A Discovery of Witches is such a character-driven show with an amazing cast of actors, it's hard to not imagine the actors as the only portrayals of each role. The show is actually based on novels that are incredibly descriptive, especially when it comes to appearances. But while many of the characters on the show, such as Sarah and Em, are nearly perfect when it comes to both their portrayals and looks, some characters aren't quite right.
With every adaptation, not every actor can look exactly as the book described, but instead make up for it in other ways, such as matching the character's personality so perfectly that their inaccurate appearance doesn't matter. But it can still be somewhat disappointing for fans of the source material.
Peter Knox
In the books, Peter Knox was always a very intimidating character from the moment he was introduced. His first interaction with Diana was forcibly making his way into her mind at the library, unlike in the show where he introduced himself politely.
His personality wasn't the only difference between the two. Peter Knox is described as having a full set of brown hair with streaks of grey in the original source, while in the show, he's clearly balding with his remaining hair all the color grey.
Marcus Whitmore
Marcus Whitmore is one of the most youthful, fun, and lovable vampires, and that character description remains the same between both sources. Like many characters on the show, many of his lines are directly quoted from the book.
As similar as his TV show persona is to the original source when it comes to personality, his looks are far off. In the novel, he is described as having blond hair and blue eyes. His TV show persona appears to be the polar opposite, but it's clear he was chosen for having the heart of the character.
Miriam Shephard
Miriam was described as having large brown eyes, honey-colored skin, and hair that was much too fair in comparison to her complexion.
In the television series, she certainly has big dark eyes and skin the color of honey, but she also has dark hair that matches her eyes, unlike the character she was based on. Also, her style is quite different on the show. She's certainly edgier, whereas in the book she was described as slightly more professional and girly, notably wearing a mini skirt and heels for casual meetings.
Sean
Sean is one of the few lovable humans in the series, who is mostly seen working in the Bodleian Library. In the book, he is described as a man with hair the color of sand, and thin gold-rimmed glasses.
On the show, his appearance couldn't be more different, as he has dark hair and is never seen wearing glasses. Regardless of his physical differences, the role he plays remains the same in both interpretations, and he is consistently a minor character throughout.
Satu
If there's one thing that the show gets right about Satu, it's the intensity that the character has. On the show, she has deep eyes that match her dark hair perfectly and certainly makes her look even more menacing.
In the novel, her character is described as looking the complete opposite of the actress on the show. Satu is said to have had platinum blonde hair and blue eyes. Even though their appearances differ, Satu on the show perfectly mimics her intimidation level from the book.
Gillian Chamberlain
There are many differences between Gillian Chamberlain on the show versus her character in the book. For starters, the show makes her character more of an ignorant woman who's just following orders. In the book, she was cruel and clearly conspiring against Diana. She also sent the hurtful images of the Bishops to Diana along with Peter Knox.
Other than that, her appearance is also significantly different in the book. Gillian was described as having hazel eyes and shiny black hair, but on the show, her character has neither of those details present.
Ysabeau de Clairmont
Ysabeau's cold demeanor and intense presence on the show is truly her character from the book coming to life on the screen. Both her and Marthe are so reminiscent of the original source, it's hard to imagine anyone else in the role.
This goes even though Ysabeau's appearance differs a lot from the book. In the source material, she's described as having emerald eyes and honey-colored hair. She's also have said to not look that much older than Matthew, but on the show, she's clearly much more aged.
Hamish Osborne
Matthew's daemon friend Hamish is equally as friendly and insightful in both versions of the story, as he's always there to provide a listening ear for Matthew and offer him great advice, despite the two being from rival species.
On the show, he has light hair and blue eyes, but his character is described as the exact opposite in the books. Hamish Osborne was originally meant to appear with dark hair, dark eyes, and a hooked nose. Despite the differences, the character was still portrayed accurately.
Matthew Clairmont
Matthew Clairmont is one of the most accurate characters on the shows when it comes to appearance, aside from Diana, but even he isn't perfect. In the novel, he's described as having pure black hair, grey rimmed eyes with a green and silver iris. His eye color is so specific, that it's no surprise it was impossible to find an actor who's a perfect fit.
Matthew is romantic in both versions of the story, but in the book, he's clearly a vicious and dangerous vampire, who was responsible for killing Gillian Chamberlain, while his character on the show ended up sparing her life.
Diana Bishop
Being the main character, it's no surprise that Diana Bishop is the most accurate character when it comes to comparing her to the original source.
She has the messy blonde hair that is often mentioned in the book, the blue eyes, and even the under-eye circles. As perfect as the character looks, there are a few details that were obviously missing from her appearance. In the books, something that is often mentioned is the freckles that she inherited from her father and the specks of gold in her eyes.