How the TV series affected your perception of the characters' physical appearance?

[Summerqueen]

In my last retread, only two characters changed their looks based on the show. Khal Drogo is much more pleasant to imagine now, and finally I can envision Brienne without imagining her to be grotesque (was rereading Feast and Dance after season two aired). That's it.

[Roboginger]

I watched the first season before reading, so those characters are kinda hard to shake form my brain.

I like all the casting besides Joffery, in the books I got the though that he was handsome, in the show he looks like the product of incest creepy/slimy looking.

Same as my mental image: Varys, Ned, Sansa, Gregor, Arya, Robert,

Different then my mental image: Stannis, Davos. Tyrion,

[Chaircat Meow]

In respect to appearance alone very few of the actors bore much resemblance to my own versions of the book characters and I nearly always prefer to stick with my imagination.

However, Viserys, Varys, Balon, Barristan and Melisandre are exactly in accord with how I see the book characters.

(As an aside, how anyone can say Carice van Houten isn't hot enough really baffles me!)

There are one or two characters who don't look anything like their book descriptions and yet capture the essence of the character so perfectly that I have traded in my versions for the ones on television. Theon and Bran are the big two here. Although I never had a strong image of them anyway.

Some actors though are so far off from the version in my head (and from the book description too) that I can't help but find it annoying. The big offenders here are Jon Snow, Renly and Sandor.

It doesn't help that these folks don't behave like the book characters either.

Dinklage also looks nothing like Tyrion (he is too tall for a start) but I'm letting him off. Same goes for Arya, I imagine her with a very long solemn face and with a wild hair (at first). Maisie is too cute and not grim enough and she has a round face. She's good in the role though (obviously).

I also see Cat as looking exactly like Jennifer Ehle because she was my favourite character and so I made her look like an older version of Elizabeth Bennett from the BBC's adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. I was upset when she was replaced because I don't find Michelle Fairley attractive (although she does clearly have nice features).

[Woman of War]

Since I started with watching the show before reading all five books in six weeks I of course was biased by the HBO actors when picturing the characters.

But I had some issues in the beginning, the biggest being Sansa. i used to picture her as translucent renaissance beauty with preraffaelite colouring ( I am professionally into art, sorry) and far less tall and broad shouldered, apart from not liking Turner's acting in the beginning. But by now I like her. Not only has she presented some good acting, I now absolutely prefer her HBO interpretation to the book character. Her being stronger and older forced the team to alter her personality towards more mature, taking charge and making independent decisions instead of being that little girl. Her courtesies were not mechanical but finely chiselled (...and he is only a pretender...sooo good!) and with Sandor she did not lean back and close her eyes. Nice surprise.

Yes, yes Tyrion is too handsome. But him being a person with achondroplasia passes exactly the message needed: in Westeros, like in pre-modern Europe, being born handicapped made you a course by god, an ill omen, bad luck for your family and perceived as disgusting simply for being different. So even the prettiest dwarf passes the message. And would you seriously prefer an uglier mediocre actor to Dinklage's performance? So there is that compelling book character getting even more gripping by great acting.

And, I like Sibel Kekili. Although the character has been so very much altered - for the Shae as she is now Kekili is just perfect, fragile, tough and sassy ( and she is soo very beautiful, I just love to look at her).

And Jaime IS hot - but he would be hotter with blonder, more curly hair. Though killing his cousin was somewhat out of character the whole scene was great and going along with Jaime's somewhat harder looks.

Theon looks very different - I do not care, Alfie Allen is superb! I have been very fascinated by his story and the actor even gets me more hooked.

I definitely like Tywin too much now. And I am soo much looking forward to his interactions with Tyrion.

Jac'quen Hagar - hot and mysterious, soo good!

Bronn - wow, I want to see more of him!

And stop picking at Ros, Esmé Bianco is not bad. No, she absolutely does not affect my perception of the book character.

[Lady Katherine]

I agree with lots of people who are saying Tyrion should have been, well...uglier. Peter Dinklage, I think, is actually pretty handsome. But, that being said, I don't know if anyone could play Tyrion better. P.D. has the exact, perfect "swagger" to pull off Tyrion.

I also think the casting of Aidan Gillen (sp?) as Littlefinger was spot on.

I always imagined Margaery younger than she is in the show (isn't she only supposed to be like 14?) but I suppose they aged almost all the characters up...

[Jamie Lannister]

I like to picture Jaime with longer hair (pre-shaved head, anyway), but Nikolaj has such lovely hair that I can't hold it against him either way. Anja Dalisa combines the two pretty nicely here: http://i.imgur.com/MxRIe.jpg

Cersei will always be a little more... fiery to me. As gorgeous as Lena is, the passionate, vainglorious, megalomaniacal superbitch I love in the books hasn't really translated over so far.

Dinklage's Tyrion has pretty much replaced the hideously revolting dwarf of my mind, I admit.

[StarkSupporter]

Sean Bean is Ned. All the Baratheon brothers come off wrong to me. Stannis is look too old (Stephen Dillane was really good tho), Robert was too short and didn't look like he was ever incredibly strong (again Mark Addy was really good), and IMO Gethin Anthony had the right attitude for Renly, but he also was not big enough. Other than those three I have no real complaints about the casting.

[Royce Bolton]

TV show Robert looked nothing like I pictured him.

[bloodymime]

And stop picking at Ros, Esmé Bianco is not bad. No, she absolutely does not affect my perception of the book character.

A pretty easy accomplishment considering she isn't in the books.

[Tagganaro]

I think most of the casting has been spot on. I've had problems with several more minor characters though, especially this season.

Most discouraging, frustrating one has to be Asha/Yara. I want myself a really hot pirate lol. Is that too much to ask?

Also, the new Mountain is awful. I thought the Hound was great season 1, but don't understand why he's played everything so restrained, almost melancholy this season.

Rose Leslie also seems way too hot to be playing Ygritte, but she's done a fantastic job so far so it's ok.

As for major characters, I think they've all been pretty much perfect and looked exactly how I've envisioned them. Dinklage is obviously much better looking than Book Tyrion, but I hardly expected them to be able to cast a guy with crazy hair and mismatched eyes lol, and Dinklage is so awesome that he's overtaken Book Tyrion in my mind.

[Jamie Lannister]

A pretty easy accomplishment considering she isn't in the books.

She's pseudo-Alayaya, and supposedly being built up to side with Varys and expand her horizons a bit.

Probably due to the brilliant fan reception, and nothing at all to do with being D&D's pet/getting her tits out every other episode...

[lilenadheas]

I'm sexually attracted to many more characters when rereading. It's really quite wonderful.

Sean Bean :drool:

[Kittykatknits]

She's pseudo-Alayaya, and supposedly being built up to side with Varys and expand her horizons a bit.

Probably due to the brilliant fan reception, and nothing at all to do with being D&D's pet/getting her tits out every other episode...

Oh, no it couldn't be that at all. I'd say the biggest mistake Martin has made so far is not putting Ros in the books. A gaping hole in the entire series as far as I'm concerned.

I think all the Stark kids are spot-on and have replaced my original image of them.

NCW is Jaime, I couldn't picture ayone else playing that role. I love Jaime so much so casting with him was a worry for me.

Dinklage doesn't look like Tyrion to me at all but that doesn't bother me as I think the Tyrion in the show has been pretty white-washed.

I picture a much more fiery and passionate Cersei in the books, Lena has not been working for me at all.

The Hound is a bit of a mixed bag for me. Rory was amazing when he was given some material to work with but put in to an old dog role for much of the show. He doesn't look at all like how I picture Sandor though as he's much older. I picture black hair, more of a hooked nose, and a much more gaunt, sharp-featured face.

I like Shae much better in the show than the books but she hasn't replaced who I picture when reading.

I struggle with Jorah as I want to picture Ian but have to remind myself that Jorah in the books is very bear-like in appearance.

[Woman of War]

Woman of War, on 13 June 2012 - 08:53 PM, said:

And stop picking at Ros, Esmé Bianco is not bad. No, she absolutely does not affect my perception of the book character.

A pretty easy accomplishment considering she isn't in the books.

REEEEAAALLY, no kidding!?!?! Quote please!

[Castel]

Robert on the show is pitch perfect for me, but otherwise there's a strange disconnect in my mind, I don't really picture characters while reading so it was much easier for me to get into some of the characters.

Most discouraging, frustrating one has to be Asha/Yara. I want myself a really hot pirate lol. Is that too much to ask?

See I think she looked as described. Didn't she also have a prominent nose in the books?

[Reposado]

Jorah; I pictured him with alot alot less hair on top and alot more down below? But i'm not really complaining. Ian Glen is not only a good actor, but he's also quite good looking.

interesting. pretty sure the show hasn't revealed how much hair he has "down below." maybe you will be proved correct

sansa is the one that conflicts the most for me. i never pictured her so thin.

and of course, gregor 2.0

[Woman of War]

Oh, I forgot, I am really disappointed about Kit Harington's Jon. He comes over as sulking and dumb, whereas book Jon is quite bright, fast and slender and only a little stubborn maybe.

But in the series Ygritte plays him like a fiddle, he is hopelessly defenseless against her jokes (do they have sheep at the wall? lol), braindamaged by being honorable.

And Ygritte is funny and clever, far more than in the books where she could be a little annoying.

I LOVE the Varys actorand am now looking forward to his story even more

[The Meeraculous Third Reed]

I have a general idea of the following being as they are in the TV show.

All the stark kids, Littlefinger (mainly because I love Aidan Gillen), Varys, Pycelle, Robert Baratheon, Viserys (credit to the actor as much as anything), Drogo, Gregor Clegane (season 1), Melisandre, Ser Rodrik, Tyrion (again mainly due to the actor), Joffrey, Jaime.

The rest I would say pretty much stay in my own perception of them, though I do think 95% of the casting is brilliant.

The only real problem I have are the Greyjoys. Asha because she is simply a bad casting choice and doesn't grasp the character at all IMO whilst Theon is a prob simply because Alfie Allen has been so damned good this season I kind of want to place him into the books, despite liking the Theon I have in my mind.

[Salome the Persian Witch]

Bronn for me in the books was much... handsomer. When I saw photos of the HBO Bronn I was disappointed. The actor, however, has stolen my heart, and I capital L Love the HBO Bronn.

I too like the Catelyn Jennifer Ehle, and so was disappointed when recast.

HBO Brienne is wonderful, but I pictured her as physically much broader (like a heavy weight body builder - wide in shoulders and upper body - thick).

I am not happy with the Lena Heady Cersei. (Overtly sexualized, entitled, cruel, megalomaniac is not in Heady's vocabulary, I guess). She does play Cersei much more matronly, intelligent, and able to play the game - but I think of the actress as a far better Catelyn.

The knight of flowers and Renly really bug me, too. I wanted the handsome, energetic, charismatic Renly with the take my breath away handsomeness of Loras. Instead I got two old women arguing (that first disappointing romantic scene together) with bodies that look undeveloped (1 like a child) that wouldn't even be strong enough to hold a lance.

I'm disappointed at HBO's Margaery. She was to look sweet and the perfect young Queen. This Margaery looks so cunning as if she's plotting all the time. I want to smack that sneer off her face, not cheer for her (as I do in the books).

Syrio Forel was great, so I don't care. I think many of the women are beautiful despite not being "elfin" or "ethereal" enough for some of them. (ie. Melisandre and Dany)

Oh, and I hated book Theon, but I am loving Alfie Allen's Theon. I don't want to like Theon dammit.

[Chelly]

Since I saw season one before reading the books, most of the actors took the place of the characters for me. It was season 2 that altered my perception of some of the characters since I read the books before it came out.

The first one was Melisandre for me. Honestly, I pictured her as east Asian and not at all Caucasian looking. Actress Gong Li was my mental picture of Melisandre except with red hair and eyes. I still think Carice van Houton is doing a fine job and plays her so convincing that she replaced my original image of Mel.

The other one for me was Margaery. This is obviously because of the age difference. She was much younger in my mind and much more, I don't know, adolescent looking. Natalie Dormer is freaking awesome, though, and now she is Marg in my head which is fine by me because the expanded role of Margaery is season 2 was one of my favorite changes the show made.

Also, Jaqen. Now I just imagine him 10000 times hotter that I did in my head because Tom Wlaschiha is one sexy man beast. Yum. :smileysex: