Fourth Wing Casting: Who Are Esther McGregor and Emilio Sakraya, Prime Video's Reported Violet and Xaden?

Prime Video's Fourth Wing adaptation has reportedly cast its leads. Esther McGregor is set to play Violet Sorrengail and Emilio Sakraya is set to play Xaden Riorson, according to multiple trade reports this week.

One caveat up front. Amazon declined to comment when asked, so this is reported casting rather than a studio announcement. Both actors, though, have posted about it on Instagram, which is about as close to confirmation as these things get before a press release.

Who is Esther McGregor?

She's the daughter of Ewan McGregor, which explains why his name is all over the search results this week. Her own CV is already busy: Prime Video's We Were Liars, Halina Reijn's Babygirl and Pedro Almodóvar's The Room Next Door. She's currently shooting another Prime Video series, Life Is Strange.

Violet is a hard role to cast. She's physically fragile in a world that kills the fragile, and the books spend a lot of time inside her head. McGregor's casting suggests Prime Video wants someone who can carry interior moments, not just action.

Who is Emilio Sakraya?

A German actor whose international credits include Warrior Nun, Tribes of Europa and the Roman drama Those About to Die. In the action film Sixty Minutes he played a fighter racing the clock. He has also just finished playing Koza, leader of the rebel army, in season 3 of Netflix's One Piece.

On fan TikTok, Sakraya was one of the names that kept coming up for Xaden long before any announcement. That matters for a fandom this protective of its leading man.

Who is making it

The team behind the camera is arguably bigger news than the cast:

• Showrunner and executive producer: Meredith Averill (The Haunting of Hill House)

• Director of the first episode: Lisa Joy (Westworld)

• Executive producers include Michael B. Jordan's Outlier Society, Jonathan Nolan and Athena Wickham's Kilter Films, and Liz Pelletier's Premeditated Productions

Rebecca Yarros' series has five planned books. Fourth Wing and Iron Flame came out in 2023, Onyx Storm in 2025, and a fourth is in the works.

What's still unknown

A release date, a filming schedule and the rest of the cast. Readers will want to know about Rhiannon, Ridoc, Dain and the dragons, Tairn and Andarna, and none of that has been announced.

Quick facts

• Series: Fourth Wing (Prime Video)

• Based on: Rebecca Yarros' Empyrean novels

• Reported leads: Esther McGregor (Violet Sorrengail), Emilio Sakraya (Xaden Riorson)

• Showrunner: Meredith Averill

• Platform: Prime Video, which streams in India, the US, UK, Canada and Australia

• Release date: not announced

We'll keep tracking the series' casting in Binge On Demand.

Frequently asked questions

Who plays Xaden in the Fourth Wing series?

German actor Emilio Sakraya, according to trade reports. Prime Video has not formally commented.

Who plays Violet Sorrengail in Fourth Wing?

Esther McGregor, according to trade reports. Her credits include We Were Liars and Babygirl.

Is Esther McGregor related to Ewan McGregor?

Yes, she is his daughter.

When will the Fourth Wing series release?

No date has been announced. Prime Video ordered the series, with Meredith Averill as showrunner and Lisa Joy directing the first episode.