for inej

[@tashamiel]

Ben Barnes is not aging or aging so gracefully. either way, he's looking really good 🔥

[@sumaiyabhatti4472]

Amita and Freddy talking about kanej oh my god

[@evaniyathomas]

freddy and amita radiating kanej feels

[@karolinak7140]

six of crows is my favorite YA series and seeing it alive and with actors and producers so passionate about their art is an amazing thing to see

[@Med-po6lf]

KANEJ🥺I AM CRYING 😭

[@mariavictoria1683]

God they're so talented and lovely, we need season 2!!!

[@VJ-nb6di]

I watched the show. I started reading the books. And now I'm a slave to the grishaverse. There's no going back from this

[@youdonote1744]

HAHAHAHA same here! I started reading the book 1 before the show came out because I just read so many comments in the trailer that it is based on a book series.... and Im so glad I read it plus the show is amazinggg!!!

[@aryabanerjee347]

THEY ARE EXACTLY HOW I IMAGINED THEM THEY GOT IT SO PERFECT OMG

[@sainasrivastava8117]

Kit gives me Grover Underwood vibes

[@anoushkachakraborty8178]

Omg yesss

[@angelartamesia2]

So true

[@angelicamujica6116]

Well... in the movies, maybe

[@GayDisaster16]

@@angelicamujica6116 I know what you mean, but I think he fits Grover in the later books (Heroes of Olympus, Trials of Apollo) Where he’s more confident in himself. Maybe even The last PJ Book… the confidence, the cheekiness, the kindness, the dorki feeling….

[@Azire]

When a guy gets as worked up about books as Ben is doing in this video, that is fucking HOT

[@chaitalisingh3179]

I'm hurt Why didn't they talked about Freddie his charter Kaz...i was literally waiting for them to tell something about it like they with alina and jesper

[@giuliafinatti8093]

16:30 i love Leigh's face listening to freddy!! She's so PROUD. I LOVE IT!

[@dungbui3412]

The best cast ever. I'm rewatching it 3 times and maybe more🥰

[@viola7052]

Why does watching this make me so happy

[@viola7052]

Love how they all love the books & characters & each other

[@sameekshabhardvaja3597]

What a great cast!! This interview is amazing. You can see how sincere each of them are like you can feel it when you hear them talk about their respective characters. It makes me so happy and emotional that they understand the depth of these character. leigh looks so happy listening to them talk about it.

[@analis_s]

*"Leigh Bardugo who is plays Grisha number 3"* dang I choked on my laugh I like how Leigh looks so proud it's so exactly why Im here I'm waiting for Wylan Van Ek and Wesper

[@saramelissaalvarez9079]

1:33 just the way Ben smile... OMG!!!

[@TheCrazyTamis]

I love that the series is just basically Eric Heisserer's big fanfic about the Grisha Trilogy and the Crows Trilogy coming together hahahaha

[@angelicamujica6116]

I loved the whole interview, but DID YOU ALL HEARD ALL THE KANEJ TALKING. I'M SO DEAD😭💓

[@prettyswagmar]

ugh im obsessed with them

[@MariKintaph]

Never in my life have I seen a more perfect cast. Absolutely in love with every single one of them. So grateful for this show. So excited for a new season and the crowd being all together. I’m just happy

[@NiranGs]

This cast, this show, the books, the detail. All of it *chefs kiss*

[@kfkm]

the best thing about the grishaverse and the show is ultimately the characters for me. they feel so REAL and i sincerely root for them in a way that hasn't really happened with any other fictional series.

[@emmab8225]

I love Ben's little stack of Grishaverse books

[@isabellewarren535]

Loved the prompt questions! Good job interviewers.

[@gayatridwivedi2285]

The best cast.

[@nspaghettified]

Alternate title: Shadow & Bone cast geek out about the Grishaverse

[@gretaghiringhelli9275]

I love this cast so much help

[@rebeccaatzenweiler373]

They are all to eloquent and lovely. Can only hope for season two!!

[@ivona796]

This isn't really related to the video but I think Sam Claflin would do an awesome job playing Nikolai

[@rangercynth]

Love this cast so muchhh

[@koalacreature6418]

I honestly cant wait to see Wylan in season 2, that's going to bring so many different dynamics to the series I feel

[@taytoosharma7003]

Darkling is perfect charcter for ben barnes he nailed it 100%

[@xh9010]

As a fan who read the first book in this series I loved it so much the chemistry is so good between the actors that it showed in the series. I hope that one day my books will come off of the page like this.

[@dianelysblancogonzalez6771]

Thanks for give us this interview. I say the same thing this cast is the best, and it is impossible hate the villain of the show, played for the one and only Ben Barnes , I am in love with the Darkling. Ben did awesome 😍 This cast is awesome!!! Team Darklina. Tell me if you think that they are perfect, darkness and light are opposite, so there is an attraction, I hope that they be together He is Alina's equal, and the only who can understand her. Sorry but I will always be #TeamDarklina

[@SharonLinfromTaiwan]

This needs to be ay least an hour long! Saints! I love this cast!!

[@puhno]

i just love this cast and story so muchhhhh brb rereading the books