Melisandre should have been more exotic... maybe Asian...

[KamiShikkaku]

Am I the only one that feels Mel in the show doesn't really capture Mel of the books?

Mel of the books seems so exotic and alluring, while Mel of the show just seems like a normal woman who tends to wear red with a not very pronounced Dutch accent. (Personally I don't find her very alluring either, but I guess that's subjective.) I really feel they missed out on an opportunity to add some spice to the show.

Honestly, there are no other characters from Asshai in the show, and there probably never will be, so they had free range to choose from any ethnicity they wanted. D&D have shown that they want to add a little colour to the roster by casting black actor for Sallador and Xaro, but (correct me if I'm wrong, but) we still haven't seen any east-Asian actors yet. Chances are, nobody from Yi Ti (I'm assuming that place is at least loosely based on east-Asian themes based on its name) will ever come into play, so there probably won't be another meaty role for any east-Asian actors.

[Ser Luke.]

I guess so, but Carice has absolutely nailed the role IMO, so it doesn't really matter to me.

[RottenAppleFossoway]

Quaithe is in the show and also from Asshai is she not?

While the scenes she's appeared in are, in many cases, not from the books, I'm of the opinion that Carice Van Houten has been perfect as Mel.

[James Sucellus]

Think Carice was 100% perfect. I now imagine her voice while reading.

[The Idiots Lantern]

Mel's appearance is probably a glamor anyway. We don't know what she really looks like.

[Harry Lime]

Oh great. Another race thread.

[James Sucellus]

Mel's appearance is probably a glamor anyway. We don't know what she really looks like.

She'll turn out to be an old black man.

[Fat Mac]

I think its irrelevant to her character. Mel is likely using glamor to hide her true appearance anyway and Carice van Houten does well.

If they show any more of the free cities, they could make that more asian if they wished. If not, it's not that big of a deal.

She'll turn out to be an old black man.

And the King of the Summer Islands, so they can finally be brought into the fold.

[Prince of the North]

She'll turn out to be an old black man.

Heh, I sure hope not...for Stannis' sake at least :P

But, seriously, Mel wears a glamour. Ever since first reading about her I've always thought she looks like a female worshipper of Rh'llor would look if they could choose their appearance. Above all, I think she's a seductress. Thus, she must look...seductive :leer:

[KamiShikkaku]

People really find Carice seductive? She's not ugly, but that I really can't see her as a seductress. Maybe she's just too deadpan.

I know this is just an artist's depiction, but I wish this was more of the tone they were going for on the show: http://www.londoncakeandfiction.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Melisandra-a-song-of-ice-and-fire-29628961-595-595.jpg

And glamor aside,nobody cares that she doesn't look more exotic (rather just a normal Westerosi who wears red)?

[IPSidorov]

she just needed more red eyes.

[Myrish Swamp Thing]

Carice is excellent.

And really, people don't find her seductive? She's not only gorgeous, but the way she carries herself.. :drool:

[navix]

Carice is great, and even if she didn't capture Mel, she's hot.

[six]

I agree actually, and tbh is pretty laughable that European actors are cast as "exotic". Another complain I have are the bloody wigs, which look very fake. I think the actors should die their hair for the role.

She'll turn out to be an old black man.

I would totally love that.

[The Mondrian Oak]

People really find Carice seductive? She's not ugly, but that I really can't see her as a seductress. Maybe she's just too deadpan.

I know this is just an artist's depiction, but I wish this was more of the tone they were going for on the show: http://www.londoncakeandfiction.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Melisandra-a-song-of-ice-and-fire-29628961-595-595.jpg

And glamor aside,nobody cares that she doesn't look more exotic (rather just a normal Westerosi who wears red)?

I'd carve my eyes out to receive Gendry's treatment.

[Aeternum]

I agree, Melisandre's appearance is a magical illusion and she's probably much older than we think. She looks the way a red priestess would look like if she could change her face at will, although I'm pretty sure that Melisandre's "real" body isn't male, since she did get impregnated by Stannis and give birth to that shadow-creature. She might be hundreds of years old, but her backstory (being a slave girl and bought by the red priests) is probably true.

As for her race - I don't think I ever paid attention to that, since Melisandre seemed too "magical" and "high fantasy" to connect with any real-life ethnic group. I suppose Asshai is the "mysterious Orient" of the GURMniverse, similar to how China was viewed by Europeans in old times, but what little we've seen of Asshai doesn't have anything in common with real life. I don't know what Asshai's natives look like, racially, but it's probably irrelevant since they all wear masks and Melisandre uses a magical glamour anyway.

[KamiShikkaku]

More than being accurate to the books and the depiction of Asshai, I'm kinda taking the role of the politically-correct multiculturalist, and suggesting that they should/could have given an Asian actor in a decent role in the show, and the role of Mel would have been ideal for it.

That's a separate issue to her sex appeal, I realize. I should have distinguished the two points more clearly in my original post.

[Theda Baratheon]

I love Carice, but always thought it'd be super neat to have the peoples of Asshai and surrounding areas have eastern asian appearance

having said that, who knows what Mel really looks like, and Carice is a total babe .

[Theda Baratheon]

Heh, I sure hope not...for Stannis' sake at least :P

But, seriously, Mel wears a glamour. Ever since first reading about her I've always thought she looks like a female worshipper of Rh'llor would look if they could choose their appearance. Above all, I think she's a seductress. Thus, she must look...seductive :leer:

Yeah, this makes a lot of sense, too convenient that she has lovely fiery red hair, pale skin, red eyes, naturally. ;) Totally a glamor, and like you say, what a female Rh'llorist would choose to look like if they could, and well...she can.

[Prince of the North]

People really find Carice seductive? She's not ugly, but that I really can't see her as a seductress. Maybe she's just too deadpan.

I know this is just an artist's depiction, but I wish this was more of the tone they were going for on the show: http://www.londoncak...961-595-595.jpg

And glamor aside,nobody cares that she doesn't look more exotic (rather just a normal Westerosi who wears red)?

Well, I think Carice is a beautiful woman but I was really referring to the Mel of the books when I said that above all she's a seductress and, thus, must look the part.