[Book Spoilers] We need to fix "The Mountain"

[King Tommen]

http://www.chronicle...-making-1370475

The role was originally played by Australian actor Conan Stevens, but he left the production after the first series to play an Orc leader in The Hobbit movie, making way for Ian to slip into his chainmail and armour.

Some fans, however, haven’t been so keen to see Conan replaced.

“Gregor Clegane is absolutely loathsome. He’s a rapist, a child murderer, a sadist, a giant bully and a psychopath, but the fans love him,” said Ian.

“But he was played by another actor originally and it’s rather difficult to fill another actor’s shoes when he has already become popular.

“I was kind of pilloried to taking on the role and the fans were not kind, but in those situations you just have to believe in what you do and carry on.

“I am reading the book series by George RR Martin that the series is based on, and we will see Gregor again soon!”

I read the same article and I don't think you're interpreting it the right way. The interview was from back in September. He says he's reading the books and he sees that the Mountain appears again. That's great, we all know that. He in no way confirms that he is coming back as Gregor and by that time in the shooting he would have known if he had been cast as Gregor for S3. He's certainly not in control of that decision.

If he was coming back as Gregor, he wouldn't have prefaced his comments saying that he had been reading the books to see if the Mountain was coming back, he wouldn't have mentioned the books at all. He would have known because he had shot scenes or had scripts for the scenes he was going to be shooting.

That's not a confirmation and it probably hurts the argument more than it helps.

[Holy Sock]

I read the same article and I don't think you're interpreting it the right way. The interview was from back in September. He says he's reading the books and he sees that the Mountain appears again. That's great, we all know that. He in no way confirms that he is coming back as Gregor and by that time in the shooting he would have known if he had been cast as Gregor for S3. He's certainly not in control of that decision.

If he was coming back as Gregor, he wouldn't have prefaced his comments saying that he had been reading the books to see if the Mountain was coming back, he wouldn't have mentioned the books at all. He would have known because he had shot scenes or had scripts for the scenes he was going to be shooting.

That's not a confirmation and it probably hurts the argument more than it helps.

I was thinking this when I made my post but I decided to go ahead with it anyway.

Regardless, I very much doubt they will bring Conan Stevens back at all since he is, from a production standpoint, unreliable. It's probably the same reason they did not ask Clive Mantle back to play the Gretjon in Season 3 because he was unavailable for Season 2. Ian Whyte also appeared in more episodes than Conan (and he's already on the payroll) and he seems to be dependable so it makes more sense to have him continue playing the role from a production and continuity standpoint.

Also, if you're right and he isn't appearing this season, then he only needs to show up for the Oberyn fight next season. As long as he looks huge it will be fine.

[Masamune]

In full armour Ian Whyte would be perfect as The Mountain. If there was a fault in Season 2, it was that the costume department decided to garb him in Lannister armour, rather than in his old armour. I still think that Whyte looks like a guy you wouldn't mess with, and that a greathelm would solve a lot of fan complaints.

Not just the armour. The guy just doesn't have the same presence and intensity of Stevens. His attempts to look scary were downright laughable.

Just hire Nathan Jones or Robert Maillet. Sorted.

[Cubicz]

^{1 - I think they could have avoided casting white in Seasons 2 and 3 simply by having some random guy in very memorable attire, withe had covered by easily recognizable helmet just appear in the background and other characters - his victims or his subordinates mention him or explain his intentions.}

^{2 - I suspect now - with the immense popularity of GOT - if they put a casting call for a Conan Stevens-look a like - they could have found someone less jarringly different thatn White.}

^{3 - I don't think Conan Stevens is coming back, they are not saying it all, but I suspect a divorce between him and Beniof and Waiss was less then amicable. I know he gave his version of the story, but I have impression that during the filming of Season 1 or later , during preparation for season 2 he did or said something that gave them no desire to work with him again.}

^{Also, they mentioned in one interview that they killed off the actor/character that was asking them to accomodate his schedule in other productions and the guy playing Rakharo seemed to be most obvious candidate, but I suspect they could be talking of Stevens as well.}

I heard he was difficult to work with, unfortunately. They shoudl swallow their pride and do what's best for the show. Its one action scene, just do it!

And they said of the *unnamed* actor they got rid of "he was an asshole, we never liked him anyway"

Personally, I'm guessing they'll go for a third actor. There's no shortage of beefy tall guys who want to act. Stick a beard on Ralf Moeller.

[King Tommen]

I was thinking this when I made my post but I decided to go ahead with it anyway.

Regardless, I very much doubt they will bring Conan Stevens back at all since he is, from a production standpoint, unreliable. It's probably the same reason they did not ask Clive Mantle back to play the Gretjon in Season 3 because he was unavailable for Season 2. Ian Whyte also appeared in more episodes than Conan (and he's already on the payroll) and he seems to be dependable so it makes more sense to have him continue playing the role from a production and continuity standpoint.

Also, if you're right and he isn't appearing this season, then he only needs to show up for the Oberyn fight next season. As long as he looks huge it will be fine.

I agree that it might be a stretch to bring Stevens back but I find it very curious that they have Ian Whyte at their disposal this year and are going out of their way to not have the Mountain appear. Robb has mentioned him in 2 separate episodes already but I think there's a strong chance that if we haven't seen by this point, we aren't going to at all this season. You'd think they'd want to remind the audience of who this guy is in preparation for Season 4 but all they're doing is namechecking him which is not anything they're doing for any other characters who have been previously cast.

The only explanation I have for this is that the guy they want to play the Mountain isn't available right now (or they don't think there's enough material in S3 to pay and bring him in for). So they are biding their time and writing around the character this season (because unlike in S2, the book material allows them to). I really think that if they had Whyte ready and willing, they would have used him at least for a scene or two to re-establish the character.

I also think it's extremely weird in the Cat Taylor behind-the-scenes post, she talked about Ian Whyte only as a White Walker and the model for the Giant and left out the fact that he's the Mountain on the show, which is by far his most recognizable role. It may have been nothing but to me, it really looks like they're ignoring the fact that he played the Mountain completely.

[Jussi]

http://www.empireonl...ew.asp?IID=1660

It sounds like there was a lot of time pressure...

I was in the studio doing things for Azog four weeks before the premiere! In some ways I was the final ingredient to the whole thing. Being called in that late meant I missed out on the whole promotional machine. There were no images or footage of Azog in the trailers, because nothing was available. When I was in New York recently, I saw a Lego set for the scene with the tree and the flaming pine cones, and it had a little toy of Bolg (Azog's ginger-bearded son, who will appear in The Desolation Of Smaug and There And Back Again), not Azog. That's because the design that ended up as Bolg was originally meant for Azog. Azog was going to be a seven-foot giant, played with prosthetics, but Peter changed his mind and decided to go with something less bulky, and played with motion-capture. I think his decision surprised everybody at the time.

We haven't seen Bolg on-screen yet, but it's hard to imagine a father-son dynamic between Orcs...

(Laughs) I don't think there'll be a bottle-feeding scene. I don't know if they're going have a game of cricket on the side of the battlefield. But here's an interesting bit of trivia: the guy playing Bolg, who was originally cast as Azog, was at my high school in Newcastle, Australia. He's called Conan Stevens, and was really tall and skinny back then. I was there on the day that he was picked on by a guy a year ahead of us in the playground - everyone was watching and Conan suddenly threw these big, long arms out and knocked the guy flat on his ass. And that's when he changed. He went from being bones to being on the rugby team within a month. Then he became an actor and joined us on Spartacus. I invited him over to my house and he said, "I've just landed Azog." I went, "Fuck, you bastard! I went for that role!" We celebrated at my house, and then for whatever creative purposes Peter decided to use him as Bolg and asked me to go down to do Azog. It's just a very funny coincidence. And I was there at the defining moment, when he became the Azog of our school.

[WilliamBailey]

Just hire Nathan Jones

Damn, I remember that guy! He's like, 7ft right? And pretty well built. Difficult role to cast I guess, Whyte has the height but no real muscle, stevens has the muscle but not the height....if I remember, he didn't look much taller than Rory McCann in season 1. Not really much chance of finding an eight-footer with a bodybuilders physique though is there.

I'd prefer Stevens out of the two, but its gonna look silly if they keep changing.

[Spidey]

Problem with Stevens is, he can't act for shit. He was horrible on Spartacus.

Then again they only need him for the duel...