Will the Mass Effect Series Have Two Shepards? Casting Re-ignites Old Disputes

Amazon has begun casting actors for the Mass Effect adaptation, and the first leaks have already sparked lively discussions among fans.

Amazon is preparing a Mass Effect adaptation. Although there is no official information yet, the first descriptions of the requirements for actors have leaked online.

According to insider Daniel Richtman, the studio is looking for:

• a man (30–39 years old) who looks like a young Colin Farrell;
• an alien woman (34–39 years old), the role will require makeup and prosthetics;
• a human woman (34–39 years old) for the main role in a parallel story on Earth, with a one-year contract;
• a male villain (40–60 years old) who looks like Doug Jones;
• a male warrior (30–49 years old) of athletic build, "resembling a wrestler."

Amazon does not disclose the details of the plot, so it remains unclear whether the series will rely on the original BioWare trilogy or introduce new characters to the universe. Nevertheless, fans and the media are already building their own versions.

The most common assumptions are:

• man — John Shepard;
• alien woman — Liara T’Soni;
• human woman — Ashley Williams (the one-year contract hints at the events on Virmire) or a new heroine;
• male villain — Saren Arterius, a turian Spectre;
• male warrior — Urdnot Wrex, a krogan mercenary.

The female role with a parallel storyline on Earth aroused particular interest. Many saw this as an opportunity for Amazon to circumvent the long-standing dispute about Shepard's canonical appearance.

Along with the version about Ashley Williams, there is also a hypothesis about the appearance of a female version of Shepard, which would allow the creators to simultaneously satisfy both fan camps — supporters of "male-Shepard" and "female-Shepard."

So far, the information remains at the level of rumors and speculation. There have been no official comments from Amazon.