The Best Casting and Worst Casting (in your opinion).

[Napyura]

Seriously adore the casting, as Bertholuchi said(not sure it was him) shows are better casted than most of movies these days and this show is exactly why.

My favourite characters are portrayed well, and my hated characters showed me why I hate them so much, I could nitpick tinsy details of imperfection, but people aren't data, you can't modify them 100% the way you want.

[Onna Lewyys]

And as far as Kit and Rickard I don't see how could not like what they did just because their older than the book characters it's not their fault the producers had to raise their characters ages because of all the sexual stuff I know it's hbo but their still only something you can get away with on paper and not in practices

It is possible to find 20-something actors who still look believably like teenagers (Thomas Brodie-Sangster, for example, who plays Jojen; hell, even Emilia Clarke who also had a lot of sex scenes). But, honestly, it's Kit's & Richard's onscreen personalities that bother me more than anything. They are both too stiff and brooding in how they play their characters.

[bobbybuilderton]

Robb in the show isn't a boy. He's young, but he is a man. So he played a young man trying to lead a war effort reasonably well to me. The aging up of their characters lends to more broody characteristics. That's 3 or 4 extra years Jon has had to be treated like crap by Catelyn. By the age he is in the show, he would have been a general stick in the mud. If those characters were still 14 year old boys, yeah they're too scowly and stiff, rather than the awkward, unsure manner that teenagers in their positions would have. But they're older and I think that's how people their age would react to the situations they're in. That is just my opinion.

[Onna Lewyys]

People still call them both "boy" a hell of a lot in the show, though.

[Prince of Dragonstone]

Best: Let me preface this by saying that I didn't choose these two because of how faithfully they represent the book characters in looks and/or personality but more on how I thought it was genius for D&D and the casting director to choose them.

- :Lena Heady as Cersei. She starts out how I would imagine Cersei starting out. The Ice Queen. Rigid, regal, armored behind her poise and position. Then, as we start to see in Season Two, she begins to unravel a bit. First when Tyrion threatens to undo the grip on power that she has so long sought and secondly when Stannis' forces are approaching and she's fearing for herself and her children's lives. I think in these instances Lena did a wonderful job portraying hints towards the level of depravity Cersei delves into in AFFC. I cannot wait for the Purple Wedding and Cersei's whole story arc after that.

- Iwan Rheon as Ramsay. I know some of the fans complain that he is too pretty for the role, but I think it's absolutely a stroke of genius on the producers parts to cast him as Ramsay because it adds a whole other level to the character in that it makes it even more uncomfortable to see an attractive, almost charming guy do horrific things. If they just cast some hulky, ugly guy as Ramsay I think it would have been too predictable...too easy. Everyone can easily hate an ugly hulk of a guy. But when you find that villain to be sexy? It adds layers to the psychological aspect of the storyline.

Worst: There are so few of them but these two particularly stick out in my mind because I think their characters are important to portray correctly which makes the miscasting all the more painful.

Ian Whyte as Gregor Clegane (Season Two). He was too elegant and polished. Conan Stevens was perfect in the role. I hope he comes back for Season Four. Also, I wish they would have used Gregor more than they have.

Carice Van Houten as Melisandre. I tried to play along in Season Two but by Season Three I just had enough. She doesn't capture the dangerous mystique of Melisandre at all IMO. Besides Liam Cunningham, who I think is greatt as Davos, I think the general feel of the Dragonstone crew is a bit "off" but I think Melisandre especially so. I know a lot of people focus on Stannis' miscast but I think the more egregious one is Melisandre.

[Prince of Dragonstone]

Aiden Gillen is very talented. I must disagree, I sort of liked the cheesy "The Climb" monologue speech. It was very super villany which appeals to my somewhat childish nature.

I agree. The Climb monologue was a bit ham-fisted but somehow seemed to work well. It really encompassed Littlefinger perfectly and, honestly, I feel like only us book readers would find it "too much". All of my unsullied friends thought it was great.

[Ser Gareth]

I don't like Cersei in the show, but I think that's more down to the way she is written than Lena Headley's acting. But I also envisaged Cersei to be more beautiful (when I first read the books in the 90's I imagined a younger Michelle Pfieffer!).

What I don't like about Cersei in the show is that she's too calm, composed and smug. I don't know if anyone here has ever watched Blackadder but she's more Blackadder the Third than Blackadder the Second. And by that I mean she is dry humoured and isn't as over the top as she is in the books. In the books she has a temper, is a LOT more spiteful and far less reflective and that was before she got her own POV. She had a lot more charisma in the book. In the series she's almost played like a morose drunk without ever being drunk.

[Ser Gareth]

Best: Let me preface this by saying that I didn't choose these two because of how faithfully they represent the book characters in looks and/or personality but more on how I thought it was genius for D&D and the casting director to choose them.

- :Lena Heady as Cersei. She starts out how I would imagine Cersei starting out. The Ice Queen. Rigid, regal, armored behind her poise and position. Then, as we start to see in Season Two, she begins to unravel a bit. First when Tyrion threatens to undo the grip on power that she has so long sought and secondly when Stannis' forces are approaching and she's fearing for herself and her children's lives. I think in these instances Lena did a wonderful job portraying hints towards the level of depravity Cersei delves into in AFFC. I cannot wait for the Purple Wedding and Cersei's whole story arc after that.

- Iwan Rheon as Ramsay. I know some of the fans complain that he is too pretty for the role, but I think it's absolutely a stroke of genius on the producers parts to cast him as Ramsay because it adds a whole other level to the character in that it makes it even more uncomfortable to see an attractive, almost charming guy do horrific things. If they just cast some hulky, ugly guy as Ramsay I think it would have been too predictable...too easy. Everyone can easily hate an ugly hulk of a guy. But when you find that villain to be sexy? It adds layers to the psychological aspect of the storyline.

Worst: There are so few of them but these two particularly stick out in my mind because I think their characters are important to portray correctly which makes the miscasting all the more painful.

Ian Whyte as Gregor Clegane (Season Two). He was too elegant and polished. Conan Stevens was perfect in the role. I hope he comes back for Season Four. Also, I wish they would have used Gregor more than they have.

Carice Van Houten as Melisandre. I tried to play along in Season Two but by Season Three I just had enough. She doesn't capture the dangerous mystique of Melisandre at all IMO. Besides Liam Cunningham, who I think is greatt as Davos, I think the general feel of the Dragonstone crew is a bit "off" but I think Melisandre especially so. I know a lot of people focus on Stannis' miscast but I think the more egregious one is Melisandre.

I don't think they'll ever nail actors exactly, especially in GRRM's world where a lot of people seem extraordinarily tall (I recall Stannis is meant to be very tall isn't he?) but I think there is a real difference between miscast and the character changing in the TV show. Stannis in the show is the opposite of Cersei in the show. TV Stannis is more extroverted than book Stannis (where TV Cersei is a LOT more introverted). I imagine Stannis to be a grim, humourless man most of the time with nerves of steel and always keeping his composure. TV Stannis wants to be more of a hero (being in the thick of it during Blackwater for example) and I don't think the actor does a bad job of that.

[ExBruinsFan]

I don't like Cersei in the show, but I think that's more down to the way she is written than Lena Headley's acting. But I also envisaged Cersei to be more beautiful (when I first read the books in the 90's I imagined a younger Michelle Pfieffer!).

What I don't like about Cersei in the show is that she's too calm, composed and smug. I don't know if anyone here has ever watched Blackadder but she's more Blackadder the Third than Blackadder the Second. And by that I mean she is dry humoured and isn't as over the top as she is in the books. In the books she has a temper, is a LOT more spiteful and far less reflective and that was before she got her own POV. She had a lot more charisma in the book. In the series she's almost played like a morose drunk without ever being drunk.

I don't see the similarity, but I will say that Blackadder is awesome. Best TV comedy ever.

[Rhaegarsjoy]

Worst Natalie dormer I don't know why they replaced margaery tyrell with Anne Boleyn but whatever.

Best Peter dinklage obviously even tho he's whitewashed for the show, Massie, Sean bean, that actor who played syrio, Emilia and the guy who played viserys, Jason as drogo. There are more good casts than bad

[Gregor's Nancy Boy]

Man, I forgot completely about Melisandre. I really don't like that actress at all. She adds a lot of modern day mannerisms into whatever medieval-themed character she plays (surprisingly a lot). It's inappropriate and annoying. Read the top comment on this YouTube video.

That's exactly why I don't like her. Melisandre is supposed to be unreadable and mysterious...

[I know I know]

I'm always mystified by the hate laid on Melisandre, both in GOT and in her (very similar) Black Death character. I think she does the role extremely well. My only only critique is that she's too make-upped to be convincing for the era, but that is more an issue in Black Death than in GOT (magical fantasy).

[Pinkie Baelish]

Man, I forgot completely about Melisandre. I really don't like that actress at all. She adds a lot of modern day mannerisms into whatever medieval-themed character she plays (surprisingly a lot). It's inappropriate and annoying. Read the top comment on this YouTube video.

What exactly is a modern day mannerism? People didn't roll their eyes in the Middle Ages?

[I know I know]

Man, I forgot completely about Melisandre. I really don't like that actress at all. She adds a lot of modern day mannerisms into whatever medieval-themed character she plays (surprisingly a lot). It's inappropriate and annoying. Read the top comment on this YouTube video.

That's exactly why I don't like her. Melisandre is supposed to be unreadable and mysterious...

The problem about that scene is IMHO not the acting, it's the awful writing by Weiss, character assassinating the character Stannis whom he (prior to writing the episode) said would not make a good king. Weiss may be letting his personal opinions about Stannis become a reason to write the character to be weirdly un-Stannis-like.

I think no one who hasn't read the books would ever watch the show and go "woo, team Stannis!", which is really too bad, because he's a loyalty-inducing figure for some book-readers. Weiss makes him into a grotesque parody of the interesting character he should be. Impulsive, vulgar, unrealistic, impotent, and foolish. He's nothing like the Father whom Davos can look up to, and Melissandre has a difficult time manipulating.

[Lady Asha]

Can I just say, am I the only one who misses Mark Addy as Robert Baratheon?

He was just so great. God, that scene with him and Cersei was phenomenal. One of my favorites to this day. I really miss having someone to tell the Lannisters to shove it up their bum.

Also, I get the sense that book Cersei (I haven't read yet but I'm about to start) is less sympathetic than TV Cersei.

TV Cersei just seems like a girl who has been constantly crapped on by the men in her life, fell in love with her brother as a last ditch effort at happiness and is attempting to scrape little bits of power and dignity back by being a bitch.

She loves her children, to a fault. It's her one redeeming quality...that and her cheekbones.

It seems like, at least in the show, that she does pretty much what any woman would do to protect her family, her tittle and herself. She doesn't seem to actually ENJOY the cruelty, she simply does what has to be done to make sure she maintains power.

And I feel bad for saying this but in the beginning I was all TEAM STARK and now, honestly, I sort of like the Lannisters in a perverse sort of way.

That's the thing about the story. Very few people are just evil or just good. They're all just people trying to win the game

[ExBruinsFan]

Can I just say, am I the only one who misses Mark Addy as Robert Baratheon?

No, I liked him a lot.

He was just so great. God, that scene with him and Cersei was phenomenal. One of my favorites to this day. I really miss having someone to tell the Lannisters to shove it up their bum.

Well, not really. Remember, Ned couldn't get him to arrest Jamie after the attack. He didn't LIKE the Lannisters, but he DID allow them their own way on many important things. "I'm half a kingdom in debt to his (Jamie's) father!"

Also, I get the sense that book Cersei (I haven't read yet but I'm about to start) is less sympathetic than TV Cersei.

Oh yes. That is an understatement.

TV Cersei just seems like a girl who has been constantly crapped on by the men in her life, fell in love with her brother as a last ditch effort at happiness and is attempting to scrape little bits of power and dignity back by being a bitch.

She loves her children, to a fault. It's her one redeeming quality...that and her cheekbones.

It seems like, at least in the show, that she does pretty much what any woman would do to protect her family, her tittle and herself. She doesn't seem to actually ENJOY the cruelty, she simply does what has to be done to make sure she maintains power.

And I feel bad for saying this but in the beginning I was all TEAM STARK and now, honestly, I sort of like the Lannisters in a perverse sort of way.

Yep. That IS perverse.

[Xanrn]

Ciaran Hinds utterly wasted as old man Mance.

Would have made the perfect Jon Connington if they held of for a season or 2.

James Purefoy would have been a much better Mance.

[Nezzer]

Ciaran Hinds utterly wasted as old man Mance.

Would have made the perfect Jon Connington if they held of for a season or 2.

James Purefoy would have been a much better Mance.

I think Dominic West would be the perfect Mance. A damn shame he turned down the role. But I think Ciaran Hinds could have been good as Mance if D&D had written him like Mance. Instead, they appealed to his gravitas and rewrote Mance to use Ciaran's most common talents, like portraying a serious and rational authorative figure. Ciaran Hinds, though, would be very capable of portraying Mance how he was written in the books. He can sing and is very outgoing on his interviews. So I blame the writers for the failure that was Mance in season 3. Still, I agree with you that they should've save Hinds for another role, but IMHO that role should've been Doran Martell. He'd be perfect as Doran.

[Clariana]

And I feel bad for saying this but in the beginning I was all TEAM STARK and now, honestly, I sort of like the Lannisters in a perverse sort of way.

That's the thing about the story. Very few people are just evil or just good. They're all just people trying to win the game

That very much happens in the books as well as the series... As you say it's a trait of the way Martin has chosen to tell his tale...

[Esa1996]

Most of the cast is great. Most of the issues I have with the "casting" relates more to the writing than the actor (for example Tormund. The actor looks just like Tormund but the writing for him is bad), or the outfit they wear (QoT looks way too much like a septa. In the first trailer I actually mis-identified her for septa Mordane).

Now for the bad casting.

Ciaran Hinds as Mance Rayder: He's just way too old to play Mance. I always Imagined Mance to be about the same age as people like Jaime. In the TV show he looks like he's 60. Also, his been written badly. Just like every other wildling, he's way too serious. Ps. I'm not saying he's a bad actor, he just doesn't fit there to play Mance

Ian Whyte as The Mountain: It's always hard for someone to take over a role of someone else, but Conan was perfect as the Mountain, which makes it even harder. Ian is tall but he's too slim.

Then some of the best castings.

Iwan Rheon as Ramsay Bolton: He plays him absolutely great and he's been written also very well. The only person along Thoros who's better in the show than in the books.

Paul Kaye as Thoros: Awesome writing and acting.

...and a lot more.