It’s been years. Yet, if you scroll through any historical drama forum or check the comments on an old Netflix trailer, people are still mourning the cancellation of Marco Polo. It was expensive. Some say it was the most expensive show on TV at the time, right up there with Game of Thrones. But the real tragedy wasn't just the $200 million price tag that ultimately sank the ship; it was the fact that the Marco Polo Netflix cast was essentially a lightning-in-a-bottle assembly of international talent that we rarely see in Western media.
Netflix took a massive swing. They wanted a global epic. They got one. But they also got a cast that was, frankly, overqualified for the scripts they were sometimes handed. From a legendary Chinese ballerina to a British newcomer who had to learn how to ride a horse while swinging a sword, the ensemble was the heartbeat of the show. If you've ever wondered why the show felt so heavy and grounded despite the occasional "prestige TV" melodrama, look at the actors. They carried the weight of the Mongol Empire on their shoulders.
The Powerhouse Performance of Benedict Wong as Kublai Khan
Honestly, the show shouldn't have been called Marco Polo. It was the Kublai Khan show.
Benedict Wong didn't just play the Khan; he transformed into him. To get the physique right, Wong reportedly gained about 30 pounds, but it wasn't just the physical mass. It was the gravity. He played Kublai as a man caught between the traditions of his grandfather, Genghis, and the administrative nightmare of ruling a conquered China. You could see the internal struggle in his eyes during those long, silent stares in the throne room. He was terrifying, but he was also deeply lonely.
Wong’s career since then has exploded, mostly thanks to his role as the Sorcerer Supreme in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But if you talk to die-hard fans of his work, they’ll point to his time in the 13th-century Mongol court as his definitive performance. He brought a Shakespearean level of intensity to a character that could have easily been a one-dimensional villain in lesser hands. He made us root for the guy who was essentially a brutal colonizer. That’s a tough tightrope to walk.
Lorenzo Richelmy: The Outsider Looking In
Then there’s Lorenzo Richelmy. When he was cast as Marco, he barely spoke English. Think about that for a second. He was leading a massive, multi-million dollar American production while learning the language on the fly. It actually worked in his favor. Marco is supposed to be a fish out of water, a Venetian merchant’s son who is suddenly thrust into the most sophisticated court on the planet.
Richelmy had this wide-eyed sincerity that made the relationship between Marco and Kublai feel authentic. It wasn't just a master and a servant; it was a father-son dynamic built on mutual curiosity. While some critics at the time found Marco to be the "least interesting" part of the Marco Polo Netflix cast, that was kind of the point of the historical figure. He’s the observer. He’s the lens through which we see the world. Richelmy played that stillness perfectly, even when he was surrounded by scene-stealers like Tom Wu.
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Hundred Eyes and the Art of the Scene-Steal
Speaking of Tom Wu, let’s talk about Hundred Eyes.
The blind Taoist monk was arguably the coolest character on television in 2014. Tom Wu, a veteran of martial arts cinema, brought a physical grace to the role that made the fight choreography look like a dance. Most people don't realize that Wu is a world-class martial artist in real life. Those movements weren't just camera tricks. When he’s training Marco in the courtyard, you’re watching decades of discipline.
Netflix actually realized how popular he was and gave him a standalone special, Marco Polo: One Hundred Eyes. It’s a rare thing for a streaming service to do a mid-season "origin story" movie for a side character. It proved that the audience was more interested in the culture and the philosophy of the Silk Road than they were in the politics of Venice. Wu’s portrayal of a man who lost his sight but gained a different kind of vision was the soul of the series.
Joan Chen and the Women of the Mongol Court
If Benedict Wong was the power, Joan Chen was the steel.
As Empress Chabi, Chen played a woman who was often the smartest person in the room. She wasn't just a consort; she was a political strategist. Joan Chen is a legend in cinema—think The Last Emperor or Twin Peaks—and she brought a level of "prestige" to the Marco Polo Netflix cast that grounded the whole production. Her chemistry with Wong was palpable. They felt like a couple that had survived decades of war, grief, and betrayal.
The show also featured some incredible work from:
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- Zhu Zhu as Kokachin (The Blue Princess). Her storyline was heartbreaking and weirdly psychological for a historical epic.
- Olivia Cheng as Mei Lin. Her fight scenes were legendary, but her role as a spy and a mother trapped in a political game was even better.
- Claudia Kim as Khutulun. A warrior princess who refused to marry any man who couldn't beat her in a wrestling match? That’s based on actual history, and Kim played it with a fierce, unapologetic energy.
Why the Budget Killed the Show (And the Cast Scattered)
It’s no secret that the show was canceled after two seasons. Netflix lost a reported $200 million on it. By today’s standards, where Rings of Power or House of the Dragon spend that much in a single season, it doesn't seem that crazy. But back then? It was a massive hit to the balance sheet.
The production was global. They filmed in Italy, Kazakhstan, and Malaysia. The sets were built by hand. The costumes were intricate, hand-stitched masterpieces. The problem wasn't the quality; it was the math. The viewership numbers simply didn't justify the astronomical cost of keeping the Marco Polo Netflix cast together for a third season.
When the news broke, fans were devastated. The second season ended on a massive cliffhanger with the arrival of Prester John’s camp, suggesting a mystical or legendary shift for the third season. We never got to see it. Instead, the actors moved on to other massive projects. Michelle Yeoh, who joined in Season 2 as Lotus, went on to win an Oscar. Benedict Wong became a staple of the Marvel world. Rick Yune (Kaidu) continued to be one of the most reliable actors in Hollywood.
The Cultural Impact of the Cast Choice
Historically, Western shows about "The East" were notorious for whitewashing. Marco Polo was different. It was one of the first times a major Western studio put an almost entirely Asian cast at the center of a global blockbuster. It paved the way for shows like Shogun or Squid Game to find massive audiences in the States.
The show wasn't perfect. It leaned into some "orientalist" tropes now and then. But the cast fought against those tropes by bringing humanity to their roles. They weren't caricatures; they were complicated, flawed, and ambitious people. When you look back at the Marco Polo Netflix cast, you’re looking at a group that proved there was a massive hunger for diverse, historical storytelling that didn't center solely on European kings and queens.
Where Can You See Them Now?
If you miss the show, the actors are everywhere.
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- Benedict Wong: Watch Doctor Strange or 3 Body Problem. He’s still the master of playing the smartest, most grounded person in a chaotic sci-fi world.
- Michelle Yeoh: If you haven't seen Everything Everywhere All At Once, stop reading this and go watch it. She brings the same martial arts intensity she showed in Marco Polo but with a massive heart.
- Olivia Cheng: She’s a standout in the series Warrior, which is another incredible show about the Asian experience in history, based on the writings of Bruce Lee.
- Lorenzo Richelmy: He’s stayed busy in European cinema. He recently appeared in Leo, a film about Leonardo da Vinci, proving he still has a knack for historical roles.
What to Do If You're Just Starting the Show
If you’re just discovering Marco Polo on Netflix today, go into it knowing it’s an unfinished story. That sucks, I know. But the two seasons we have are visually stunning and the performances are world-class.
First, watch the "One Hundred Eyes" special before you dive deep into Season 2. It gives so much context to the world-building.
Second, don't treat it as a history textbook. It’s historical fiction. Real history is much messier (and sometimes even weirder), but the show gets the vibe of the Mongol Empire right.
Third, pay attention to the background. The production design is just as much a character as the actors. The way the light hits the silk in the Khan’s palace or the dirt in the training camps—that’s the $200 million on screen.
Final Practical Steps for Fans
- Check out the soundtrack: The throat singing and the score by Altan Urag and Peter Nashel is hauntingly beautiful. It’s available on most streaming platforms and is great for deep-work focus.
- Read the actual "Travels of Marco Polo": Compare the real-life accounts (which were also accused of being "fake news" in the 13th century) with the show’s portrayal. You’ll find that truth is often stranger than fiction.
- Support the actors' current work: The best way to get more shows like this is to support the people who made it. Follow the Marco Polo Netflix cast on their new ventures.
The show might be over, but its legacy as a pioneer of high-budget, diverse storytelling is still very much alive. It remains a high-water mark for what's possible when a streaming service stops playing it safe and goes all-in on an international vision. It’s a shame we never got the ending, but the journey was worth every penny.