Oberyn Martell-Who Should Play The Red Viper Of Dorne ?

[Clariana]

Naveen Andrews, slim, subtle and softly spoken... but with a touch of venom... He'd make great Viper.

[Kiriana07]

Oded Fehr has zero range. Please no.

Having rewatch Sleeper Cell recently, I have to politely, but firmly disagree. Please don´t jugde his acting based on movies like The Mumie or Resident Evil.

He HAS the necessary range to portray the Red Viper, his charisma and intensity, and he looks such much like Oberyn is described that it is spooky. Plus he has experiencce with fighting and horse riding.

But admittedly, Fehr has always been my headcanon!Oberyn and always will be. :drunk:

[NewJeffCT]

You've got things a bit backwards here, I think. Why would they hire a stunt man for a role like this? Why should they work backwards from the fight itself? It's certainly (for me) one of the highlights of the series, but not because Oberyn is fighting The Mountain (though that was awesome) - it was such a great moment for me because of why he was fighting him.

"You raped her. You murdered her. You killed her children...I will hear you say it. She was Elia of Dorne."

That's why I'm such a fan of his character. And I want to see a great actor deliver those lines, and not a stunt man. I'm not saying that they couldn't find a stunt man who was also a decent actor, but in that case shouldn't he be an actor who also does his own stunts...? You make the argument that the ethnicity of the actor is unimportant because "it's TV [and] they'll make it work", and yet you say that the actor cast as Oberyn should be short so that the actor who plays The Mountain (whoever that ends up being [...hopefully Conan Stevens...]) towers over him. Tom Cruise is only 5'7", and is often shorter than the leading ladies he acts with, but you never notice because of the way it's shot. The magic of film-making.

You also make the argument that Oberyn's role is "small, but important", and for that reason they won't be able to get a big (whatever that means) name actor... It's actually the opposite. Because the role would only be for one season and it's such a flashy, fantastic part, the likelihood that they'd go for a big name actor is increased exponentially. Especially with the current (and sure to be continued, maybe even amplified in the coming weeks) popularity of the series. Look no further than Sean Bean as Ned Stark for an example. Or even Mark Addy as Robert Baratheon, as well.

I just don't understand. The whole line of thinking here is completely backwards. You always go for the best actor for the role, and I highly doubt any stunt man they could find would be it.

That being said, this is where I plug my choice again:

Cliff mother-fucking Simon!

...although I am beginning to prefer Amr Waked, after seeing him in House of Saddam.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0906756/

Yes, to this post. I agree - they need somebody that has the screen presence to pull that part off, and I don't think a stuntman could do it.

"Have they told you who I am? I am Oberyn Martell, a prince of Dorne. Princess Elia was my sister."

(and, of course, the Mountain's classic response, "Who?")

and, to have him call that out as he stays out of reach of the Mountain " You raped her - you murdered her - you killed her children!"

"Say it, say the name. She was Elia of Dorne"

To really pull that off on screen, you need a damn good actor with screen presence.

(and as with Tom Cruise above - similar with Mel Gibson - he's short as well, but rarely appeared that way on screen, and Gibson was quite a screen presence before he went loopy...)

[The Killer Snark]

Naveen Andrews would be a good call, lookwise, because he's handsome, the right build, and looks faintly Arabic or Meditteranean (like the Dornish), though I know he's of Indian descent. I haven't seen him act yet, though, and Oberyn is about 50. Cliff Simon most fits the image of the character I had in my head when I read the books.

Surely no-one is suggesting (though I like him as an actor, despite being a bit of an ass) that Tom Cruise would be right for the role.

[Topher]

Benjamin Bratt imdiately came to mind when I was reading the book.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000973/

[The Killer Snark]

No, I don't really get it. Oberyn has a more angular face, and Bratt doesn't look acerbic enough for a character who is, deep down, though one of my favourites, really a bit of a dick.

[I know I know]

I keep imagining George Clooney for the part.

i know that HBO can't afford him, but the match is perfect in my mind.

[The Killer Snark]

I could run with that one. He'd obviously need a hairpiece a la the actor who plays Daario and to develop a deep tan.

[lunadangelo]

Benjamin Bratt imdiately came to mind when I was reading the book.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000973/

I second that. :thumbsup:

He certainly looks the part, has the body, correct age and can act arrogant and

cocky.

[Joseph Nobles]

My personal short list after reading this thread:

Amr Waked

Cliff Simon

Naveen Andrews

Manu Bennet

No particular order there. And on Omar Sharif as Doran, he's 81 years old. I believe as magnificent as casting him would be, we have to be sure Doran's around for a few seasons. I don't want a Richard Harris situation to develop.

[King Robert's Warhammer]

Lou Diamond Phillips? :eek:

[Clariana]

He doesn't have charisma !

I beg to differ. His character was one of my favourites in "Lost" over several seasons.

[Jory Cassel]

I beg to differ. His character was one of my favourites in "Lost" over several seasons.

he partly lacks the mocking/easy-living attitude of Oberyn, and the charming, too. But still, everyone who has seen Lost must acknowledge that he would give

a great and interesting interpretation of the Red Viper, and I wouldn't mind that it would differ from my original Oberyn-image. As seen in Lost, he can portray

a fierce, skilled, self-conscient fighter who is mostly in control of the situation yet occasionaly loses his temper.

Until I've seen someone who's betters suited for the role, he is it.

[Brownwind]

James Spader

[Clariana]

James Spader

Quite apart from having entirely the wrong colouring he, a) is waaaaaaaaaay too old, B) his latest performances have degenerated to the level of self-parody...

Don't get me wrong, I like him (or used to) a good deal but I don't think he's really suitable.

[Ser Areo Mace]

The more I think about it the more I like Manu Bennett for the Red Viper.

1.) Oded Fehr

2.) Manu Bennett

3.) Cliff Simon

1 and 2 could be interchangeable for me at this point.

[Lord Flashheart]

Jimmy McNulty

[The Killer Snark]

Manny Bennett I liked in Spartacus, but he's also too short, too muscular, and I don't know much about his acting range because all he was really required to do in Spartacus was deliver hammy lines in a loud voice. I think that the James Spader nomination, like my Stallone, Bruce Willis, Will Smith and Vin Diesel ones, was meant as a joke, although I love him as an actor, btw.

Naveen Andrews is too young in my opinion. I think that with some prep time in the Mediterranean, Rufus Sewell could be a good choice. He'd be about the right age, and would be capable of conveying Oberyn's dissolute attitude and sardonic wit.

[Lord Flashheart]

I just read that they just cast the role. And it was that asshat Oded Fehr. Totally legit source,

[Ser Areo Mace]

Manny Bennett I liked in Spartacus, but he's also too short, too muscular, and I don't know much about his acting range because all he was really required to do in Spartacus was deliver hammy lines in a loud voice. I think that the James Spader nomination, like my Stallone, Bruce Willis, Will Smith and Vin Diesel ones, was meant as a joke, although I love him as an actor, btw.

Naveen Andrews is too young in my opinion. I think that with some prep time in the Mediterranean, Rufus Sewell could be a good choice. He'd be about the right age, and would be capable of conveying Oberyn's dissolute attitude and sardonic wit.

Manu Bennett is around 5'10"-5'11", sure Oberyn is 6'2" in the books, but Gregor is also 7'6" in the books. So have an actor just under 6 foot will make the 7'1" actor seem even more imposing. Plus, Manu is athletic enough for the fight scene to truly be up to its potential.