Netflix likes to experiment. Sometimes it's a gritty crime drama, and other times it’s a high-budget docudrama that tries to bridge the gap between Sunday school and Game of Thrones. That’s basically what we got with the cast of Testament: The Story of Moses. It’s a weird, fascinating mix of talking-head experts and dramatic reenactments that actually feel like a movie. You’ve probably seen these faces before, even if you couldn't quite place them while Moses was busy parting the Red Sea.
Usually, these faith-based projects go one of two ways. They are either super low-budget or they feel like a stiff history lecture. This one felt different. It had a certain weight to it. The actors didn't just stand around in robes; they actually chewed the scenery. Honestly, the casting is why the show worked as well as it did, despite the heavy lifting required to tell a story literally everyone already knows.
The Man Behind the Staff: Avi Azulay as Moses
Finding an actor to play Moses is a nightmare. Seriously. You need someone who can look like a prince of Egypt but also a broken shepherd who’s terrified of his own shadow. Avi Azulay took on the role, and he’s probably the biggest breakout from the series. He isn’t a massive Hollywood name—yet. Before this, he was doing a lot of work in Israeli productions like Manayek and Leora.
He’s got this intensity. In the early episodes, when Moses is figuring out his identity, Azulay plays him with a sort of twitchy, nervous energy. It’s not the Charlton Heston "booming voice" vibe. It feels more human. He’s a guy who’s legitimately overwhelmed. When you look at the cast of Testament: The Story of Moses, his performance is the anchor. If he didn't sell the "talking to a burning bush" scene, the whole show would have collapsed into a meme. He made it feel grounded. Or as grounded as a guy talking to a flaming plant can feel.
Mehmet Kurtuluş: A Pharoah with Layers
Then there’s the villain. Or the antagonist. Whatever you want to call Ramses. Mehmet Kurtuluş plays him, and man, does he have presence. You might recognize him from Into the Night or The Protector. He’s a Turkish-German actor who knows how to use silence.
Most people expect Pharoah to be a mustache-twirling bad guy. Kurtuluş doesn't do that. He plays Ramses like a CEO who is slowly losing control of his company. There’s a visible ego there, but also a genuine belief that he is a god. It makes the back-and-forth between him and Moses feel like a high-stakes psychological thriller rather than just a series of plagues. The chemistry—or rather, the friction—between Azulay and Kurtuluş is the best part of the drama.
The Women Who Kept the Story Moving
We have to talk about Miriam and Zipporah. Often, in these ancient epics, the women get sidelined. They just stand in the background looking concerned. Not here.
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Tülay Günal plays Miriam, Moses' sister. She’s a veteran of the Turkish acting scene, and she brings a lot of gravitas. Miriam is basically the backbone of the family. She’s the one who remembers the history when everyone else wants to forget it. Her performance is subtle, but you can feel the years of burden on her shoulders.
Then you have Dominique Tipper as Zipporah. If you’re a sci-fi nerd, you immediately recognized her. She was Naomi Nagata in The Expanse. Seeing her go from a spaceship to the Midian desert was a trip. She plays Zipporah with a modern edge. She’s tough. She’s the one who pushes Moses when he’s doubting himself. It’s a great bit of casting because Tipper has this natural authority that makes you believe she could manage a flock of sheep and a reluctant prophet at the same time.
Why the Docudrama Format Changes the Acting
This wasn't a straight-up movie. It was a "docuseries," which means the cast of Testament: The Story of Moses had to compete with real-life historians and theologians.
Think about how hard that is for an actor. You’re doing a heavy emotional scene where you’re crying over a plague, and then suddenly, the screen cuts to a professor from Harvard explaining the geological possibility of the Nile turning red. It breaks the "magic." But the actors here managed to keep the emotional thread alive.
- Avi Azulay (Moses): The heart of the series.
- Mehmet Kurtuluş (Ramses): The stoic, crumbling power.
- Dominique Tipper (Zipporah): The grounded strength.
- Ishai Golán (Aaron): The spokesperson and brother.
- Reymonde Amsellem (Jochebed): The emotional origin.
Ishai Golán as Aaron is another one worth noting. Aaron is usually just "the guy who talks for Moses." Golán makes him feel like a complicated older brother who is trying to figure out if he’s proud or jealous of his younger sibling. It’s those little human touches that make the show watchable.
The Production Context
Netflix filmed a lot of this in Morocco. It shows. The locations look massive, which helps the actors. It’s much easier to look like you’re wandering the desert when you are actually standing in the heat. The production team, including Kelly McPherson and Sarah Daniel, clearly wanted this to feel "prestige."
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They didn't go for A-list celebrities. That was a smart move. If they had cast someone like Timothée Chalamet as Moses, you’d just be thinking about Timothée Chalamet the whole time. By using actors like Azulay and Kurtuluş, who have massive talent but aren't overexposed in the US, the characters feel more "real." You see the prophet, not the movie star.
What People Get Wrong About the "Experts"
Since this is a docudrama, the "cast" technically includes the scholars. This is where people get annoyed. Some viewers wanted more Bible, others wanted more history. The experts included people like Rabbi Shlomo Einhorn and Dr. Celene Ibrahim.
They provide the "why" behind the "what." For example, when the show depicts the plagues, the experts explain the symbolic middle finger each plague was pointing at an Egyptian god. That context makes the actors' jobs easier. When Ramses looks pissed off about the frogs, you know it’s because his gods are being insulted, not just because his palace smells like swamp.
Fact-Checking the Drama
Is it 100% historically accurate? Well, it’s Moses. We’re talking about events from thousands of years ago. The show tries to balance the Book of Exodus, the Quran, and historical theories.
The cast of Testament: The Story of Moses had to navigate these different versions. For instance, the way Zipporah is portrayed draws heavily from different traditions to give her more agency. The show doesn't claim to be a documentary in the strictest sense; it’s an interpretation. If you’re looking for a dry recitation of dates, this isn't it. This is a character study.
The Aesthetic and Style
The visual style is very "muted earth tones." It’s moody. It’s cinematic. It borrows a lot from the Vikings or The Last Kingdom school of cinematography. Handheld cameras, lots of close-ups on sweaty faces, and dramatic lighting.
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This style demands a specific type of acting. You can't be "theatrical." You have to be internal. Avi Azulay excels at this. He has these long stares where you can see him processing the weight of his mission. It’s very different from the Technicolor Moses movies of the 1950s. It feels more like a survival story.
Actionable Insights for Viewers
If you’re planning to dive into this series, or if you’ve already finished it and want more, here is how to actually get the most out of it:
Look at the cross-cultural casting. One of the coolest things about this show is that it doesn't just stick to one tradition. The cast and the experts reflect Jewish, Christian, and Muslim perspectives. It’s worth paying attention to how the narrative shifts slightly to accommodate those different "Testaments."
Watch for the subtle power dynamics. Don’t just watch the miracles. Watch the way Ramses and Moses interact in the throne room. It’s a masterclass in status. Notice who stands, who sits, and who breaks eye contact first.
Follow the actors' other work. If you liked Avi Azulay, check out Manayek. If you liked Dominique Tipper, you absolutely have to watch The Expanse. Seeing them in totally different roles helps you appreciate the range they brought to this project.
Don't skip the expert segments. It’s tempting to fast-forward to the "action," but the scholars actually explain the motivations of the cast of Testament: The Story of Moses. Knowing the cultural stakes makes the dramatic scenes hit way harder.
This series isn't just another Sunday school lesson. It’s a high-production drama that happens to be about one of the most famous people in history. The cast is what makes it work. Without the nuanced performances of people like Azulay and Kurtuluş, it would just be another CGI-heavy retelling. Instead, it’s a story about family, ego, and the terrifying experience of being chosen for something you never asked for.
To get the full experience, watch it with the subtitles on. There are nuances in the delivery—especially with the international cast—that you might miss if you’re just half-listening while scrolling on your phone. Pay attention to the silence between the dialogue. That’s where the real acting happens.