Dear Cast and Crew of The Wheel of Time,

There are stories that entertain, and then there are stories that save. Stories that find you when you’re lost and place a light into your hands, telling you: keep going, the Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills. For me, The Wheel of Time was exactly that. And it was Josha Stradowski’s Rand al’Thor who gave that light a shape. Who made it real.

I never expected to fall so deeply into this world. I never expected to find myself in the story of a sheep herder, pushed into a fate he didn’t ask for, carrying more weight than anyone should, and still choosing love. Choosing to stand. Choosing hope, even when he had to do it alone. Rand’s journey has become a mirror for my own inner world — full of fear, pressure, self-doubt, but also a quiet, stubborn kind of strength. And that is something Josha brought to life with such care, such depth, such soul.

Josha, you didn’t just play Rand — you understood him. You showed us the cracks behind the smile, the softness beneath the fire. You carried Rand’s loneliness and his love like they were your own. And in doing so, you gave many of us a sense of comfort we didn’t even know we were missing. I see your dedication. I see how much heart you poured into this role. And I want to say: thank you. From the bottom of mine.

I made a video trying to express what this portrayal meant to me:

It’s raw and honest, just like Rand. Just like you.

Rand isn’t just a fictional character to me anymore. He’s a lifeline. A reminder that we don’t have to be perfect to be worthy of love. That even the ones who break can still be heroes. And Josha, because of you, I fell in love with this world. Without you, I would’ve never opened myself to the books, never followed this path. You were my first step on the road to the mountain.

And to the rest of the cast and crew: thank you for creating this world with such beauty. You’ve built something that breathes — something that matters. To so many people.

We need more stories like this. Stories that embrace complexity. That show strength in gentleness, and courage in vulnerability. We need The Wheel of Time to continue. For those who haven’t found it yet. For those who are still waiting to see themselves.

Please let the Wheel keep turning. Please let Rand’s story be told in full. And let Josha shine, again and again, as the heart of it. Because he is.

With endless gratitude, Nadine (randmuadib)