Best and Worst casting choices.

[Lion_Eyes]

To me the "best" casting can come under two categories:

Those who are excellent actors and perform very well as their character

• The adult Lannisters: Charles Dance (Tywin), Lena Headey (Cersei), Peter Dinklage (Tyrion), Nicolaj Coster Waldau (Jaime) & Jack Gleeson (Joffrey)
  
• Michelle Fairley (Cat)
  
• Stephen Dillane (Stannis)
  
• Iain Glen (Jorah)
  
• Pedro Pascal (Oberyn)
  
• Alfie Allen (Theon)
  

Those who just "are" their book character (or bloody close)

• John Bradley West (Sam)
  
• Sean Bean (Ned)
  
• Harry Lloyd (Viserys)
  
• David Bradley (Walder Frey)
  
• Jerome Flynn (Bronn)
  
• Maisie Williams (Arya)
  
• Jason Momoa (Khal Drogo)
  
• Conleth Hill (Varys)
  
• Gwendoline Christie (Brienne)
  

For worst casting choices there are those who are just so unlike their book character (though not always the actor's fault)

• Gemma Whelan (Yara)
  

I can't actually think of anyone else to put here! Ellaria and the Sandsnakes get the benefit of the doubt for now!

And those who are a bit lacking on the acting side

• Emilia Clarke (Dany)
  
• Sibil Kekilli (Shae)
  
• Seasons 1-3 Kit Harington (Jon)
  
• The stable boy Arya killed
  

[dooog]

Best

Stannis

Viserys

Ned

Margaery

Olenna

Tywin

The Hound

Davos

Cersei

Theon

Robb

Arya

Roose

Ramsay

Jorah

Jaime

Oberyn

Allister

Bronn

Joffrey

Barristan

High Sparrow

Pycelle

Robert

Jaqen

Khal Drogo

Janos

Lysa

Jeor Mormont

Jory

Walder Frey

Worst

Littlefinger

Daenerys

Shae

Jon Snow

Grey Worm

Loras

Bran (since S2)

Ellaria Sand

Indifferent

Tyrion (initially great but now looks bored & going through the motions)

Sansa

Varys

Samwell

Brienne

Pod

Catelyn

Tommen

Gendry

Melisandei

[barristan-b]

I gotta say, one of my absolute favorites is Tormund.

That guy nails it in my opinion.

[oierem]

I gotta say, one of my absolute favorites is Tormund.

That guy nails it in my opinion.

A good example of someone who was criticised in season 3 for not being the character from the books (too serious, not enough laughs...) and now loved by most because they've grown used to the slightly-different character the show has created.

[Gaz0680]

To me the "best" casting can come under two categories:

Those who are excellent actors and perform very well as their character

• The adult Lannisters: Charles Dance (Tywin), Lena Headey (Cersei), Peter Dinklage (Tyrion), Nicolaj Coster Waldau (Jaime) & Jack Gleeson (Joffrey)

Michelle Fairley (Cat)

Stephen Dillane (Stannis)

Iain Glen (Jorah)

Pedro Pascal (Oberyn)

Alfie Allen (Theon)

Those who just "are" their book character (or bloody close)

• John Bradley West (Sam)

Sean Bean (Ned)

Harry Lloyd (Viserys)

David Bradley (Walder Frey)

Jerome Flynn (Bronn)

Maisie Williams (Arya)

Jason Momoa (Khal Drogo)

Conleth Hill (Varys)

Gwendoline Christie (Brienne)

I would disagree with this.

Some of the actors you put in the second list (basically implying they're not acting great, just being themselves because their personality is like their character) are better actors than some of those in the first list (Sean Bean and Harry Lloyd for example).

Also some of them are nothing like their characters (Maise, Conleth).

[Lord Godric]

Natalie Dormer really ? I think she's the best actress on the show after Lena Headey and Diana Rigg. Margaery is pretty much based on Anne Boleyn so it makes sense that she's playing the same role as she did in the tudors

and I think Kit Harrington has improved quite a lot since season 1.

Agreed, Natalie Dormer brought Margaery to life for me in a way I don't think any other actress could. She's been perfect at the subtle manipulation and attacks on Cersei. For me she has been the greatest adaptation from book-to-screen.

[Lord Godric]

For a long time for me Sophie Turner was awful. I hated her, I thought she was dull and flat and she just was not an actress that could act without great dialogue or some action (Seasons 1 and 2 I remember thinking she just looked so expressionless, you couldn't feel pain or happiness even when you should have been able to). But I think she's come a long way and she's now capable of performing great scenes without having to say anything, which is the mark, imo, of someone who is great.

[Juan_Snow]

For a long time for me Sophie Turner was awful. I hated her, I thought she was dull and flat and she just was not an actress that could act without great dialogue or some action (Seasons 1 and 2 I remember thinking she just looked so expressionless, you couldn't feel pain or happiness even when you should have been able to). But I think she's come a long way and she's now capable of performing great scenes without having to say anything, which is the mark, imo, of someone who is great.

I can get on board with this. Kit Harrington and Sophie Turner in my book are the two most improved actors.

[Gaz0680]

I can get on board with this. Kit Harrington and Sophie Turner in my book are the two most improved actors.

I can concur with this, but of all the young actors those are the two that most needed improvement (aside from Emilia Clarke).

Isaac as Bran hasn't had a whole lot of screentime and Maisie has been excellent as Arya from day 1, though her acting has also improved significantly since season 1 also.

Emilia is a different story. Her acting has remained fairly stagnant in my opinion, or if anything, has become even more wooden. She had some poor acting scenes in season 1, but also some good ones.

This season has been very 'meh' for her.

It has also been far from Peter Dinklage's best season. He seems to now just be going through the motions. In seasons 1-3 he definitely had more conviction in his acting, even at times during season 4. This season has seemed a bit distracted/disinterested and the quality of his line delivery has deteriorated.

[Cashless Society]

Kit and Madden. Why did they get someone in their mid-twenties to play the role of a teenager? They got it right with Gleeson playing Joffrey and it's really jarring to think that the characters are in the same age bracket.

[Lord Neddard Stark]

I can concur with this, but of all the young actors those are the two that most needed improvement (aside from Emilia Clarke).

Isaac as Bran hasn't had a whole lot of screentime and Maisie has been excellent as Arya from day 1, though her acting has also improved significantly since season 1 also.

Emilia is a different story. Her acting has remained fairly stagnant in my opinion, or if anything, has become even more wooden. She had some poor acting scenes in season 1, but also some good ones.

This season has been very 'meh' for her.

It has also been far from Peter Dinklage's best season. He seems to now just be going through the motions. In seasons 1-3 he definitely had more conviction in his acting, even at times during season 4. This season has seemed a bit distracted/disinterested and the quality of his line delivery has deteriorated.

I don't really blame Dinklage, he's wasted on pointless scenes and they've whitewashed his character so much that there's nothing interesting about him anymore. I think it's time for him to move onto bigger and and better things.

[LordImp]

Best:

Jack Gleeson

Charles Dance

Alfie Allen

Iwan Rheon

Michael McElhatton

Jerome Flynn

Conleth Hill

Nikolaj Coster Waldau

Peter dinklage

Stephen Dillane

Carice van Houten

Maisie Williams

Hounourable mention: Rory McCann

Worst:

Indira Varma

The Sand snakes

[of man and wolf]

Most underrated actor on the show.

Yeah his acting is good but for some reason I dont think he's a natural fighter with swords like you'd expect the kingslayer to be. Kit looks better. Viggo was a natural with a sword. But a lot of Nics fights come off a bit meh.

[Good Guy Garlan]

I've recently started watching Downton Abbey and I can't get over how Rob James-Collier would've been the perfect Renly:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/dc/ec/cb/dceccbee69a55617d291d94fa7ec052b.jpg

[Christi84]

Best:

Lannisters

Starks

Tullys

Boltons

Stannis

Brienne

Varys

Walder

Viserys

Khal Drogo

Oberyn

The Hound

Theon

Bronn

Worst:

Dany

Ellaria

Sand Snakes

Shae

Indifferent:

Jon Snow

Melisandre

Littlefinger

Yara

Margaery

Loras

Renly

I think almost every house has been cast really well with the exception of the Tyrells. I guess Im in the minority but I dont find Natalie Dormer appealing or really that good as Margaery, and I think Loras is a good cast choice but D&D ruined his character so I cant stand him, similar to Ellaria Sand.

I really dont enjoy Emilia Clarke either as Dany, shes too wooden for me. She was a little bit better in the first two seasons, but now it feels like she's fallen back on being hot stuff or something when shes really not. I dont mind Kit Harington either. Im not a fan of Jon Snow in the books in terms of his POV, so I think Kit is doing all he can with what hes got, but Jon Snow is not all that great.

My favorites are the Lannisters and Starks. I think both houses were cast near perfect with how they were and are portrayed, and the actors worked really well together it seems.

[Baron Bazunor the Twisted]

Worst: Shae. Absolutely horrible. So horrible I can't even think of any other bad ones or even the good ones right now.

[AGS Martell]

Best:

Tyrion

Cersei

Tywin

Queen of Thornes

Oberyn

Worst:

Bran Stark

Yara Greyjoy

The sandsnakes

[The hairy bear]

Worst: Shae. Absolutely horrible. So horrible I can't even think of any other bad ones or even the good ones right now.

A hundred times this. IMO, Shae's casting was the show first huge mistake, and had terrible repercussions in Tyrion's storyline. They just didn't get the character. It is a big think to say because apparently George was involved in the casting choice, but in all honesty I can't say anything else that Sybelle was everything that the role should not be.

[Borodin]

Worst: Weiss and Benioff.

Best: George R.R. Martin

[Lord Cadwan]

For me Iwan Rheon as Ramsay is the best as he captures the sheer giddy, sadistic craziness of the character perfectly and can even make Ramsay sympathetic and for me his every scene is hust a joy to watch and I am always amazed at just how happy he always appears to be when acting-it just makes you smile.