The Wayfinders Star Evan Nikolas Fields Teases Season 2, Filming on Location, & His Favorite Games

The Wayfinders was Angel Studio's sleeper hit fantasy series of 2025. Essentially a live-action Isekai anime, The Wayfinders follows the adventures of hardcore gamer Flynn Griffin (played by Evan Nikoas Fields) as he tries to maneuver his way in a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired world as an up-and-coming thief.

The Wayfinders has been renewed for a second season which will begin filming this March. I had the chance to sit down with Evan Nikolas Fields to discuss his acting journey, what it's like filming for The Wayfinders, his favorite games, and the Disney classic Treasure Planet.

TheBestWarGames: Like all great stories. Let's start at the beginning. How'd you get your start in acting?

Evan Nikolas Fields: It kind of happened on a whim. I started out in theater, really, and in middle school, I waited until the very last minute to pick my elective. I tried to choose art first, but that was taken, then I tried to choose horticulture and that was taken. The last thing was kind of this mix between choir and drama. So I was like, "Okay, I'll try that." I did choir for a semester, learned how to sing from the diaphragm. Then I did drama, and I had a great teacher, Mr. Amigo, and pretty much fell in love with it. And that was just like an intro to drama class. I ended up trying out for our play production, getting in and that's really how it started.

What play did you get into to start you out?

So he did all original plays – he wrote the music and wrote all of the play. I was in one play called "One Busy Day". I was another one called "Beignet, Done That." Once I got to high school, I was in Mark Twain's, "Is He Dead?"

You do a lot of primarily on-camera work. But do you have an affinity for the stage? Would you go back to theater and ever consider that kind of line of work?

I would always consider it. I started out in theater, but I've never really gone back since I switched to on-camera; but I'm not opposed to it. I definitely enjoy it, for sure.

Going into The Wayfinders itself – in The Wayfinders, each character has a class. Your character, Flynn, is a thief. What class do you think personally would you have in the Wayfinders world? Or are you in-line with Flynn in that regard?

I wouldn't line myself up with the thief, but definitely the brains of the operation, for sure. Maybe someone else can execute and I drop the plan, which we usually do, but I wouldn't consider myself a thief in that aspect or role.

The Wayfinders has a lot of Dungeons & Dragons influence. Are you a big DND fan?

I played D&D once, and it was for something for Angel studios, and it was really fun. I really enjoyed it. Issy Knopfler, who plays Princess Aurora on the show, has played a couple of times, and she said it's really fun. So I would definitely be down to play more for sure.

For sure. I know you're a huge gamer. What are you playing right now?

Oh, that's a great question. I'm really into Arc Raiders right now. You played this?

Yes, I have!

It's incredible. I think I'm addicted – just like a whole new aspect of the game. The player gets to choose how they want to proceed, how they want to play. Do they want to be aggressive? Do they want to be friendly? Things in that nature. So it's really fun. I've been running that like crazy.

Are you more of a multiplayer game or single player?

Definitely multiplayer. I like playing with friends. I think it's more fun. I think it definitely gets the heart rate going up a little bit more. And overall, I just think it's more fun to play with friends.

What's your favorite video game of all time?

Favorite video game of all time... I would definitely say the original Black Ops – Zombies, just like running Kino with my friends. It's probably more nostalgia than anything, but I would say that's my favorite. I also wouldn't really consider a video game, but I really like The Colonists. It's basically Catan, but it's just easier to play online. That one's really fun.

The Wayfinders is a portal fantasy series, almost like a live action isekai anime. What video game world would you most want to be transported into?

I'm trying to find a video game that has a mixture of everything. I guess I would say Super Smash Bros. I get a little bit of everything – I get Mario, but I get Samus and I could get Zelda.

In what ways would you say you're similar to the character of Flynn Griffin. How are you different?

I would start off by saying, Flynn is usually someone that I try to mask – someone that isn't as confident, doesn't believe in his abilities. But when he's put into this world around people that need him, he kind of flourishes. And even though he's not ready, he puts his foot forward and really helps out the group. So in that aspect – just trying to believe in your abilities, believing in yourself – I felt like I was in the same boat when I was shooting this series. This is the first show that I'm a part of that I'm a series regular, so I had to put my foot forward. And, whether I'm ready or not, just really go into it, immerse myself and learn as much as I can. So I'd say we're similar in that regard.

Building off that, being such a prominent part of the show – being the protagonist –what work did you put into getting into the right headspace, defining and developing that character, in collaboration with the script and the direction itself?

I definitely try to read the script over and over again, to really get a sense of my challenges and arc within the show. Just knowing what my arc is, picking a certain lane and going with it, while understanding the script by reading it over and over again.

I know that the pilot for The Wayfinders was filmed and developed a little bit before Angel Studios got involved. What's the process in production been like since Angel took over?

Oh, it's been great. I feel like production of the show's gotten better. The people that I've met helped me get onto certain press events. I believe his name was Chris. He's been super cool. So I feel like Angel's just super supportive and really trusted in our vision & what we want to bring to the show. That's really all you want in a collaborator – integrity – and whatever you need from them, they'll provide.

Season 1 of The Wayfinders had six episodes, which is not too unusual or uncommon for the first season of a series. Heading forward, is that going to be consistent, or are there plans to bump up the episode count heading into Season 2 and onward?

I'm not particularly sure. The style we have now, I enjoy – something that comes out weekly, something you have to look forward to throughout the week; something not too short, but also not too long. We do have six episodes, but at the same time, they're each an hour long.

Is the process of acting in a more special effects heavy show particularly different versus your comedy work and procedural drama work?

Yeah, in the ways that you would think. Obviously, when you're seeing a werebear or a byclops in the show, you kind of have to have more imagination, right? I'm playing to a ball on a stick, but you have to have the imagination to know that there's this huge monster chasing you.

I'd love to break that down a little bit more. Do you find that particularly challenging versus being on set with physical actors you can look at who aren't balls?

I thought it would be more challenging than it was. I'm surrounded by my cast mates, who are great actors as well. I always play off their reactions. Our director, Glen Winter, always tries to make it as practical as possible. So, when we're in castles being chased by a byclops, instead of it being a ball on a stick, it was a 3D printed image of the byclops' face attached to a stick, and that stick is held by a man in a blue suit, and he's acting, as well, making noises and stomping around. That definitely made it visually easier for me.

What do you hope audiences understand and take away from your portrayal as Flynn in the show?

Be confident in themselves, trust in their abilities, even when they think they're not ready. I think that's the biggest challenge when you're put in a situation unbeknownst to you. The struggle sometimes boosts your confidence, and you could become more aware of what you can actually do.

What do you hope to see from Flynn's arc and story heading deeper into The Wayfinders?

Hopefully being more of a thief. Being able to draw plans for the crew and help get back to his brother and world.

What's been your favorite memory on the set of The Wayfinders so far?

There's been a lot. One is definitely filming at the Cliffs of Moher. That was very cool. Being with friends and getting to do what you love. The scenery is just absolutely beautiful, and we're pretty close to the edge. We got permission to go a little bit closer than permitted. There was bit of fear involved, but it was also really fun. It was an umami of emotion. I think that's what made it a really cool experience.

"Umami of emotions," I really like that.

It was fun, but it was also a little scary, and I was a little nervous, but I was excited, so I wanted to find one word that means everything (laughs).

What's the chemistry like on set?

I think it's great. All the people I work with are incredible. They always come in high spirits, and they're all so intelligent. In this space, I work with a lot of people that are European, from the UK. I've noticed that a lot of European actors are classically trained. So if ever I have a question or I need a bit of help on something, they're always down to help me, whether it be the cast or the crew. It's a collaborative effort, and we're all really good friends off-screen as much as we are on screen.

Do you still keep in touch with everyone in between production?

Oh, heck yeah, we have a group chat. There's a lot of Europeans, so it's obviously WhatsApp, but everyone's super cool. And then I'm US based. I'm in California. Vince Mattis, who plays Cash, used to live in California, but now he lives in South Carolina. We went on a bro Euro trip. After we were shooting in Limerick, Ireland, we took the train to Dublin – hung out there for a little, and met up with the head of hair. His name is Peter. Then we flew to London. We hung out with everyone else, then flew to Paris. So, you know, we're really good friends off-screen.

It sounds like you guys film on location. Any plans to relocate?

No, no plans right now. We're going back for Season 2 fairly soon, and I'll be going to Ireland again. One thing about this show that's great is that it's visually stunning. There's little to no green screen. Everything's on location. If it looks green screen, it's not. There's one scene in particular where we shot in Dingle and we had to climb up this mountain next to this waterfall. We get to the very top, and the shot is basically a drone shot where we're overlooking the abyss. The drone gets our faces where we're looking, and it looks like a green screen, but it's completely realistic. There's a beautiful pond behind us on top of this mountain. It's just crazy.

What would you say are some of the benefits like filming on location versus being on a traditional set?

As an actor, you can definitely immerse yourself more in the world. I'm playing a kid trapped on a whole other planet. And I really do feel like I'm on a whole other planet when I'm shooting at these incredible locations that are nothing like Los Angeles, where I'm from. There's no parallel at all. It's completely different, and it definitely helps immerse me as an actor.

What was your favorite scene to film this season?

I would say the Cliffs of Moher visually, but script-wise, there's one scene I have with Calibor where I have to keep looking for treasure that he's already nicked. And it's kind of pissing me off a little, but I want to please him, because he's kind of like my mentor, and there's this really good back and forth within the scene that I really enjoy.

Do you have any specific inspirations you call upon in your acting and take into the performance process?

I'm inspired by a lot of the people around me. That's really not a cop-out answer. I really do feel that way. Everyone around me just gives such a great performance that definitely pushes me to do better.

That camaraderie sounds great. Is there any actor or actress you've just been dying to share the screen with that you haven't yet?

It's kind of a long shot. I talk about him a lot. It's kind of weird, but there's this one actor's name is David Johnson. He's been in Industry, he was in The Long Walk. He's in Alien: Romulus, and in a new movie coming out called Wasteman. I just think he's really cool, and it would be really cool to share the screen with him.

What's your dream TV or film role?

Dream TV or film role? That's another great question. So I'm in my room right now with my posters, and one of my favorite movies is right in front of me: Ocean's 11. I would definitely say one of my dream roles is a heist movie or show. It's just a very strategic, very cool role to play, whatever person you play in it.

So Wayfinders is a fantasy series. Are you a big fantasy fan yourself?

I do enjoy fantasy. I used to watch a lot more fantasy when I was a kid. I really like Treasure Planet.

Oh, excellent choice.

I think it's super slept on. I think it's so underrated. Absolutely, it's better than Atlantis. I definitely pulled a lot from that for this as, well.

100% better than Atlantis. Where would you like your career to go from here and how would you like to see it keep growing in the next few years?

I've really just been locked on The Wayfinders and super happy to film Season 2. But beyond that, I just want to learn more, whether it be behind or in front of the camera. And just take any opportunity that comes my way.

When does production begin for Season 2 of The Wayfinders?

I don't have an exact pinpoint, but I'm supposed to go back sometime in March, so pretty soon.

That's gonna come quick. Is there a full series plan for The Wayfinders? Do the writers know how many seasons the show will run?

I'm not sure. I don't want to share the information, because I'm honestly not sure myself. I think it's gonna be the same format it was for Season 1, but that's all I've been told. There definitely could be changes that I'm unaware of.

Fair enough. Based on what you do know and can share, what's next for The Wayfinders as we head into season 2?

From where we left off, we're still stuck in the world, and we're really just trying to make it out. So we're going to do anything we need to do, whether that be steal or barter to get back to where we need to be.