Actor Saïd Taghmaoui has been cast as Amahl Farouk in season 2 of FX’s mutant drama Legion, the network revealed today on its San Diego Comic-Con panel and via The Hollywood Reporter. Taghmaoui is not the first to embody the series’ big villain, but he will be a major player in season 2.
Spoilers for Legion season 1.
Technically, the character of Farouk has already permeated David Haller’s (Dan Stevens) life and the first season; known as the “villain with a thousand faces,” he’s appeared as everything from an adorable puppy to the nightmare fuel above, and even took the form of Aubrey Plaza’s character Lenny. In fact, by the end of the season, he had chosen long lost mutant Oliver Bird (Jemaine Clement) as his latest host.
However, judging from FX’s description, Taghmaoui seems to be playing Farouk in his natural form:
In his real form, he is always nattily dressed. Dapper with a thin Clark Gable style mustache. His eyes forever hidden behind a pair of ornate sunglasses. He was hip long before there was such an idea. He can seductively hold court on any topic and in any language, but his true passion lies in the singular timeless notion of power and amassing as much of it as possible.
It is rumored he is the spawn of the first nightmare, which is fitting because fear is his weapon of choice in exposing weakness in others. To Farouk, fear equals weakness and he fears nothing. Which is why he takes such delight in seeing others squirm—a reminder he is more powerful than them.
Taghmaoui himself bears many faces; comic book fans might recognize him as Diana’s WWI ally Sameer in DC’s Wonder Woman.
As Legion season 2 is not yet in production, there wasn’t yet a trailer to show fans. But here are some other tidbits from the panel, via Twitter and CBR’s SDCC coverage:
- Stevens, when asked if he’s looking forward to playing Legion without the Shadow King inside him: “Yes. What fills that void? There are a lot of questions I still have for Noah.”
- As viewers have gotten to know a lot of David’s past through season 1, the next season’s flashbacks may focus more on other characters.
- That said, could Charles Xavier/Professor X show up, in a flashback or otherwise?
They are….non committal about whether Professor X might show up in a flashback. #Legion #SDCC
— Hello Nerdeek (@hellonerdeek) July 21, 2017
“We’re working on it,” says Noah Hawley when asked if #Legion Season 2 could introduce Charles Xavier to the series.
— Mike Mistroff @SDCC (@mmistroff) July 21, 2017
- Carrying the series’ musicality into next season, the cast all suggested songs that would make great numbers: “Ain’t Goin’ Down (Til the Sun Comes Up)” by Garth Brooks for Plaza; “My Man” from Funny Girl for Jean Smart; “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd for Rachel Keller; and a joking “‘Just the Two of Us’?” from Stevens.
- Right at the end of the panel, creator Noah Hawley teased a very new project: Doctor. Doom.
Legion season 2, which will be 10 episodes, is expected to premiere in early 2018 on FX.
