The Best Casting and Worst Casting (in your opinion).

[Don Roberto]

I don't think that season 3 has seen a downfall in casting. The Reeds were great, so were Thoros and Beric, and also Shireen, Edmure and the ghiscari masters. Orell, Ramsay, Selyse and Anguy are pretty good too, not great, but I enjoy them. Tormund and Blackfish are quite out-of-character, but that's more the script's fault than the actors (who are otherwise great and look the part). Locke was a great addition as well, and Missandei is as bleak a character here as she is in the books.

Those I'd consider miscasts are Mance, Olenna, Grey Worm and Qyburn. None really feel authentic, and their acting leaves much to be desired (though how much of that are the actors' fault, and how much they were instructed to play that way, will remain a mystery).

[FuriousGeorge]

I don't think that season 3 has seen a downfall in casting. The Reeds were great, so were Thoros and Beric, and also Shireen, Edmure and the ghiscari masters. Orell, Ramsay, Selyse and Anguy are pretty good too, not great, but I enjoy them. Tormund and Blackfish are quite out-of-character, but that's more the script's fault than the actors (who are otherwise great and look the part). Locke was a great addition as well, and Missandei is as bleak a character here as she is in the books.

Those I'd consider miscasts are Mance, Olenna, Grey Worm and Qyburn. None really feel authentic, and their acting leaves much to be desired (though how much of that are the actors' fault, and how much they were instructed to play that way, will remain a mystery).

We have seen like one or two scenes with Grey Worm, its a bit early to judge. Agree about Mance and I think it was more to do with getting Ciaran Hinds than it was to do with who will be the best Mance. The absolute worst decision, especially if Jon Snow goes on to become a central character of the whole series, is Kit Harrington. The most cringe actor I have ever seen I feel sorry for Rosa Leslie.

[barbandazi]

I also think Lena Heady doesn't look enough like Cersei, but she plays the part so perfectly that I think it doesn't really matter.

[LadyMondragon]

The absolute worst decision, especially if Jon Snow goes on to become a central character of the whole series, is Kit Harrington. The most cringe actor I have ever seen I feel sorry for Rosa Leslie.

I actually really like Kit as Jon Snow. If i recall correctly, this is his first major role, so he can only get better, right? I also think someone pointed it out earlier in this post that most of Jon's character development in the books is internal. Considering Jon is pretty much an angsty teenager, I think he does pretty good. I may be a tad biased though, because deep in my strange mind, he's my baby daddy :laugh:

[Don Roberto]

We have seen like one or two scenes with Grey Worm, its a bit early to judge. Agree about Mance and I think it was more to do with getting Ciaran Hinds than it was to do with who will be the best Mance. The absolute worst decision, especially if Jon Snow goes on to become a central character of the whole series, is Kit Harrington. The most cringe actor I have ever seen I feel sorry for Rosa Leslie.

True about Grey Worm, but he certainly doesn't look like a fearsome warrior, and since he doesn't do or say much aside from standing there and taking orders from Dany, his looks should be at least as important. But maybe the show will have bigger plans for him, so it take it back for the time being.

I actually like Kit. Not the best casting, but fits the role well enough, I never understood all this hatred of him. Jon has also been quite poorly written in season 2, maybe that's why?

[sansa's sworn sword]

worst casting-mance.

best casting- viserys.

[Julipo]

Bart the bear II, BEST CAST EVER.

Worst cast: Ian Whyte as The Mountain, really, bring back Conan Stevens!

[Pinkie Baelish]

Best casting: Tywin, Jaime, Davos, Arya, Catelyn, Ned, Theon, fuck it, there's just too many...

Worst: probably Yara, Renly or Mance. But I suspect most of that has to do with the writing than the acting

[Theda Baratheon]

Yara's pretty charismatic and attractive to me, so even though she looks nothing like Asha in the books, I don't think we've seen enough of her to dismiss her yet.

Mance is miscast though, a great actor, but just not right for Mance Rayder.

[Raja]

Think Meera and Jojen are very well cast. Jojen seems less wishy washy ( probably not a phrase ) in the show, which I think is a good thing.

Also, where is Yara? Or Lancel for that matter. These characters have vanished from season 3.

[Theda Baratheon]

LOL I love lancel, the guy they picked for him is so adorable and pathetic looking, perfect for lancel

[Hatting]

I really like Pycelle, he is pretty much excactly as I pictured him in the books. In season one there is a scene where we see that he is actually quite fit and not as slow and rusty in his mind and body as when we see him through the eyes of other characters, I really liked that.

[Nezzer]

Yara's pretty charismatic and attractive to me, so even though she looks nothing like Asha in the books, I don't think we've seen enough of her to dismiss her yet.

Mance is miscast though, a great actor, but just not right for Mance Rayder.

I don't think Ciaran Hinds wasn't right for Mance. I believe that if D&D had written Mance like the outgoing bard he is the books Ciaran would've nailed it. Ciaran Hinds can actually sing and he is very outgoing and charismatic in his interviews, but D&D apparently tried to write him more like Caesar than Mance, probably because of his gravitas. I still think Dominic West would fit better in the role, but I have no doubt Ciaran Hinds would do great if they had written show!Mance closer to book!Mance.

[Rhianys]

Long post ahead!

Peter Dinklage is truly excellent, even if I don't like what they're doing to Tyrion's character (making him less morally ambiguous). His accent is improving (the American kept slipping out in the earlier seasons) and he's really coming to bear the weight of the show. He's possibly a little more handsome than Book Tyrion, but I understand the need to cast pretty people (eg Iwan Rheon).

NCW is going from strength to strength, as does Jaime - a great choice.

Lena Headey is a great actress but... I think I pictured Cersei as being even more beautiful, in a sort of "so beautiful it's scary" way. LH plays Cersei as very cool and unfluttered, so I'm interested to see how the breakdown in the latter books will be handled!

Emilia Clarke is gorgeous and plays Dany with aplomb. Not my favourite, but still good.

Carice Van Houten doesn't get enough props for Melisandre. I've seen her other work and haven't been impressed, but she definitely captures Melisandre's complete confidence in her own ability and unwillingness to brook arguments from non-believers.

The Stark kids are all great, although I wish they'd kept the Tully colouring for everyone and not just Sansa. Maisie is a treat to watch and I wish Bran's storyline was given more time so we could see more Isaac.

Joe Dempsie for Gendry is great too, maybe just a little older than I pictured Gendry.

Jack Gleeson plays Joffrey well. It's so easy to make that into a caricature, cartoony villain, but he makes it feel like it's such a natural thing for Joffrey to be this twisted. Another actor who doesn't get enough credit.

I veer between really liking Aiden Gillen's Littlefinger and wishing they weren't giving so much away with his character, but I think he handles it well, and he's easy on the eye :wub:

Liam Cunningham is excellent. I love Davos in the books, one of my favourite POV characters, and even if Cunningham is a little older than I picture Davos, he plays him so beautifully - a really understated, quiet performance. Stephen Dillane is... okay, I guess, I too had more of a Mark Strong look in mind. He handles the role so well that I'm going to let it rest :P

Gwendoline Christie is my girl, I can't say a bad word about her, she's fierce. Brienne is the best. The Reeds are great, but again I wish we were seeing more of Bran's storyline so we could get a better handle on them.

Iain Glenn for Jorah and Ian McElhinney for Barristan are both doing fine. Glenn is way better-looking than Jorah, but again... pretty people. He plays him well.

David Bradley as Walder Frey is perfect, I actually had him in my mind's eye while reading, thanks to the Harry Potter movies.

Charles Dance is omfg awesome, you can't look at anyone else on the screen when he's there. Such a commanding presence, perfect casting.

James Cosmo for the Old Bear, Natalia Tena as Osha, Miltos Yerolemou for Syrio Forel, Jason Mamoa for Drogo, Harry Lloyd for Viserys, Tara Fitzgerald for Selyse, Lucian Msamati for Salla, Mia Soteriou for Mirri Maz Duur, and Donald Sumpter for Maester Luwin are great secondary castings, IMO. Pretty much perfect.

Castings I don't like: Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy (I guess I pictured Theon as more crazy handsome, and I think he's not a very good actor apart from the Prince of Winterfell scenes. The scenes under the Dreadfort just let me cold).

Asha Greyjoy - not concerned about her looks but Gemma Whelan doesn't seem to have Asha's sprightly wit and laughing approach to life and death. She's a BAMF in the books and we don't get to see that, although to be fair we haven't seen a lot of Asha/Yara.

Kate Dickie as Lysa Tully was pretty terrible, I'm hoping they bring in a new actor for when we return to the Vale.

Kit Harington as Jon Snow tears me up inside because I adore Kit and I adore Jon but I can't take Kit as Jon. I partially blame the show for the lack of insight into Jon's inner development, and partially blame Kit for being... well... not a great actor :frown5:

All up, I love 90% of the casting decisions even if they don't match up to my head canon. They're mostly excellent actors and my reasons for disliking certain actors often is tied with the way the show is mishandling their characters (eg Shae, Brynden).

[Will the Sellsword]

Arya Stark is ok-ish, as is Samwell Tarly. The rest of the casting is horrendous.

[klonoakenji]

Worst cast for me thus far is, unfortunately, all of the Baratheon brothers. Particularly Stannis. Dillane is a fine actor and I can't tell if it's him or the material, but this is just not how I pictured Stannis at all. I was hoping against hope that they could get Mark Strong to portray him.....alas his movie cred may be too high for this show.

Agree 110% with you. I'm going to CGI him in my brain when i see the show.

I think that it was not a good casting this of Sophie Turner too. She has nothing of the ultimate innocence that Sansa Stark has and though she is a very good actress, her appearance, ( and just this not her acting abilities) doesn't make her any favor in this role. She is too beautiful, very impressive as a woman to play the innocent romantic girl. I would have cast her for the role of Margaery as Margaery is calculative, beautiful and seductive.

Also agree. But its not her or castings fault. She just developed a lot since she was casted. In season 1 (and the audition tape) she looked more childish. Will it also happen to Maisie?.

[The_Salt_Wife]

Best casting: A tie between Charles Dance as Tywin and Maisie Williams as Arya

A honorary mention to Lena Headey as Cersei, whom I had little faith in upon hearing the choice but who has proven me wrong and really made the role her own

Worst casting: Yara Greyjoy. I hate the fact that they changed the character's name and I hate the actress they chose to portray her. She looks nothing like the Asha in the books and the actress isn't even compelling enough in her performance to make up for this.

[lunadangelo]

I love literally almost all of the casting choices. I think the show goes a long way in proofing that there are so many if not more amazing actors outside of Hollywood than in.

I adore

Samwell

Arya

Jaime

Varys

Jeor Mormont

The Onion Knight

Shireen Baratheon

Oleena

Grey Worm

Viserys

Ser Bariston

Asha

Osha

Rodrik Cassel

Ja'qen

Syrio

Tywin

Tyrion

Shae ( yes I know, controversial but, I like her and she is a lot more realistic than in the books)

Ser Allister

Jorah Mormont

Margery (hated her at the beginning but have really warmed to her as a casting choice)

Robert

The Blackfish

The Hound

Thoros

Theon

Ramsey

Bolton

I could go on and on.

There are just a few that I feel have been miscast, namely

Renly ( he was supposed to be really handsome and charismatic)

Loras ( again, ment to be beautiful)

Tormund ( supposedly jolly and rotund, not haggard and severe )

Mance ( in the prime of his life, charismatic ! I love Ciaran but ....)

Cersei (Supposedly hot and temperamental not cold and calculated)

Daario (controversially, I like book Daario so dislike the arrogance of Ed especially since I do not find him attractive at all)

Sansa ( this is really superficial on my part, but she is just so tall, I find it hard to ..)

Please mind, I am not saying they are bad actors just not what I had in mind.

[XAssGodX]

IMHO all actors are good, but the weak point of the show is its writers. Just watch the episodes written by GRRM and see, the actors will all be great. But if i have to choose the best casting it would be :

Ned

Tyrion

Jaime

Arya

Varys

Tywin

Joffrey, he doesn't look like Book Joff but each time i see him i wanna hit his face until it becomes jello.

I love all the cast but these are my faves

[Saharazade]

Fantastic....

I love Tyrion in the series,

Cersei you gotta love to hate her.

Joffrey such a sadistic lil brat again love to hate. I actually think series Joff is better than book Joff.

Arya .. She is often episode by episode my fave.

Drogo... I love the actor and I know the char was plot driven but I miss him loads.

Ned... You gotta love Sean Bean.

The Hound... Dunno why but he always gets my attention.

Tywin is a good fit always draws you to watch him.

Average

Sansa I think the part is likely one of the hardest but the actress is just OK. i've never found her riveting.

Dany... Dany is one of my fave chars in the books but the actress has of moments brilliance, but if i changed an actor in the series it would be her... I don't hate her but a lot of the time I think she could get more from a scene.

Daario He might move up or down in my estimation but in his first appearance I didn't buy him in the role.

Bran. He just isn't memorable for me. There is something I just don't get into about him.

My picks for the absolute worst.

Shae..She is just a fake. Not believable at all. She is a poor actress.

Robb...I think part of the reason is he doesn't fit at all with what I picture the char in the book. His acting doesn't make me forget it either.

Catelyn same as above... The auburn haired Tully beauty just isn't her.

Jon perhaps the worst written char in the series. That is my opinion.

Loras just bleh.