coldpie

1) In your own words, describe what Doran Martell looks like (eg his face, body, clothing, posture, anything else) and what his personality is like. What is your description based on? (for example, descriptions in the book, fan art, Alexander Siddig, another actor, other things) My concept of Doran Martell comes from the books. I see him as somewhat flabby and bloated without actually being obese, with swollen legs and huge joints, perhaps swathed in linen bandages. He sits in an elaborate wheeled chair or tram with his swollen, slippered feet elevated most of the time. He basically wears a richly embroidered silk robe or caftan over silk shifts because his skin is sensitive and he cannot tolerate the weight of heavy fabrics or the touch of rough fibers. His face is lined with pain and his complection is sometimes greyish beneath a more typically pale golden brown skin tone of the Dornish (I see the Dornish as being like paler-skinned Egyptians or South Americans). His hair is thinning but still fairly dark. His facial features are strong and were handsome before being transformed by pain and suffering and lack of exercise. His personality is sometimes a bit snappish due to being constantly in pain, but he is generally a deep thinker, a planner, a strategist, and prefers in general to keep his powder dry as long as possible and play a long game. He does not favor anything rash or hotheaded. He is the ice to the Red Viper's fire. 2) Alexander Siddig will play Doran in the show, how does he compare to your own mental image of Doran before he was cast? (eg does he look the same? Is it hard for you to remember your mental image before he was cast? Did you imagine someone else playing the character? Anything else?) Siddig would have been a good choice for the pre-illness/pre-Gout Doran Martell, but he looks too healthy and fit. Doran Martell is a man in constant pain and basically immobile. 3) Have you seen Siddig in any other films or shows (eg Syriana, Reign of Fire, Clash of the Titans, Star Trek, 24, anything else)? How do those other roles affect your feelings about him being cast as Doran? (For example, did you like those other roles? Are you happy to see the actor in something else? Are you happy to see the actor in GoT in particular? etc). I saw him in the Star Trek Series and he was fine in that. I'm not sure there is an actor who could achieve my mental image of DM without heavy makeup. Most people that sick and gouty aren't acting! :) I think they should make him up to look heavier and more ill. Jeremy Irons comes to mind as someone who could play this role in good makeup but I imagine his salary demands would be too high. :) I don't have a better suggestion. 4) Have you read or seen any interviews with Siddig about his part in Game of Thrones? What have you learned about Siddig himself or his role as Doran? Where did you find this information? (for example YouTube, his official website, other websites, magazines). I have not read any interviews with him about his role. Doran Martell is a not a character who is well-established yet in the series and he isn't a character I feel particularly pulled in by in the novels. I'm sure Siddig will do a fine job playing the character. It's not like every character looks like the book version and most of us have learned to live with those actors not looking like the book version. Cases in point: Varys and Tyrion.