This TikToker May Have Discovered When We’re Getting Our Fourth Wing Cast Announcement
Fourth Wing fans, brace yourselves, because we might FINALLY be getting the update we’ve all been itching for: casting announcements for the hotly-anticipated TV adaptation. Fans of the romantasy novel have been noticing some suss activity from not only author Rebeca Yarros, but Michael B. Jordan, whose production company Outlier Society will be bringing the show to life, as well as a lotttt of the actors and actresses rumoured to be cast. One TikToker’s viral theory puts all of the puzzle pieces together to form a picture that makes sense, and it leads to the Fourth Wing cast being announced sooner than you think.
Are we all off to Basgiath War College soon? WHO WILL BE OUR VIOLET AND SHADOW DADDY XADEN?!
These are the very important questions I’ve been asking myself ever since I finished reading Onyx Storm (which I’m still not over, BTW).
The TikToker, Nicole Holleman, who is one half of the Fantasy Fangirls Podcast, pointed out that last week, Yarros changed her profile photo from colour to black and white “on all platforms”. Now, I did some fact-checking, and her X and TikTok profiles are still in their OG colourful form. However, Instagram and Facebook have most definitely switched to black and white.
Why does this matter, you ask? Well, Yarros is the Taylor Swift of the book world, and loves a good Easter egg. First, fans thought this was some sort of update about the upcoming Fourth Wing book, which Yarros recently started writing — especially since the colours of each colour gradient into each other, so it’s predicted that book four’s cover is going to be grey.
Who else changed their profiles
However, TikToker Nicole pointed out that Michael B. Jordan’s Instagram profile photo is black and white, too, which could mean the change is TV show related.
“So naturally we’re going to look at everyone else who’s been rumoured to be a part of this cast,” Nicole said in her TikTok. She goes on to note that Meredith Averill, the showrunner, and Lisa Joy, the director, don’t have black and white images as their profile photos. However, Danny Griffin, who has been massively speculated to be playing either Liam Mairi or Dain Aetos, has a moody black and white pic.
Now, I did some digging, and I have good news and bad news. Michael B. Jordan’s profile photo has been the same since 2020, after fellow actor Chadwick Boseman tragically passed away. Griffin has also had the same profile photo for months, so it might just be a coincidence. However, what definitely isn’t a coincidence is the photo he posted months ago wherein he was hanging upside down in a harness and reading Iron Flame — which is also pinned to his profile, mind you. Subtle? I think not.
As for the many actresses who have been rumoured to be gunning for the main role of Violet Sorrengail, Katie Douglas, Freya Allen, Hannah Dodd, Inde Navarette and Mackenzie Foy all have a black and white photo set as their profile picture.
Now, time for the fact check. Douglas’ photo can be traced back to August 2025. And while Allen’s black and white theme can be traced back to December last year, her current photo is different to what was documented back then. As for Navarette, hers has been black and white since April, at least.
While I can’t trace Dodd or Foy, Nicole pointed out an interesting tidbit on Foy’s page. Foy has been a fan favourite to play Violet for quite some time now, and has a zebra emoji in her Instagram bio. Doesn’t seem like anything to bat an eye at, right? Wrong.
“Note that Mackenzie Foy does have a zebra in her caption,” Nicole said in her TikTok.
“Zebras have deep meaning for people with EDS. Violet Sorrengail has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.”
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is a group of genetic conditions that weakens the body’s conenctive tissue. It’s a syndrome that Yarros also has, and zebras are considered significant to the EDS community because no two zebras have identical stripes, just like how no two people with EDS have identical symptoms.
What about arguably the most important casting decision of them all, Xaden? While Josh Heuston and Emilio Sakraya, have been heavily rumoured to be playing the shadow daddy (including Heuston doing an awful job at avoiding rumours during the Off Campus press tour), neither of the two have changed their profile photos from their current colourful state. Tell you who has? Ariyan Akaltun.
I couldn’t trace back how long his photo has been black and white for, so I’m crossing my fingers and toes that this aligns with Nicole’s theory. Two of the other actors rumoured to be considered for Xaden who have changed their profile pictures include Belmont Cameli, and Chase Melton. Personally, I think Akaltun gives Rhysand from ACOTAR vibes rather than Xaden. Put Cameli in those flight leathers, stat!
While Yarros’ photo was the most recent change, and some of the rumoured actors cast in the series have been B&W for some time now, who knows, maybe they’ve all be changing them gradually until fans cottoned on? After all, the Official Series Order was announced two months ago in May.
When will we get answers?
Nicole went on to say in her video that “it’s rumoured whatever this news is, it’s going to drop on July 15th”. And do you know what July 15 is?
CONSCRIPTION DAY, BABY!!!
It makes perfect sense to drop which of these actors will be walking the parapet on such a significant day in the Empyrean universe.
“How awesome would it be if we met our squad, AKA the cast, on conscription day?” Nicole finished. And to that, I say, hell yeah.
Now, we mark our calendars and hope that whatever Yarros has in store for us, it’s enough to keep us fed until the next book — or the series — are finally released.
Lead image: Josh Heuston / @fantasyfangirlspod / Mackenzie Foy
