New Casting Announcements

[Indigo Cloak]

Now very excited for this. PS. I've been around a lot this week as I'm between holiday day jobs whilst my CRB is checked and now I've gone from 70+ hour weeks to 30 hour weeks and seem to spend all 40 extra free hours following this story!

Tamzin definitely looks like Dany: young-looking, attractive but exotic/weird. As long as she can act the part, the whining about her is unsubstantiated.

Glen is a good actor and looks OK for Jorah. For that role, the acting is more vital, so he's perfect.

Madden can no doubt play Robb Stark, especially with his Romeo experience (they are similar characters, though not in the same situation) and Alfie will make a rogueish Theon. If Martin says he acted the part well, then he did.

ASSUMING they can find a suitably attractive yet similar Cersei, NCW looks and can easily act like Jaime.

As for the girls, at this point, who knows?

[The Pita]

Yeah, but it's not as if that thread was closed...

I always saw Jaime as slightly effeminate because he looked a lot like Cersei. However, the writers of the pilot didn't and I'm getting there point. You should read the leaked script. It describes Jaime as huge.

[daimonion]

I think Tamzin looks young enough. She COULD be 15 and doesnt really look any older than 17 to me. I imagine its partly because i'm "old" and thus tend to think young people look younger than they are. But obviously a lot of people my age and up will watch the show, so.. She also does have that skinny underdeveloped body 15 year old girls have, and in Drogos presumably huge arms, she'll shrink up nicely.

NCW is quite rugged, but i've seen "worse". I think he is "pretty" enough, and with a long blond hair - maybe with a hint of curls - clean shaven and the right make up, he might just look close to perfect.

[childdoll]

Jaime is supposed to be EFFEMINATE?

Do I read the same books as everyone else? I'd love some textual evidence that Jaime is 'pretty and effeminate'. Because I don't recall it.

Some people just set themselves up for disappointment by imagining characters as completely different from how they are actually described. Fair enough, we all have our own internal images of characters but if the actor doesn't match your fantasy pretty mincing Jaime it's not really their fault, because that's not how he is meant to be.

I will try and scour some of the books when I have the chance for specific passages.

In the meantime, you have your opinion and I have mine.

GRRM is happy with the choices and really that's all that matters, because it's the authors vision.

Again, I am going to just sit back and eagerly await to watch the series, and hope the cast and crew does a good job.

[Renasko]

Tamzin definitely looks like Dany: young-looking, attractive but exotic/weird. As long as she can act the part, the whining about her is unsubstantiated.

It is a moot point. Some could say she can't play the part, because...well, she doesn't look quite right for the part. Her acting hasn't been called into question, as I imagine very few have seen her in proper action. That she played just another one of Henry's wives in the Tudors doesn't do too much for people finding out she's playing arguably the most important part of the show. It's all well and fine dumbing people's reactions down to whining and claiming it's unsubstantiated, but the same could be said about what you said. For example, how pray-tell does she look in any way exotic/weird? She looks ordinary. As I said in my previous post, looks are just a bonus, as far as this is concerned. One I believe we won't be receiving, at least with Daenerys.

[drzoidberg]

I agree with pretty much all that....

I don't have quotes from the books for ya, but I read them several times and the impression I got of Jaime of a guy with a traditional sort of beauty - ie regular features etc, not with anything out of proportion in his face. GRRM obviously had something else in his mind.

It's going to be hard for me to see NCW as meant to be playing this really gorgeous guy when the 'regular' guys are eg Sean Bean as Ned, and the guys playing Jon Snow, Robb and even Viserys are to me much more attractive!!

(from my reading of GoT they weren't necessarily physically attractive characters).

:unsure:

Not really pleased with Jaime's casting. He's suppose to have an effeminate prettiness that this guy just doesn't have. This guy has a rugged handsomeness... not the prettiness that Jaime is suppose to have. Just not how I pictured him at all. I'm a bit disappointed.

As for the choice of Tamzin Merchant as Dany...well... to be perfectly honest, I am not crazy about her for Dany.

She's a very pretty young lady... but that's the problem. She looks like a young lady and not a young girl. I understand that they are aging Dany up a bit (to 15, I believe), and that's understandable, and with the sexuality, obviously you had to have someone over 18 play her. But she does not look like a 15 year old. She looks like a 19-20 year old. Personally, I found one of the importances of Dany is her youth. That is an essential key element to her. There's such a mix of childhood innocence and raw power broiling underneath. Without that sense of childlike innocence and vunerability, the character looses so much.

Miss Merchant looks like she probably could have played Dany effectively at one point, but she simply doesn't look young enough to be convincing to me. I will just wait and hope that she is able to bring this very important role to justice.

I think Madden looks a tad too mature for Rob too. He looks so much older than Jon and they are supposed to be the same age.

As for the others, I'm a bit indifferent about.

It's really all going to boil down to how well they act.

So, I guess I'll just sit back and have to wait for a final judgment.

[Indigo Cloak]

It is a moot point. Some could say she can't play the part, because...well, she doesn't look quite right for the part. Her acting hasn't been called into question, as I imagine very few have seen her in proper action. That she played just another one of Henry's wives in the Tudors doesn't do too much for people finding out she's playing arguably the most important part of the show. It's all well and fine dumbing people's reactions down to whining and claiming it's unsubstantiated, but the same could be said about what you said. For example, how pray-tell does she look in any way exotic/weird? She looks ordinary. As I said in my previous post, looks are just a bonus, as far as this is concerned. One I believe we won't be receiving, at least with Daenerys.

Well, as you say it is a moot point. But from the Tudors images (the most important ones, as she will be made and dressed up in the show), I think she looks impishly attractive, but with a sharp, pointy facial shape and features and big eyes that make her look (in a completely inoffensive way) slightly non-human, alien or fairy-like if you like. Plus, Dany's never described by any character who has actually met her as "the most beautiful woman in the world". In fact, in a GoT, she has tiny breasts, is waifish and looks like a girl not yet a woman as I recall. She's 13 (now 15 in the series)! I've honestly yet to meet the 13 year old that I'd like to ****. If anything, I feel Tamzin is too womanly for the book Dany, but for the series one, she'll be fine for me. Targaryens had the additional attractiveness of violet eyes and silver hair, so until those are implemented, it's hard to say how'll she look but her face is impish enough for me. Kind of (but not quite) like a young Claire Danes.

Her acting is an unknown quality, which given the nature of a role, was likely for anyone cast. There aren't many Oscar-winning teenagers. And I called people's reactions whining, because a) the complaints are pointless as they can't change the casting, they can either watch the show and feel SO aggreived or not. Their choice. b) they seem to think taht beauty is objective, though I notice those who feel that NCW is too masculine for Jaime aren't attacking NCW himself c) maybe I should not have said unsubstantiated given the subjective nature of all this, but the fact is that if there is ANY objective view on Dany's looks, who has the right to have it? A few readers, or the man who created every aspect of her look and character? We have no idea how she looks: no Pov character, not even a biased one as for the likes of Robb, has ever seen her. All we know if that she was exotic enough and good enough in bed for Drogo (though Viserys doubted whether she was womanly enough for that and his family has a tradition of sleeping with siblings), Jorah the desperate has a crush on her, people are willing to pleasure her as she is a Queen, she has silver hair and purple eyes, she isn't exactly curvaceous, and she can look good when dressed up in wedding gear. Who wouldn't? Your image of Dany is yours and you are entitled to that image, but it doesn't mean you have a right to dictate how her author imagines her.

[Black Wizard]

But in the news article it has her listed from Doctor Who....

It's an American article though.

The Sophie Turner who was in Doctor Who is about 40. The news link to your left also says "Contrary to what the Hollywood Reporter claims, Sophie Turner has not been on Doctor Who; they’re confusing her with the adult actress of the same name".

The girl playing Daenerys is quite pretty. She's not quite what I expected but I'm not really sure what I expected her to look like anyway.

[Fate's Bitch]

My thoughts, based mostly on looks and general vibe:

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau: Perfect. He has that arrogant twinkle in his eye in all the pics I've seen of him. He exudes a lot of charm in in the Youtube vids I've seen of him. A lot of people don't seem to like him because he's not pretty enough, but to me he's just the right amount of pretty with enough edge to make a believable Kingslayer. He's a warrior, the nose could easily have been broken in combat.

Tamzin Merchant: Great. A lot of people were in love with the thought of Gemma Ward as the exotic 'look' of Dany but she always struck me as too alien - her face was too inscrutable. Dany's not supposed to be the consummate queen at the start - she's a young girl, with very real fears and doubts, who learns to put on the face of the queen. Merchant looks like a waifish 15-year-old and has an unconventional attractiveness that compliments Harry Lloyd well.

(For those hung up on her sex-kitten portrayal of Katherine Howard, check out her role as Georgiana Darcy in the 2007 "Pride and Prejudice". It's a small role but she was very effervescent and sweet in it. Should be available on Youtube)

Alfie Allen: Not my choice at all. Doesn't look like a Theon to me, all the sliminess and none of the charm. I associate his name so closely with the unflattering portrayal Lily Allen paints of him in her song that it's clouding my judgement a bit. Regardless, I'm keeping an open mind. I understand some characters are going to deviate quite heavily from how I pictured them, and I'll reserve judgement untill I see him in action. I think a rewatch of "Atonement" is in order to assess his acting skills.

Richard Madden: Great. Looks like a Robb to Kit Harington's Jon. Good family casting here. No idea of his acting but the favourable reviews for his Romeo are a good sign. No complaints here.

Iain Glen: Great. His credentials speak for themselves. Initially I thought he looked too handsome to be downtrodden Jorah but certain pics and photoshops have made me reconsider. He'll make a fine Jorah.

The kids: Can't tell much from the tiny pics but Arya looks suitably fierce. I pray they're as good as GRRM describes.

I have a lot of faith in the casting people getting the roles right, even if some may seem a bit off at first look. I'm trying to think of a single badly-cast role on "Rome" and failing miserably, so I'll trust in Nina Gold's judgement.

[Lord Varys]

Viserys is a Targaryen. He is beautiful by birth ;-). And when Dany sees her vison of Rhaegar in ACoK, he seems to be only a stronger, broader version of Viserys.

I agree on Jaime having in my mind at least a feminine face (of course, no metrosexual body, as he is supposed to be a rather strong man), as he is described as a male version of Cersei, and Cersei as a very beautiful woman. I always assumed that GRRM wanted to present Jaime and Cersei as similar as they could possibly be without being monozygotic twins (which they could not be). That's why Cersei gets annoyed when Jaime comes back from Riverrun one-handed, bearded (with no intention to shave) and his first grey hairs.

[Jonias Snow]

Many people on other blogs are mentioning Nickolaj Coster-Waldau's broken nose and some are suggesting, since he is a knight, the audience would just assume he was injured in some joist or battle. I have a more entertaining suggestion, I posted it over on WiC and I have modified it a little for here.

I know what HBO can do about NCW's broken nose. In the banquet hall scene they can add a little scene, after Ned and Jaime's little joist at the table.

You can have Tyrion passing by Jaime on his way out. Moving in close to him he stands near.

JAMIE:

(turning to Tyrion)

"I believe you have had a little too much tonight brother, get away from me before you ruin these garments of mine like you have done countless others." (pushing him away)

Tryion stares at Jaime then over to Ned (who is walking away) then back at Jaime, but more intently with a drunken glaze in his eyes.

JAIME:

(smirking)

"What are you staring at, you drunken whore lover."

TYRION:

"Now that I can see more clearly (low belch), yes, I do believe he did make an improvement to your appearance, my beautiful brother."

Jaime starts to move his hand carefully toward his face (eyes opening wide in surprise) then moves it gracefully back to his goblet. A slight grin emerging from his face, (eyes now glinting with mischievous rage).

JAIME:

"Well, little brother, the only way HE could ever make an improvement to your appearance, is to shorten you even more by removing your head."

Tyrion laughs loudly.

TYRION:

"Well as long as he doesn't cut off my other head, for the women of Westeros would be be greatly distressed."

JAIME:

(laughing back)

"Yes my brother I do believe the whore's of Flea Bottom just might be at that. Now leave and vomit outside before our dear sister notices your presence."

Tyrion glances over to her (Cersei is occupied in table chatter).

TYRION:

"I am sure she has, she is just ignoring my presence as usual when company is around."

Tyrion turns and walks away.

Watching his brother stagger away in a somewhat dignified manner. Jaime turns his gaze back in the direction of Ned.

:cheers:

[Werthead]

Yeah, the pictures I've seen from artists who decided that Jaime needed to be 'effeminate' are pretty ridiculous. Even the ususally-reliable Amoka fell down with his picture of Jaime which just looked a bit silly (you can get perms in Westeros?). NCW, with a change in hair colour and style, looks like he could be the Kormack Jaime very easily, which is far more the way I see the character.

Season 3 of The Tudors, featuring Merchant, starts in the UK

[Ser_not_appearing_yet]

I'm bloody thrilled. My wildest dreams are coming true, Thrones is going great and the cast looks perfect. Happy with all those choices.

[red snow]

Season 3 of The Tudors, featuring Merchant, starts in the UK

Don't hold your breath for tamzin as she's only in the season finale but it's interesting nevertheless :eek:

[Indigo Cloak]

Many people on other blogs are mentioning Nickolaj Coster-Waldau's broken nose and some are suggesting, since he is a knight, the audience would just assume he was injured in some joist or battle. I have a more entertaining suggestion, I posted it over on WiC and I have modified it a little for here.

I know what HBO can do about NCW's broken nose. In the banquet hall scene they can add a little scene, after Ned and Jaime's little joist at the table.

You can have Tyrion passing by Jaime on his way out. Moving in close to him he stands near.

JAMIE:

(turning to Tyrion)

"I believe you have had a little too much tonight brother, get away from me before you ruin these garments of mine like you have done countless others." (pushing him away)

Tryion stares at Jaime then over to Ned (who is walking away) then back at Jaime, but more intently with a drunken glaze in his eyes.

JAIME:

(smirking)

"What are you staring at, you drunken whore lover."

TYRION:

"Now that I can see more clearly (low belch), yes, I do believe he did make an improvement to your appearance, my beautiful brother."

Jaime starts to move his hand carefully toward his face (eyes opening wide in surprise) then moves it gracefully back to his goblet. A slight grin emerging from his face, (eyes now glinting with mischievous rage).

JAIME:

"Well, little brother, the only way HE could ever make an improvement to your appearance, is to shorten you even more by removing your head."

Tyrion laughs loudly.

TYRION:

"Well as long as he doesn't cut off my other head, for the women of Westeros would be be greatly distressed."

JAIME:

(laughing back)

"Yes my brother I do believe the whore's of Flea Bottom just might be at that. Now leave and vomit outside before our dear sister notices your presence."

Tyrion glances over to her (Cersei is occupied in table chatter).

TYRION:

"I am sure she has, she is just ignoring my presence as usual when company is around."

Tyrion turns and walks away.

Watching his brother stagger away in a somewhat dignified manner. Jaime turns his gaze back in the direction of Ned.

:cheers:

I kind of like it, but kind of can't bring myself to believe that Ned Stark could ever break Jaime's nose, even if he saw him on the Iron Throne. Too restrained for that. But, a nice touch, actually... adds to their history, as HBO seem to be trying to.

[El Duderino]

really really missed on Dany; first terrible choice

[damian]

NCW is exactly how i pictured Jaime. When i first saw his picture I thought "holy crap, he's perfect." the wide mouth and ability to smirk, scowl, smile, and all three at the same time are key. i don't know what people mean by "too rugged." He can shave, you know. And Jaime is a huge powerful man. Show me a huge powerful man with these "delicate" features people are talking about.

[El Duderino]

for those that like to pretend Dany wasn't supposed to be beautiful, what about the prophecy about Cerci being replaced by a queen more beautiful than her?

[Silverstar]

for those that like to pretend Dany wasn't supposed to be beautiful, what about the prophecy about Cerci being replaced by a queen more beautiful than her?

Who says that's necessarily going to be Dany?

[damian]

for those that like to pretend Dany wasn't supposed to be beautiful, what about the prophecy about Cerci being replaced by a queen more beautiful than her?

thing is, i think many people think tamzin is beautiful. and she is.