During a panel attended by Nerdist, Eric Heisserer explained that having a diverse set of writers helped to flesh out the relationship between Mal and Alina. The showrunner explained that being marginalized growing up prompted them to deeply bond over their shared reality and rely heavily on one another, clearly in a healthier way than in the books. “We built out someone, honestly, at the end of the day, who could be the perfect boyfriend that a lot of us would love to have,” Heisserer said. “But he’s just a little scared and a little trepidatious. For all that he hunts and he tracks, there are times where Mal himself can be a bit of a woodland creature. And we felt that helps accentuate the strength of Alina as a protagonist.”
It’s not like Netflix’s Mal is unquestionably “perfect.” That would be neither believable nor relatable. However, there’s a clear balance in his flaws that makes him much more sympathetic to viewers. Speaking with Esquire, Archie Renaux said of his character, “Of course he does have his flaws, but he’s only human. He’s got a lot of pressure on his shoulders.” Nevertheless, his devotion to Alina in the show is portrayed as being far more endearing. This is also thanks to the palpable chemistry between Jessie Mei Li and Renaux, which the latter told Nerdist was something that “came very naturally” to them.
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