'Shadow and Bone' author opens up on casting Jessie Mei Li as Alina Starkov in new show

Netflix's new fantasy show Shadow and Bone is soon dropping on the streaming website on Friday, April 23. As the cast and crew of the series are waiting for it to release, Shadow and Bone's author Leigh Bardugo has recalled the surprising process of casting its lead character Alina Starkov. 

Shadow and Bone's author on casting Jessie Mei Li as Alina Starkov

The role of the titular character, Alina Starkov will be played by newcomer Jessie Mei Li in the fantasy drama series. The series is based on the Grishaverse novels, written by Leigh Bardugo. The author recently had a chat with Express.Co.Uk in which she talked about the casting process of the lead actor in the series. The author revealed that she didn't watch any other audition tape after watching Jessie Mei Li as Alina Starkov for the first time. 

Leigh recalled that the producers of the Netflix show had sent her a number of audition tapes before starting the filming of the first live-action adaptation of the Grishaverse. She told the media outlet that the producers had sent her the top 5 shortlisted candidates who they found were fit for Alina. She admitted that it did not take her much time to decide on whom to cast as Alina as she quickly found her favourite amongst the audition tapes and British actor Jessie Mei Li landed the lead role.

She said that the producers were eager for Leigh to give her final approval for the character as she is the original creator of the story and she added that it was not an issue after watching Jessie's tape. She further continued and said, "So I started watching the videos, like ‘okay, okay, okay. And then I got to Jessie."  She shared that after watching Jessie's tape she shut her laptop and didn't bother watching the rest of the tapes as she knew that she was the one.

A look at Shadow and Bone's Trailer

The author revealed that Netflix sent out a worldwide casting call for the role of Alina Starkov who in the first season of the fantasy drama finds out that she has some untapped magical powers and soon discovers that the fate of the world rests upon her shoulders. The official synopsis of the series on Netflix reads, "Dark forces conspire against orphan mapmaker Alina Starkov when she unleashes an extraordinary power that could change the fate of her war-torn world."

Besides Jessie Mei Li, the series also features Archie Renaux, Ben Barnes, Freddy Carter, Kit Young, Amita Suman among many others in prominent roles. Watch Shadow and Bone's trailer right below.

(Promo Image Courtesy: Leigh Bardugo and Jessie Mei Li Instagram)