Casting Choice an Audience Perception

[CryptofCthulhu]

This applies more to the TV audience that hasn't read the books.

Just a quick observation on the casting choices, mainly their physical appearance, compared to the books.

Theon - Less attractive than  book description. Easier to dislike and justify his torture?

Roose Bolton - Less menacing, big change all around. If he was depicted in the show how he was in the book the audience would become suspicious from the start. The book version has    "Creepy Villain" written all over his face.

Ramsay Bolton - More attractive than book description. Audience more shocked by his betrayal and sadism, as compared to if he was just an ugly brute?

Jorah Mormont - Far better looking in the show. More believable love interest potential for Dany?

Cersei - Less attractive than in book. Not saying the actress is unattractive, but she isn't quite at book level Cersei beauty. I actually see her more as Catelyn.

Catelyn - I could say she is less attractive than how the book describes her, but I don't think this factors in much. She's a widow and a worried mother, hard not to identify with.

 

I'm not trying to be judgmental of these actors, just an observation.

[Mother of Mountains]

All better imaginings of the characters than the disneyfied nonsense you see on AwoIaF.

[CryptofCthulhu]

Disneyfied how?

[Mother of Mountains]

http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/File:Katherine_Dinger_CLannister.jpg

Utter shite

[CryptofCthulhu]

I'd say it looks far more like a generic sword and sorcery style than Disney.

Can you provide an example that you think is better?

[Magnar of Skagos]

Looks exactly like how I pictured Cersei, albeit a bit younger...

[WhitewolfStark]

On 1/26/2016 at 10:54 AM, CryptofCthulhu said:

This applies more to the TV audience that hasn't read the books.

Just a quick observation on the casting choices, mainly their physical appearance, compared to the books.

Theon - Less attractive than  book description. Easier to dislike and justify his torture?

Roose Bolton - Less menacing, big change all around. If he was depicted in the show how he was in the book the audience would become suspicious from the start. The book version has    "Creepy Villain" written all over his face.

Ramsay Bolton - More attractive than book description. Audience more shocked by his betrayal and sadism, as compared to if he was just an ugly brute?

Jorah Mormont - Far better looking in the show. More believable love interest potential for Dany?

Cersei - Less attractive than in book. Not saying the actress is unattractive, but she isn't quite at book level Cersei beauty. I actually see her more as Catelyn.

Catelyn - I could say she is less attractive than how the book describes her, but I don't think this factors in much. She's a widow and a worried mother, hard not to identify with.

 

I'm not trying to be judgmental of these actors, just an observation.

I actually wish that Jennifer Ehle had stayed on as Catelyn (she was Catelyn for the original pilot). I love her as an actress (Pride and Prejudice, Possession, Zero Dark Thirty, Robocop, Spooks, etc.) and I think she would've done a brilliant job had she stayed in the role. Lately it's been nice to see her out of the corset roles, so I can understand why she might have wanted out beyond the family reasons she gave at the time.

I think casting a more handsome Theon wasn't out of the picture, but I'll agree he looks a little more derpy than I imagined book Theon being. Definitely a better Theon for post-torture than pre-torture though. It does undercut his transformation though.

I think the Roose we got was a better choice than book Roose, so I'm happy with that choice.

Jorah is a bit too... refined. I get why they went that way, because otherwise Jorah would just blend in with the rest of the Dothraki if he was as brutish as he is depicted in the books. But I actually rather like how GRRM depicted that there's different kinds of brutes.

I agree that Cersei doesn't really strike me as "the most beautiful woman in the world, bar none" but at the same time I could see how that could be said of her, and given we have a larger age gap, I can definitely see her being depicted in the manner she is.

[Slender Aimry Hill]

With the exception to some extent of Ramsay (and his faults are more the direction and script's flaws than the actor's), all of the examples you list are superb examples of the best acting in the show! I wouldn't alter one.

I also think they do add a certain realistic element. I particularly like the scene where Dance's Tywin describes his cold, sexy, magnetic but kinda horsily average tough looking daughter as 'the most beautiful woman in the realm' to Rigg's incredulous Olenna. It underlines a very historical and medieval vibe: 'she's my daughter and if I say she's the most beautiful, she is'.

Perhaps because I watched the show's first season before reading I find it hard to say who feels miscast, all seem about right. But I wouldn't weep if Jon or Dany changed, as I have limited interest in their characters. Otherwise? Well, blond bling Salla might have been interesting, though I like black Salla and can see why they opted to go down the diversity route. But Daario among others is a measureless improvement.

 

 

[Channel4s-JonSnow]

Yeah I read the book around the time the first season came out so its really hard to separate their appearances in my head. 

The big one is Jorah for me who is clearly 'a bear' in the books, but in the show is a shakespearan thesp. I actually prefer the show version however, I think it makes him a lot more interesting that he comes across like a standard hero but is actually a deeply flawed individual. 

Ramsey, whilst I actually hate the actor they picked, is a more interesting choice than had they gone for the brute as described in the books. I'd actually have a preferred a more 'Viserys' type of actor to play him. 

Daario is someone I really don't think they've managed to get right, both times. Old Daario was simply an awful goofy actor, New Daario is too standardly heroic and bland, I need a bit more danger and animal in him.

 

[Slender Aimry Hill]

Mmmm, but a talking Labrador would be superior to book Daario in any case...

[CryptofCthulhu]

49 minutes ago, Slender Aimry Hill said:

With the exception to some extent of Ramsay (and his faults are more the direction and script's flaws than the actor's), all of the examples you list are superb examples of the best acting in the show! I wouldn't alter one.

I also think they do add a certain realistic element. I particularly like the scene where Dance's Tywin describes his cold, sexy, magnetic but kinda horsily average tough looking daughter as 'the most beautiful woman in the realm' to Rigg's incredulous Olenna. It underlines a very historical and medieval vibe: 'she's my daughter and if I say she's the most beautiful, she is'.

Perhaps because I watched the show's first season before reading I find it hard to say who feels miscast, all seem about right. But I wouldn't weep if Jon or Dany changed, as I have limited interest in their characters. Otherwise? Well, blond bling Salla might have been interesting, though I like black Salla and can see why they opted to go down the diversity route. But Daario among others is a measureless improvement.

 

 

I have no issue with the acting, they are all believable characters. Though I would say I'm not a fan of Emilia Clarke.

If Jon was more upbeat and not a morose character I would like him more. Kit isn't a bad actor but the way he portrays Jon is somewhat of a letdown.

[dsug]

Hey don't start picking on people's looks lol! 

But in my opinion, Lena Headey is hot af. No she doesn't have like size DDD boobs like in the books, but Lena adds a more human beauty to Cersei. Her face is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen. She's statuesque, and I think it looks much more in line with the show character than the stereotypical MILF from the books. I just think she's sexy lol 

[CryptofCthulhu]

1 minute ago, dsug said:

Hey don't start picking on people's looks lol! 

But in my opinion, Lena Headey is hot af. No she doesn't have like size DDD boobs like in the books, but Lena adds a more human beauty to Cersei. Her face is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen. She's statuesque, and I think it looks much more in line with the show character than the stereotypical MILF from the books. I just think she's sexy lol 

Lena did a great job in 300 and she's certainly easy on the eyes. I just see her and think of the wicked queen you see in Disney films.

Her acting is fine.

[Good Guy Garlan]

Alfie Allen and Iwan Rheon should've switched characters, IMO. Rheon is too hammy and over the top as a psychopath, but Allen proved he's great at playing sadistic villanous assholes in John Wick. He would've brought Ramsay a subtlety that Rheon is lacking, I think, though he's great as Theon too. 

I know this is like beating a dead King's Landing cat as we head towards season 6, but Lena, while consistently giving a great performance, has never really been Cersei for me, in terms of appearance or personality. I think she would've made a great Cat. I mean, she had the Cat look to a T in Imagine Me and You:

As for Cersei, I actually think Natalie Dormer would've been a better fit. 

[dsug]

Yeah, everyone's interpretation is different and that's why most casting get such mixed reactions. It's literally impossible to cast "the most beautiful woman in the world" and please everyone, ya know? Everyone's perception of beauty is different. But Lena and Michelle give great performances so that's all I need lol

[Nezi0]

Cercei Lannister's actress is the most obvious miscast for me. Lena Headey is more of a Obara Sand than Cercei.

nr2 is Danny. She's too..puffy, especially her arms. Visually i think the original cast was closer to book Danny. I like Emilie as an actress though. 

Another one would be Jorah. After all the feedback from female friends, I have a hard time processing TV series Jorah to be friend-zoned.

Also hate the fact that they miscast all the Lyseni. Was looking forward to their flamboyance. 

[Nezi0]

On 1/29/2016 at 1:48 PM, dsug said:

Hey don't start picking on people's looks lol! 

But in my opinion, Lena Headey is hot af. No she doesn't have like size DDD boobs like in the books, but Lena adds a more human beauty to Cersei. Her face is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen. She's statuesque, and I think it looks much more in line with the show character than the stereotypical MILF from the books. I just think she's sexy lol 

Book Cercei come of as an ethereal beauty with attitude.

Lena is hot and all, but she's too masculine. She would've been a better Obara. 

[Ser Yorick Ampersand]

Sandor Clegane - he is young only 27 years old. Younger than Cersei and Jaime for ex. When I tell my friends they are allways surprised. As much as I like  Rory Mcann's performance who is 46 I think it crippled the Sansa/Hound romance thing and made it way creepier.

It also made the Clegane brothers age not match their looks. Gregor is supposed to be 5 years older than Sandor and looks 20 years younger fighting Oberym...buzz kill.

 

Bloodraven - I'll allways hate the way the show treated Bloodraven. It really makes me mad. He looks like an asian Mr.Myagi hanging out on a tree. Not albino, no winestain and 2 f'in eyes! Somehow he looks youger and healthier than Maester Aemon (facepalm).

Now he's been recast (I hate the stupid recasting in this show) and appears in the trailers with super short hair and no beard

 

Arya - Maisie Williams is great but she definetly doesnt have the Stark look. She and Jon are the only Stark children to bear the looks.

Even GRRM said in an interview her face is just wrong. How can you call her Arya horse-face if  her head is round like an orange.

 

Jorah Mormont - Fat , hairy , bald , ugly. In the show he looks like a disney prince.

 

Grey Worm - stocky, of medium height and square with stern look on his face ... The guy in the show is so skinny he looks fragile and never menacing. Am I supposed to believe he's the commander of the Unsullied?

 

 

 

 

[Tianzi]

Lena Headey - anyone called 'the most beautiful woman in Seven Kingdoms' is gonna be controversial. That, and the age and looking similarly to Jaime. I think she's beautiful enough and plays the part awesomely.

Rory McCann - one of the two people who in my perception are too old for the role.

Michelle Fairley - the second one. I would like Jennifer Ehle better (I don't even know if Ehle is younger, but she is less, hmm, fragile).

Emilia - I don't give a shit about Daenerys, but she is one of the few characters who has the actress' face to me when I read the books.

Handsome Ramsay - I think it created an opening to make him a 'cooler', pumped out, boring invincible villain, which I hate.

Brienne - perfect.

Alfie - I love his weird face and he looks like THE Theon for me despite being different than the book description.

Yara - same, shame they didn't hire Lily Allen tho.

Sansa - I don't know... She is attractive and sort of demure, but not in a classical way. And Sophie has gotten so tall.

Littlefinger and Varys - spot on.

Also, I preferred the first Daario, the 'stud muffin'. The second one is so generic.

[Tywinelle]

I won't get into the "not beautiful enough" issue but I hate that they can't get the coloring of the actors to match the descriptions in the books.  They gave brunette Emilia and Lena blonde wigs.  Prime example redheaded actors playing young and older Ned Stark.  Why?  It's not like either actor was so amazing they just couldn't go with someone else or DYE THEIR HAIR!