[Terez]

Casting is underway, so it's time for big news to start trickling out about season 5. There have already been a few tidbits. Myrcella has apparently been recast with Nell Tiger Free. This is not a terrible recast in terms of aesthetics because we haven't seen Myrcella since she took off for Dorne, but apparently the fandom is sad because Aimee Richardson has been very active at cons and such and she is very popular. There has been a young blonde girl cast for young Cersei, and we know they're looking for Maggy the Frog.

This one just dropped today, and it's an interesting one in terms of casting rumors. The thread for season 4 started with a casting rumor that included the return of Michelle Fairley, which turned out not to be true, but the New Zealand Herald reports that Keisha Castle-Hughes, an Oscar Nominee (for a role she played when she was 13), has been cast as one of the Sand Snakes. Vanity Fair thinks it's Obara.

The interesting bit is this:

NZ Herald said:

Castle-Hughes may have given her own nod to a future appearance on the show, making references to the show on her Twitter feed. She has changed her Twitter handle to include the name Stark — the surname of one of the lead families in the books and television show.

This page says her handle was @kecahu and her "name" was "kemamo STARK". I know it's possible that she is just a fan of the show and likes the Starks or something, but I have to wonder if she wasn't in fact cast as Lyanna Stark.

Bran is already essentially caught up with ADWD, so a good way to avoid taking his plotline past where GRRM has gone in the books is to fill in show-watchers on all that backstory they've been missing. Bran is the perfect vehicle for that backstory, better than any opportunity they have had so far, and I wouldn't be surprised if they had been planning this all along.

I think it's possible that the NZ Herald jumped to the conclusion that she would play one of the Sand Snakes because she is of mixed race, English father and Maori mother, and we know that's the kind of thing they were looking for in the Sand Snakes (they were looking for a black woman for Obara), but they are continuing the Hispanic trend for Dorne, and after looking through Google Images, it would seem Castle-Hughes can 'pass for white', as we say in the Deep South, and if one is looking for someone to play Kit Harington's mother, someone dark enough to balance Targaryen blood and make the show's Jon Snow, she's the gal. She's actually fairly light-skinned, but so is Jon, and his hair has its own contract.





What do you guys think?

[worry]

Wow, I haven't seen her since Whale Rider (wherein she was excellent), so seeing her as an adult is kinda shocking. If I had to bet I'd still go with her being a Sand Snake or some Essos character, but that's not cuz I dislike your flashback idea. It'd actually make for a real pleasant surprise. Not to mention finally putting that issue to rest.

[Tattersail_]

Is she the one off that New Zealand Norse God's show. The Almighty Johnsons?

I think she is. I thought she was one of the better actors/actresses out of the lot.

[Tiste Simeon]

I forget from all the books - is there now a theory of who John Snows mother is? Is it that actually he might be Lyannas/Robert Baratheons? It's been a long time...

Also were the Sand Snakes the women who hung out with that Dornish Princess? I kind of need a reread but I really can't be bothered as ADWD was so boring.

[Terez]

Tisteon Simeonus, on 14 July 2014 - 09:49 AM, said:

I forget from all the books - is there now a theory of who John Snows mother is? Is it that actually he might be Lyannas/Robert Baratheons? It's been a long time...

The timing is apparently not right for Robert to be the father. I am not myself intimately familiar with the details, but that is what comes from Westeros way. I gather Lyanna was "kidnapped" more than nine months before Ned found her, and Robb is about a year older.

Tisteon Simeonus, on 14 July 2014 - 09:49 AM, said:

Also were the Sand Snakes the women who hung out with that Dornish Princess? I kind of need a reread but I really can't be bothered as ADWD was so boring.

They are Oberyn's illegitimate children, so Arianne, princess of Dorne and Oberyn's niece, is their cousin.

This post has been edited by Terez: 14 July 2014 - 09:57 AM

[Tarthenal Theloman Toblakai]

The theory is that Jon is supposed to be half Targaryen according to my bro. But Jon Snow is always described as the most similar in looks to his father Ned out of all the Stark children, along with Arya. So I kinda think he must be Neds, leaving the possibility that the mother is/was Targaryen. But a few times in the story Arya was told that Ned and lady near the Eerie I think, fell in love but when Ned left, she killed herself by jumping from a Tower. Some say it was because he chose Cat over her and left for Winterfell. Others think its because he took Jon Snow away from here. And others think it is because she was grieving for Ser Arthur Deyne, the Sword of the Morning, whom Ned had just killed in battle. So there is no true theory or way to discover who Jon Snows parents are, until we are told IMO. Its fun to theorize though!

The Sandsnakes are every bit as dangerous as Oberyn Martell was too, so thats (8?) extremely beautiful and dangerous young ladies wanting war and revenge. I can't wait to see what happens with Dorne in Winds

(can you tell I just finished my re-read last week?! lol)

[Terez]

There are a few theories as to Jon's mother.

http://awoiaf.wester...n_Snow/Theories

Lyanna + Rhaegar just makes the most sense, for the reasons spelled out in that article and more. The catch for me was always Ned's honor. He is too obsessed with duty and honor to cheat on his wife, and those same characteristics explain why he would allow the world to believe it: he made a deathbed promise to his sister, to keep her son safe from Robert's wrath.

GRRM apparently asked the show producers who they thought Jon Snow's mother was. He said if they hadn't given the right answer there would have been no deal!

[Tarthenal Theloman Toblakai]

Terez, on 14 July 2014 - 10:27 AM, said:

There are a few theories as to Jon's mother.

http://awoiaf.wester...n_Snow/Theories

Lyanna + Rhaegar just makes the most sense, for the reasons spelled out in that article and more. The catch for me was always Ned's honor. He is too obsessed with duty and honor to cheat on his wife, and those same characteristics explain why he would allow the world to believe it: he made a deathbed promise to his sister, to keep her son safe from Robert's wrath.

GRRM apparently asked the show producers who they thought Jon Snow's mother was. He said if they hadn't given the right answer there would have been no deal!

Easily my favourite theory right there, one I never heard, as I can't see the awoiaf forum at work, I don't see many theories first hand, usually my bro tells me. Your theory is awsome and by God I hope its true! And that Jon find's out. And that the Starks kick ass.

[Gnaw]

Terez, on 14 July 2014 - 10:27 AM, said:

GRRM apparently asked the show producers who they thought Jon Snow's mother was. He said if they hadn't given the right answer there would have been no deal!

Things like that always remind me of Anne Rice's bitching about Tom Cruise being cast as Lestat in Interview with the Vampire. She was raising all sorts of hell publicly until she had a meeting with the producers and suddenly started singing Cruise's praises. Supposedly the manager told a reporter that they "explained '1% of gross' to her".

[amphibian]

Anne Rice is a loon. But it's GRRM's baby to hand over or not.

I'm still rooting so hard for divergent endings to the show and books. I've no idea how to push for it, but I hope the creators of the show give it serious thought.

[Terez]

Gnaw, on 14 July 2014 - 11:56 PM, said:

Things like that always remind me of Anne Rice's bitching about Tom Cruise being cast as Lestat in Interview with the Vampire. She was raising all sorts of hell publicly until she had a meeting with the producers and suddenly started singing Cruise's praises. Supposedly the manager told a reporter that they "explained '1% of gross' to her".

I remember that well. In fact I was just thinking about it yesterday, unrelated. She probably screwed her chances for consistent sequels with her "mom and apple pie" complaints, but she might have also pushed Cruise to a better performance.

[Terez]

amphibian, on 15 July 2014 - 02:38 AM, said:

I'm still rooting so hard for divergent endings to the show and books. I've no idea how to push for it, but I hope the creators of the show give it serious thought.

That is probably the only way to keep GRRM writing.

I hope they do the same for WoT if they ever make a show out of it; after having read RJ's notes, I think it would be a bad idea to follow everything Brandon did, not because he went against the notes so much, but because he filled in so much, and going a different way is a good way to avoid the ending being spoiled by book-readers. There are even divergent points in the pre-Brandon books, where RJ was going to go one way and decided to go another. In some places (which I can't talk about just yet) the fans would be very divided as to whether or not RJ made the right choice.

[amphibian]

Rand wins the fate of the universe by refusing to be a ginger anymore.

I think that's controversial enough that they'd change the ending to something else.

[Terez]

On the Lyanna thing again, now I have really got my hopes up, whoever plays the part. It would be the perfect place to tell the backstory, with Jon becoming Lord Commander, Aemon playing a bigger part, Dorne being developed, possibly Aegon being introduced.

Assuming R + L = J, Aemon is Jon's great-great-great uncle.

Maekar I
|
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Aegon V & Maester Aemon
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Jahaerys II
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Aerys II
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Rhaegar +Lyanna
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Jon Snow

This post has been edited by Terez: 15 July 2014 - 08:35 AM

[Tattersail_]

Terez, on 15 July 2014 - 04:10 AM, said:

amphibian, on 15 July 2014 - 02:38 AM, said:

I'm still rooting so hard for divergent endings to the show and books. I've no idea how to push for it, but I hope the creators of the show give it serious thought.

That is probably the only way to keep GRRM writing.

I hope they do the same for WoT if they ever make a show out of it; after having read RJ's notes, I think it would be a bad idea to follow everything Brandon did, not because he went against the notes so much, but because he filled in so much, and going a different way is a good way to avoid the ending being spoiled by book-readers. There are even divergent points in the pre-Brandon books, where RJ was going to go one way and decided to go another. In some places (which I can't talk about just yet) the fans would be very divided as to whether or not RJ made the right choice.

How do you know?

[Tattersail_]

Also my wife hinted at this without reading anything on any sites. She has said to me for months now that she believes Jon and Daenerys are related. She has only recently read the books, and I think she is on the last one now.

[Tiste Simeon]

I like those theories. I'm guessing the Rhaegar/Lyanna thing is most likely but the Lady Dayne thing is also possible. Don't hold up much with the Fishermans Daughter theory and the whole Wylla story sounds like a cover up. I assume if he was covering up it would either be for Lady Daynes honour or the fact that Jon is actually Rhaegar/Lyannas and we all know how much Robert loved her...

[Terez]

He didn't so much love her as he wanted to own her. One of the reasons she was reluctant to marry him was that she knew he wouldn't be faithful to her.

Also, Ser Barristan was in love with Ashara Dayne if I recall, and Jojen's tale along with Selmy's POV suggests she might have actually fallen for Brandon Stark, who got her pregnant when he was already promised to Catelyn. And it's also possible that Benjen took the fall for that indiscretion, hence the Wall.

Tattersail_, on 15 July 2014 - 09:23 AM, said:

Terez, on 15 July 2014 - 04:10 AM, said:

I hope they do the same for WoT if they ever make a show out of it; after having read RJ's notes, I think it would be a bad idea to follow everything Brandon did, not because he went against the notes so much, but because he filled in so much, and going a different way is a good way to avoid the ending being spoiled by book-readers. There are even divergent points in the pre-Brandon books, where RJ was going to go one way and decided to go another. In some places (which I can't talk about just yet) the fans would be very divided as to whether or not RJ made the right choice.

How do you know?

Bolded. (I got to read RJ's notes.)

This post has been edited by Terez: 15 July 2014 - 10:17 AM

[Tattersail_]

Terez, on 15 July 2014 - 10:16 AM, said:

He didn't so much love her as he wanted to own her. One of the reasons she was reluctant to marry him was that she knew he wouldn't be faithful to her.

Also, Ser Barristan was in love with Ashara Dayne if I recall, and Jojen's tale along with Selmy's POV suggests she might have actually fallen for Brandon Stark, who got her pregnant when he was already promised to Catelyn. And it's also possible that Benjen took the fall for that indiscretion, hence the Wall.

Tattersail_, on 15 July 2014 - 09:23 AM, said:

Terez, on 15 July 2014 - 04:10 AM, said:

I hope they do the same for WoT if they ever make a show out of it; after having read RJ's notes, I think it would be a bad idea to follow everything Brandon did, not because he went against the notes so much, but because he filled in so much, and going a different way is a good way to avoid the ending being spoiled by book-readers. There are even divergent points in the pre-Brandon books, where RJ was going to go one way and decided to go another. In some places (which I can't talk about just yet) the fans would be very divided as to whether or not RJ made the right choice.

How do you know?

Bolded. (I got to read RJ's notes.)

That is awesome. I bet you are very pleased you got to do that. Have many other people? You think anything else will come of WoT?

[Terez]

Let's not stray too far from topic, but only a very few other people have gotten to look at the notes, including Wert whom I met in Chicago. He spent an hour or so with my laptop. I hope a show will come about one day.