Who is Daniel Henney, star of 'The Wheel of Time' and 'X-Men'?

With the return of the critically acclaimed Amazon Prime TV series, all eyes are once again on Daniel Henney. The actor has garnered much attention for his role in the show, but his trajectory from South Korea to the US is mostly unknown. Let's have a look at his story in photos!

Born Daniel Philip Henney on November 28, 1979, in Carson City, Michigan, Daniel Henney is of Korean and British descent. As a teenager, he was active in basketball and was one of Carson City-Crystal High School’s star players.

Image: danielhenney / Instagram

Did you know? According to The Daily News, Daniel Henney once even represented his high school to finish in the top 3 of the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s ranking!

Image: danielhenney / Instagram

Daniel Henney began his career in the entertainment industry while still in college, juggling modeling and his studies. Unfortunately, his hectic work schedule caused him to bounce from college to college and never allowed him to finish his studies.

Meniscus Magazine reports that Daniel Henney’s modeling career has led him to work in various countries, starting with Taiwan, Hong Kong, and France. However, it was one particular assignment in South Korea that suddenly propelled him to stardom.

Image: danielhenney / Instagram

According to Empire, Daniel Henney got his first big break when he was hired for an Amore Pacific ad in South Korea. Soon after, he was getting gigs where he starred with big names, such as A-listers Jun Ji-hyun and Kim Tae-hee!

Image: danielhenney / Instagram

Daniel Henney made his acting debut in 2005 with the South Korean drama 'My Lovely Sam Soon’. The show was a huge success and one of the first shows of the Hallyu wave, making him a star not only in South Korea but also internationally!

Image: MBC

Daniel Henney's popularity in South Korea grew as he appeared in more dramas and films. His roles in 'Spring Waltz' and 'Seducing Mr. Perfect' cemented his status as a Hallyu star and he developed a devoted fanbase.

Image: Lotte

Daniel Henney's popularity was skyrocketing in South Korea, but he also set his sights on making it big in the United States. It was in the 2009 film 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine' that he made his debut as Agent Zero.

Image: 20th Century Fox

Since deciding to work in the US, Daniel Henney has landed various big projects such as the CBS series 'Three Rivers,' 'Hawaii Five-O,' and 'Criminal Minds.'

Other than his success on the small screen in the US, Daniel Henny has also gotten quite the reception on the big screen, especially for his roles in 'The Last Stand,' 'Shanghai Calling,' and 'Big Hero 6.'

His work in ‘Shanghai Calling’ even earned him a Best New Actor Award at the 2012 Newport Beach Film Festival and a nomination for Best New Actor at the Shanghai International Film Festival in the same year.

Image: China Film Group

However, Daniel Henney has not restricted himself just to working in the US. He has also been back in South Korea to work on projects like ‘Confidential Assignment 2: International’ (2022).

In one of his biggest roles yet, Daniel Henney was cast in Amazon Prime's 'The Wheel of Time.' The series, based on Robert Jordan's best-selling fantasy novels, premiered in 2021. Henney portrays Al'Lan Mandragoran, a pivotal figure in the epic fantasy saga, and stars alongside big names like Rosamund Pike.

Image: Amazon Prime Video

Since it is based on one of the most well-known fantasy novels ever written, rivaling even J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy works like ‘The Hobbit’, the TV adaptation of ‘The Wheel of Time’ is a very big deal.

Image: Amazon Prime Video

Hence, ‘The Wheel of Time’ has piqued the interest of fantasy fans. Vox even claims that the Amazon Prime adaptation has the potential to rival the award-winning HBO series 'Game of Thrones.'

Image: Amazon Prime Video

Season 1 of ‘The Wheel of Time’ was met with mixed reviews though. Some fans, even famous ones like fantasy author Brandon Sanderson, were upset about the narrative changes producers had made to adapt the series to TV, Forbes reported.

Image: Amazon Prime Video

Another Forbes article suggests that the show's underwhelming ratings are due to its smaller budget compared to blockbuster productions like 'Game of Thrones' and 'Lord of the Rings'. Nonetheless, the show was renewed for a second season due to its widespread popularity.

Image: Amazon Prime Video

Season two, airing in 2023, has gotten better reviews than season one. According to AV Club, critics say that its narrative and production quality have greatly improved since the first season aired. With this new installment of the fantasy epic receiving overwhelmingly positive reviews, Daniel Henney’s performance in ‘The Wheel of Time’ is one not to be missed!