[MTS]

Is it just me, or is the cast for this series insanely large?

[HoosierDaddy]

Oh the jokes I could make that would make others offended.

I'm seriously surprised it is as big as it is. Lots of these people have to be bit players, I'd think. There isn't enough time to develop most of them in one season.

[Morgoth]

depends on how many minor characters they cut out. For every minor character gone you get a few more lines to give to the more major ones.

[Macros]

my memory fails me.
Hodor was the baseball cap sporting (obviously tilted so far back on his head that it will never be in danger of actually blocking sunlight) spidey looking ghoul who did what again?

[Werthead]

MTS, on 24 June 2010 - 02:01 AM, said:

Is it just me, or is the cast for this series insanely large?

My understanding is that it is the second-biggest cast HBO have ever assembled (after Season 4 of The Wire, which had something like 85 recurring, recognisable characters with dialogue and dozens more briefly-appearing roles).

Some of the deals they've also done are really awkward, like getting Ian McNeice (Illyrio) to agree to appear in 3-4 episodes in Season 1 and then basically chill until Season 4. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister) is appearing in several episodes of Season 1, only one or two in Season 2, and then being bumped up to main cast in Seasons 3-4.

I must admit I'm surprised more roles aren't being cut, eliminated or combined in the same manner as Lord of the Rings, but so far HBO seem to be aiming to be even more faithful than that, with just about everyone in. However, I do think we are going to see a lot of the much less-well-known background characters being simply ignored, say all the lords in Robb's army who stand around agreeing with him; I think we'll only really see the Greatjon, Roose Bolton and maybe Karstark in any detail out of that bunch; the Glovers, Tallharts, Cerwyns, Hornwoods etc will likely go unnamed.

Thankfully, a lot of the characters die off spectacularly before too long

This post has been edited by Werthead: 25 June 2010 - 01:18 AM

[lobo the wolfman]

Macros, on 24 June 2010 - 10:16 PM, said:

my memory fails me.
Hodor was the baseball cap sporting (obviously tilted so far back on his head that it will never be in danger of actually blocking sunlight) spidey looking ghoul who did what again?

Hodor was the big dumb stable hand at Winterfell who could only say one word over and over again which was 'Hodor', but l think his real name was Walder.

Spoiler

He ran off with Bran and the swamp kids in book 3.

[Macros]

perfect casting then, a moron

[worry]

So who's playing Piggy I mean Samwell?

[Werthead]

In response to that question, John Bradley-West has been cast as Samwell Tarly.

I'm also hearing at least three other, fairly minor roles (well, relatively) have been cast and there'll be some sort of confirmation soon. It also sounds like several much more major roles have also been cast (including Littlefinger) but HBO are holding back for a bigger announcement or press release. Unfortunately, several of the outlets that have been covering the casting news are off-line for the next few days due to vacations, so we might have to wait a while longer for that casting announcement.

EDIT: The other rumoured minor roles were the announcement that Miltos Yerolemou has been cast as fan-favourite Syrio Forel and Luke McEwan as Rast (a very small role, one of the boys training in the Night's Watch alongside Sam and Jon).

This post has been edited by Werthead: 06 July 2010 - 04:29 PM

[Werthead]

Former Australian wrestler-turned-Asian-martial-arts actor Conan Stevens has been cast as Gregor Clegane.

Interesting news. I know Stevens is a fan of the books and has been lobbying hard for this role for about two years straight, since long before official casting began.

[Werthead]

Jaime Sives as Jory Cassel and Ian McElhinney as Ser Barristan Selmy.

But you probably don't know who they are. This guy I'm sure a lot of you do:

Aidan Gillen as Petyr 'Littefinger' Baelish.

That's right,Mayor Carcetti from THE WIRE is Littlefinger. Excellent!

[Gothos]

Carcetti! Yes, YES!

[cerveza_fiesta]

Werthead, on 13 July 2010 - 01:58 AM, said:

Jaime Sives as Jory Cassel and Ian McElhinney as Ser Barristan Selmy.

But you probably don't know who they are. This guy I'm sure a lot of you do:

Aidan Gillen as Petyr 'Littefinger' Baelish.

That's right,Mayor Carcetti from THE WIRE is Littlefinger. Excellent!

Fucking YES

That's the best casting of the whole thing so far. He's going to rule that role.

[Macros]

HBO's "GAME OF THRONES" URGENTLY REQUIRE DARK EXPERIENCED MALE HORSERIDERS!

HBO's "GAME OF THRONES" URGENTLY REQUIRE DARK HAIRED AND SWARTHY SKINNED EXPERIENCED MALE HORSERIDERS!

WE URGENTLY NEED EXPERIENCED MALE HORSERIDERS (aged 16 - 65) WITH SWARTHY SKIN and DARK HAIR and if possible LONG DARK HAIR and/or MEN WITH EITHER A MEDITERRANEAN, HISPANIC, MIXED RACE OR LATIN LOOK ABOUT THEM FOR OCCASIONAL PAID WORK.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO OWN YOUR OWN HORSE, IF YOU ARE AN EXPERIENCED RIDER WHO RIDES REGULARLY WE WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH ONE.


If you match our description, please attend our OPEN HORSERIDER CASTING on WEDNESDAY 21ST JULY 2010, at Lusks Equestrian Centre, 48 Knockany Road, Carryduff, Lisburn, Co. Antrim anytime that suits you between 4 - 9pm.

IF you do own your own horse, (it must be an event type horse - no coloured horses - preferably grey, bay, chestnut and must be good and quiet in company) please bring it along with you.

If for any reason you cannot attend this open casting please email us a head and shoulders photograph where your hair and face are clearly visible along with the following information: your name, age, and contact telephone numbers to felicitypierce@hotmail.co.uk. PLEASE DO NOT DO BOTH - either attend the open casting OR email and we prefer to see you at the open casting if possible.

We cannot reply to every email we receive - we will only contact you if you are selected and this could be anytime from now until December this year.

"Game of Thrones" is a very exciting major new series for the american TV giants HBO and is produced by the masterminds behind HBO hits "The Sopranos", "Sex and the City" and "Rome" and the films "Troy" and "The Kite Runner".

Based on George R R Martin's best-selling fantasy series "A Song of Ice and Fire", "Game of Thrones" is a dark and complex tale of warring dynasties, epic in scale, with a haunting supernatural element. It is set in a fictitious world reminiscent of Medieval Europe in which magic exists and the seasons can last for many years. The series follows the violent dynastic struggles of an empire in turmoil where political and sexual intrigue are abound. It defies genre and has a large topend cast that includes: Sean Bean, Peter Dinklage, Mark Addy, Lena Headey, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.

It is due to be filmed in various locations around Northern Ireland from AUGUST - DECEMBER this year.

[Werthead]

An absolute ton of new casting announcements:

Jerome Flynn as Bronn
James Cosmo as Lord Commander Jeor Mormont
Francis Magee as Yoren
Peter Vaughan as Maester Aemon
Megan Jones as Old Nan
Sir John Standing as Lord Jon Arryn (flashback)
Gethin Anthony as Lord Renly Baratheon
Kate Dickie as Lady Lysa Arryn
Lino Facioli as Lord Robin Arryn (renamed from Robert Arryn)
Eugene Simon as Squire Lancel Lannister
Derek Halligan as Ser Alliser Thorne
Dominic Carter as Commander Janos Slynt
Susan Brown as Septa Mordane
Josef Altin as Pyp (one of Jon Snow's friends in the Watch)
Dermot Keaney as Gared (replacing Richard Ridings from the pilot)
Brendan McCormack as Ser Vardis Egen (a knight at the Eyrie)
Emun Elliott as Marillion (the singer Cat meets at the inn)
Jefferson Hall as Ser Hugh of the Vale
Ciaran Birmingham as Mord (the jailor of the sky cells in the Eyrie)
Antonia Christophers as Mhaegen (the mother of one of Robert's bastards)
Rhodri Hawkings as Mycah (the butcher's son who befriends Arya).

Yes, that's Jerome from popular easy listenin' singing duo Robson & Jerome, which is the biggest surprise out of the lot. James Cosmo as Mormont is brilliant though, as is Francis Magee as Yoren, the sort of roles they do a lot.

Most notable roles still to be cast: Tywin and Kevan Lannister, Shae, Shagga, Gendry, Grenn, Rickon Stark, possibly Mirri Maz Duur.

They've also decided not to film in Morocco. Instead, the Daenerys sequences will be filmed in Malta,using some of the castles built by the Knights Hospitaller.

This post has been edited by Werthead: 17 July 2010 - 01:45 PM

[Coco with marshmallows]

About Jerome Flynn:

I think that's a good choice. Granted he had his karaoke days, but he was originally famous for portraying a soldier, and he has (I think) something of an everyman look about him, which matches Bronn well. He isn't a noble or anything, just a mercenary on the make.

James Cosmo will just be James Cosmo, in every period/action part he's done since Highlander. And that's a good thing.

And as for using Malta?

Seriously, the more we hear, the better I feel about this endeavour.

[Werthead]

This is impressive:



Castle Black under construction against the side of the Wall (the Wall here being stood in for by the side of Magheramorne quarry at Larne, Northern Ireland). The quarry wall will, of course, be enhanced with CGI and practical effects to turn it into the 700-foot-tall wall of ice from the books.

[Macros]

I might geek out and visit this on my week off soon

[Werthead]

CHARLES DANCE IS TYWIN LANNISTER.

Freaking fecking A.

[Gothos]

Oh Sweet Old Gods, that hits the target! Awesome casting!