Inside ‘The Pendragon Cycle’: James Arden On Bringing The Legendary Bard, Taliesin, To Life

“The Pendragon Cycle” is filled with strong, mythical characters, with one of the most quietly powerful figures being Taliesin. The bard who wields words as gracefully as a sword is played by James Arden, who gives life to the otherworldly yet undoubtedly human character in the epic tale. 

Arden told The Daily Wire that he was drawn to the character’s complexity and depth. “The fact that he’s a bard and a storyteller in a very kind of turbulent, violent world makes him already very unique,” he said.

Taliesin’s origin story sets the stage for that mystery. Viewers encounter him in a unique way early in the season. 

“He has no origin, you know, he’s just found on a riverbed, in a salmon weir,” Arden explained. He was raised like any other person but also had visions which became stories. “When he meets the Atlanteans, he can tell a story that I guess the rest of his people wouldn’t be able to do,” Arden said. “And by doing that … he has this kind of legendary, everyone-knows-who-he-is status.”

Arden was impressed by how the series creators were able to distill so much of Stephen R. Lawhead’s novel into a compelling, abridged story. 

“I’m amazed that they managed to turn it into a first season at all,” he said, noting that the first book alone could have filled multiple seasons. “They’ve done an amazing job of introducing Taliesin as a character without sacrificing the essence of who he is.”

Like some other “Pendragon” actors, Arden also mentioned the amazing sets as helping inspire his craft. The commitment to authenticity helped bring the legend to life, particularly the decision to shoot on location. “If you’re shooting in a forest, being able to feel the cold and feel the weather … it feels more organic and authentic,” he said. “You can just exist, and that’s a real gift.”

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When asked about moments fans will remember long after the season ends, Arden pointed to a scene involving Taliesin and Charis being introduced as the Lady of the Lake. Filmed at night on a still, moonlit lake framed by hanging willows, the scene left a lasting impression. “If you like fantasy and you like the whimsy of a story, it’s everything that you could want in that moment,” he said. “It was just so magical.” 

Taliesin’s role as a spiritual archetype sets him apart from many of the show’s other characters. Arden describes him as “a towering figure of faith” whose purpose is rooted in compassion. 

“His whole purpose in life is to be compassionate and warm and loving and kind,” he said. That clarity of virtue made the role surprisingly accessible. “Playing a good man who is fundamentally a good man in all of his values and virtues is quite easy,” Arden said. “You can just clear your mind.”

Though Taliesin is offered power, Arden says what defines him is restraint in the face of that choice. “He’s offered power and still decides not to,” he said. 

Off-screen, Arden describes a special camaraderie. The cast spent their first weeks together in Hungary training, riding horses, and learning to fight. “There was no ego,” he said. “It was just lovely actors wanting to create something really cool and sink into this beautiful fantasy world.” 

Not every memory was glamorous, however. Arden revealed several mishaps including a learning curve with riding horses, freezing shoots in the lake, and a misfortune involving a stirrup and “an area that I wouldn’t want a stirrup to swing towards.” 

Still, he wouldn’t trade those moments for anything. “Even though you might think, ‘Oh God, what a difficult day,’” Arden said, “It was just amazing because you’re surrounded by people who are lovely and warm and who care about the story.”

For Arden, Taliesin represents something rare in modern fantasy: a hero who shows his strength through gentleness and restraint. “His only motive is to create a world of peace and love … I think that’s pretty cool.”

“The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin,” premieres January 22, 2026, with early episodes releasing on Christmas Day for DailyWire+ All Access members.