Who should Ian McShane play?

[Gillio]

from IMDB doesn't look particularly available

But yes, can see him as Mance

[RottenAppleFossoway]

I could definately see McShane playing Prince Doran Martell. He's about the right age for the part and he has the look of what I envision Doran looking like. Just need to add gout make-up :P

I could also see him as the "kindly old man" in the House of Black and White as well.

Aside from those two, I can't think of any other semi-major to major role that he would be right for.

Qyburn perhaps.

[Tyroshi Sellsword]

I always pictured a younger Ian McShane as Oberyn Martell:

http://www.trailershut.com/actor-images/ian-mcshane-205.jpg

But I think he's too old now, sadly. Doran Martell or Mance Rayder would be good, though.

[Maester Blaster]

I can see him as Mance. He is the right combination of commanding and irreverent. I am afraid he's probably to big a name for a small part in GoT.

[Winterfelon]

I can see him as Mance. He is the right combination of commanding and irreverent. I am afraid he's probably to big a name for a small part in GoT.

Mance

isn't necessarily a small part

. :)

I think he's too old, alas. Lovejoy-era McShane would have been a great shout.

[Lannes]

If we make it that far- Ben Plumm.

[3 Headed Direwolf]

Qyburn is an interesting choice for McShane. He could probably do that well and Qyburn has more screen time then most of the others on the list. Victarion needs to be someone who is big and built and McShane isn't as physically imposing as I picture Victarion to be.

[Todd Sand bastard of AZ]

Hodor.

[merchantkingpriest]

I think Randyll Tarly is the best fit. He's oldish, a total badass and a major douche

[TeaRose]

DAMPHAIR

I didn't know anything about McShane until he was totally butt-kicking in Pirates 4 (yep. I'm a pirates fan). On the basis of that I reckon he could rock a Greyjoy.

And you gotta love the Damphair. He needs an awesome actor.

[snowzombie]

Ian McShane turns 69 today.

Qyburn, because McShane can do creepy.

Or Tormund, because he can do blustery.

Part of me wishes a part could be written for him, as a tavern/brothel owner somewhere in the 7 Kingdoms, who gets to spend lots of time with Tyrion. I know that's impossible, but a girl can dream. Al Swearengen needs to return to television.

[7V3N]

Al Swearengen needs to return to television.

I just started Deadwood. I'm nearing the end of season 2. I love McShane in the show. He needs to be on more shows being just a total badass.

[snowzombie]

I just started Deadwood. I'm nearing the end of season 2. I love McShane in the show. He needs to be on more shows being just a total badass.

I taught a film theory class year. I was required to do a unit on westerns. I hate westerns. Hate them. So much. I usually teach history, my passion is Native American history, I'm a strident feminist, how could I possibly like westerns?

I finished watching Deadwood a month ago. It was a revelation. It is my all time favorite TV show. It's what westerns claimed to be, but never were for me. I love the community aspect of the show, that such a disparate group of people come to rely on one another, that Al becomes the "get out the peaches we're having a meeting" guy. His relationships to Trixie, Dan, the doc, the reverend, Jewel, Bullock - it's all so interesting. If the show had stuck with Bullock as the protagonist it would be a western like any other western with Bullock in the Clint Eastwood role. Luckily David Milch realized Al was a much richer character. One of my frustrations with westerns is that they all seem to center on men who can't or won'r communicate. Al is quite a communicator.

Al's sense of humor reminds me of my father's sense of humor. The old man started watching the show and last week he called some guy a "f*cknut" on the golf course. Al for the win!!!

PS Wouldn't you love Al transposed in the 7 Kingdoms, running a brothel for Tyrion??

[Arrogant Bastard]

I finished watching Deadwood a month ago. It was a revelation. It is my all time favorite TV show. It's what westerns claimed to be, but never were for me. I love the community aspect of the show, that such a disparate group of people come to rely on one another, that Al becomes the "get out the peaches we're having a meeting" guy. His relationships to Trixie, Dan, the doc, the reverend, Jewel, Bullock - it's all so interesting. If the show had stuck with Bullock as the protagonist it would be a western like any other western with Bullock in the Clint Eastwood role. Luckily David Milch realized Al was a much richer character. One of my frustrations with westerns is that they all seem to center on men who can't or won'r communicate. Al is quite a communicator.

I've just been rewatching the series since HBO has been airing a new episode every week day. I think Deadwood is probably my all time favorite tv show, even ahead of The Wire. And of course, McShane is brilliant. It's hard to believe he was the third choice for the role, and that initially Milch wanted Ed O'Neal (Al Bundy).

It's unlikely he'll ever be on GoT, but I second the idea of him being Mance. It's really the biggest role left that he could play, and I think he would make a great Mance. Mance in teh book is significantly younger than McShane, but I don't think there's really any reason why Mance can't be older on the tv show. Hell, I would take McShane playing just about anyone regardless of the difference made to the novels if it meant getting him on the show.

[pourthedamhypocras]

Has Mance been cast yet? Can't remember how old or tall he is, It'd be nice to see Ian not be a complete or complicated Bastard for once. Someone's Bastard father seems to be the vote here, how about Sam's? but Roose(quiet crazy) that is soo him... wtih what's left I vote for Sam's Bastered Dad or Qyburn

[Many and More]

I'm the last person on earth to be ageist, but this actor is nearly 70, and looks it. He's much too old to play any of the Greyjoy brothers, or Oberyn or Doran Martell, or Mance.

Maybe The Kindly Man?

[Arrogant Bastard]

I'm the last person on earth to be ageist, but this actor is nearly 70, and looks it. He's much too old to play any of the Greyjoy brothers, or Oberyn or Doran Martell, or Mance.

Maybe The Kindly Man?

He's probably too old for the Greyjoy brothers or either of the Martells, but I don't see why he's too old for Mance. From what I remember, Mance's ages isn't really crucial to the timeline like a chracter such as Stannis, who has to at least look like he could be younger or around the age of Robert. And Mance doesn't do any physical stunts that would be unbelievable with McShane playing the character.

Still, it's unlikely he'll be cast at all, but of the remaining roles that he could play, I think Mance is the best choice. The Kindly Man, Doran, Randyll Tarly are all parts that are too small and he's too old for other big parts like Oberyn.

[lyvyathan]

McShane is a superb actor and I think he'd make an excellent Damphair - his performance on the First Season of Deadwood was august - just his mere smile was terrifying. I wouldn't use him for Tarly or Bolton ... esp. Bolton who doesn't have that many lines.

At his current age, I don't think McShane would be the right choice to play Qyburn - Qyburn strikes me as a - serial killer type - someone who looks benign, relatively harmless :D. It would seem none of Qyburn's prisoners had any inkling of what was going to happen to them when they were being led to Qyburn's quarters - but if he resembled someone like McShane- they'd be screaming even before he laid his hands on them.

For Randyll Tarly - you'd want someone more dour and sour with less charisma - I think a better choice would be Carl McCrystal the (bald, bearded) actor who played Sir William Glasdale in Luc Besson's The Messenger. The actor would make also a good choice to play Roose Bolton...

Vincent Regan would make a good choice for Bolton's bastard son.

For the Martells... well, you want someone relatively fat and Father Christmas like to play Doran. And for a sleeker muscular man to play his fighter brother Oberyn.

[Sellsword_Watson]

Mace Tyrell would work nice. He's a bit older than the role, but he'd work nicely against Charles Dance's Lord Tywin.

[7V3N]

I find Qyburn and Doran Martell to be the best fits. He doesn't fit my image of Tarly, but I am sure would play the role excellently. The Kindly Man also seems like a part he would thrive in.

From watching Deadwood, it should be known that McShane can appear kindly. I saw him as a good guy, but ruthless and tactical. Doran is tactical, certainly; Qyburn is no doubt ruthless. McShane is all about his wicked smile and his piercing eyes. The wicked smile for Qyburn, the piercing eyes for Doran.