The 3-Body Problem adapts a series of very popular sci-fi novels, and the Netflix series has made some adjustments: who are the characters and the actors who play them?
It was eagerly awaited by science fiction fans, and it has finally landed in the Netflix catalog: the series The 3-Body Problem has been available to subscribers since March 21, and is already losing many viewers in the twists and turns of its complex plot.
Originally, the story comes from the mind of a novelist, Liu Cixin, who wrote a trilogy that won several awards in many countries. But adaptation required, it was necessary to make changes so that the story corresponded to a format of eight episodes, filmed mainly in England.
The series The 3-Body Problem therefore presents characters from the novel, but also others created by showrunners Alexander Woo (True Blood), David Benioff and DB Weiss (Game of Thrones). And because they are numerous and yet all important, we have drawn up a detailed list, just to help you find your way around.
Summary
- Benedict Wong: Da Shi
- Rosalind Chao: Ye Wenjie
- Zine Tseng: Ye Wenjie (jeune)
- Sir Jonathon Pryce: Mike Evans
- Ben Schnetzer: Mike Evans (young)
- Liam Cunningham: Thomas Wade
- Jess Hong: Jin Cheng
- Jovan Adepo: Saul Durand
- Eiza González: Auggie Salazar
- John Bradley: Jack Rooney
- Alex Sharp: Will Downing
- Marlo Kelly: Tatiana
- Shimooka Sea: Sophon
- Saamer Usmani: Raj Varma
- Eve Ridley: Follower
Detailed casting of the series The Three-Body Problem on Netflix
Benedict Wong: Da Shi
Da Shi is a former police officer recruited by Thomas Wade. Aware that something is wrong, he is most interested in the wave of suicides affecting the scientific community and wonders about a strange countdown.
Benedict Wong, known for his roles in Doctor Strange and Black Mirror, plays the role of Shi Qiang (often nicknamed Da Shi) in The Three-Body Problem.
Rosalind Chao: Ye Wenjie
Readers of the book will easily recognize the name Ye Wenjie: she is one of the main characters in Liu Cixin’s 3-Body Problem.
This older version of the scientist is played by Rosalind Chao, also known for Sweet Tooth and Better Things. His character is at the heart of the plot, and should therefore continue the adventure if Netflix announces a sequel to his series.
Zine Tseng: Ye Wenjie (jeune)
Ye Wenjie first appears in the series in a younger guise, as she witnesses her father’s lynching in the introduction, then survives in military camps and bases.
This is a first major role for its actress Zine Tseng, who previously appeared mainly in short films.
Sir Jonathon Pryce: Mike Evans
Game of Thrones fans will certainly have noticed the return of the High Sparrow, this time in the shoes of Mike Evans. The character is depicted in different eras, but his ecological ideals and economic impact never really change.
Sir Jonathan Pryce, however, almost declined the role, as he explained in the Netflix press release. The actor actually explained to David Benioff, one of the three showrunners, that he was not a big fan of science fiction. To which the filmmaker pointed out that he had been in Terry Gilliam’s film Brazil: “It opened my eyes to the fact that The 3-Body Problem is not purely or solely science- fiction,” commented the actor. “It’s a story like any other, and what Dan and David know how to do is tell stories and create characters.”
Ben Schnetzer: Mike Evans (young)
Before becoming the Mike Evans billionaire and owner of an old aircraft carrier in 2024, the character was an activist committed to animal rights. The young man meets Ye Wenjie in China, while she is accompanying other scientists looking for a new research location to send messages to space.
Ben Schnetzer, known for Snowden or Warcraft: The Beginning, was responsible for playing the younger version of Mike Evans throughout the Netflix adaptation.
Liam Cunningham: Thomas Wade
Thomas Wade is a mysterious figure in the 3-Body Problem. Da Shi’s superior has many contacts in the upper echelons of society and his authority allows him to recruit anyone he wishes, regardless of rank or grade. The man never says who he works for, but his power prevents the other characters from pushing their curiosity too far.
The showrunners of Game of Thrones have once again turned to one of the iconic actors of the HBO series. It was therefore Liam Cunningham who was chosen to play the formidable Thomas Wade, after playing the role of Davos Seaworth.
Jess Hong: Jin Cheng
Jin Cheng is one of the five heroes of The Three-Body Problem series. A genius physicist, she greatly advances the plot. The young woman, however, does not exist in the novels.
It’s Jess Hong, a New Zealand actress who has already appeared in series like Brokenwood and Creamerie, who plays the daring young woman.
Jovan Adepo: Saul Durand
Saul Durand is also one of the “Oxford Five” , the heroes of the 3-Body Problem evolving in 2024. The character has a brilliant mind, and is particularly loyal to his friends.
Actor Jovan Adepo is known for important roles, notably in the Watchmen series, or the film Babylon by Damien Chazelle.
Eiza González: Auggie Salazar
Third member of the Oxford Five, Auggie heads research into nanofibers. Her role in the scientific elite will also put her in a complex situation, because she will in turn find herself affected by a strange countdown.
Eiza Gonzalez has already worked on many big productions, such as Godzilla vs. Kong or Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw.
John Bradley: Jack Rooney
Jack Rooney is also one of the five heroes. Rather than turning to science, the young man used his intelligence to launch a brand of snacks. If he is wealthy, he is above all generous, especially if it is to help his friends.
Game of Thrones fans will no doubt recognize actor John Bradley, who played Samwell Tarly in the HBO series.
Alex Sharp: Will Downing
Will completes the fine team of the Oxford Five: the introverted young man has gotten into the habit of keeping a lot of things to himself. Far from seeking glory, he preferred to turn to teaching, hoping to pass on his passion for physics to his students.
The character is played by Alex Sharp, whom viewers have already seen in Oscar-nominated films like The Chicago Seven by Aaron Sorkin or Live by Oliver Hermanus.
Marlo Kelly: Tatiana
Tatiana is a mysterious young woman linked to the strange phenomena that strike the scientific community.
The character is exclusive to the series, not existing in Liu Cixin’s novels. To play him, Marlo Kelly was chosen, after her roles in the series Joe vs. Carole or Dare Me.
Shimooka Sea: Sophon
Without going into spoilers, Sophon’s name will certainly ring a bell for readers of the Liu Cixin novels. Please note, however, that this role differs slightly in the series The Three-Body Problem.
It is the actress Sea Shimooka from the series Arrow who embodies this unique character in the world in virtual reality.
Saamer Usmani: Raj Varma
Raj Varma is Jin Cheng’s boyfriend, and struggles to reconcile his love life with his job in the army, in which he is a high-ranking officer.
After a recent appearance in Succession, actor Saamer Usmani plays an invented character in The Three-Body Problem.
Eve Ridley: Follower
The little girl who appears in the virtual reality world seems to have only one goal: to survive the different levels and accompany the players.
The young actress Eve Ridley makes her screen debut with The Three-Body Problem, in the skin of a character soberly named “The Follower” , which can be translated as “the next one” although her role is more important.
All episodes of the series The 3-Body Problem have been available on Netflix since March 21, 2024.
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