The success of superhero movies has resulted in a wave of superhero TV shows in recent times. One example is Legion, which is a TV show with a connection to the X-Men movies that is being produced by FX Productions in association with Marvel Television. Like its name says, Legion is centered around the character of the same name in Marvel’s comic books, a mutant son of Charles Xavier born with a wide range of superpowers that are controlled by a number of alternate personalities caused by his severe mental illness. The TV show is meant to be an examination of the character as well as how he chooses to handle his personal issues.
Here are 5 actors and actresses with important roles in Legion:
Dan Stevens
For those who are unfamiliar with the name, Dan Stevens is best-known for his roles as Matthew Crawley on Downton Abbey and the Beast in the live adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. He plays David Haller, the titular character who was diagnosed with schizophrenia at a young age. As a result, Stevens went to great lengths to prepare for the role, ranging from speaking with both doctors and people with mental health issues to remaining in the dark about key details of the character and plot so as to achieve a more genuine sense of confusion about what is going on.
Rachel Keller
Rachel Keller is playing the female lead, Sydney Barrett, who is Haller’s girlfriend. Like Haller, she has a superpower as well, which enables her to trade minds with the people she touches. Something that has resulted in the character becoming withdrawn. It is interesting to note that this is the exact opposite from Keller’s other role of importance in the second season of Fargo.
Aubrey Plaza
Technically, Aubrey Plaza isn’t playing a single role but rather two roles. In brief, her first role is Lenny Busker, one of Haller’s friends who manages to remain remarkably optimistic in spite of her drug and alcohol issues. In contrast, her second role is the powerful mutant called the Shadow King who chooses to lurk in Haller’s mind while wearing a number of forms, including that of Busker who dies in the first episode. Although she is best-known for her comedy in media such as Funny People, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and Dirty Grandpa, Plaza’s willingness to take on such disparate roles is testament to her acting abilities.
Katie Aselton
Katie Aselton is an American actress, film director, and producer who has had a role in media ranging from The Freebie to The League. On Legion, she plays the role of Amy Haller, who is David Haller’s older sister who attempts to remain optimistic in spite of his problems.
Jean Smart
Jean Smart is someone who started out in regional theater before managing to make a successful transition over to movies and TV shows. Her success can be seen in the fact that she has won two Emmy Awards for her role on Fraser and a third Emmy Award for her role on Samantha Who?. It is interesting to note that she chose to sign up for Legion as the psychiatric therapist Melanie Bird right away even though she knew nothing about the source material because of her faith in the show-runner, with whom she had worked on the second season of Fargo.
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