The Prime Video series returns for a third season and viewers will be keen to catch up with likeable rogue Mat Cauthon
The Wheel Of Time: Official teaser trailer from Amazon Prime
The Wheel of Time star Donal Finn has become a hit with fans since he joined the Prime Video series. Season 3 of the blockbuster series drops viewers back into the story Rand al’Thor (Josha Stradowski) and his journey from a simple shepherd to a destined hero known as the Dragon Reborn.
The threats against Rand and his allies of The Light are growing as tension builds throughout the season. One of the characters viewers will be keen to see is likeable rogue Mat Cauthon.
Mat is a cheeky but a loyal companion to Rand al’Thor and has viewers in stitches. But what do we know about the Irish star behind the character?
Early life of Dónal Finn including farming family
Born on August 31, 1995, Dónal was one of eight children in a farming family and grew up in Dromina in County Cork.
Finn gave up loving sports but watching a stage version of Aladdin gave him the acting bug. He recalled: “Aladdin was one of the first musicals I did while I was in primary school.
“It was my first time getting up on stage and realising that maybe I liked doing this. I feel like I was recently reminded of something, or someone mentioned something, and I thought, ‘God, I forget how formative that was for me’.”
Finn appeared in more school plays and watched more theatre plays before deciding to become an actor.
The Irish star was given a place at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art with a three-year scholarship through the Overstall Charitable Trust and later graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in acting in 2018.
Bagging The Wheel of Time role
The role of Mat Cauthon had to be recast when Barney Harris unexpectedly left after season one. Donal Finn previously recalled to 1883 Magazine how he did two auditions before he landed the role.
He said: “As for The Wheel of Time, that was a whirlwind. I was finishing a job in Morocco and had done much of the audition process over Zoom.
“But because the show’s core is the relationships between these characters, they needed to see us interact in person. So, I had to fly to Prague to meet the team. It was a leap, but I felt it was necessary if I wanted the role.”
Donal Finn had originally lost out on the role to Barney Harris but was thrilled to bag the role. The Irish star is most known for playing Mat in The Wheel of Time and often has fans approach him after stage performances.
What else has Dónal Finn appeared in?
Outside of The Wheel of Time, Donal has appeared as Nettly in Netflix hit The Witcher, Kurt in Cursed and Eoin McGonigal in BBC drama SAS: Rogue Heroes.
Finn has also starred in Hollywood films, namely Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore as well as How to Build a Girl and Four Letters of Love.
Finn will star as villain James Moriarty in new Prime Video series Yong Sherlock, with Hero Fiennes Tiffin playing the famous detective.
The rising Irish performer is a star on stage, with his biggest role being Orpheus in Hadestown – an acclaimed theatrical production that first debuted in London at the National Theatre in 2018.
The musical went to win eight Tony Awards including Best Musical on Broadway.
The Wheel of Time season three debuts on Prime Video on March 13. All episodes are also available on the same platform.