Why Did Tobias Menzies Not Grow Out His Hair & Beard For Edmure?

[Gregor's Nancy Boy]

I'm watching Rome for the first time and throughout almost the entire series, Brutus keeps his hair short. The exception being one random episode where he goes to Egypt in season two and suddenly has long hair and a beard. To boot, his hair is auburn. Not brown. Classic Tully auburn. I was surprised at how much he looked how Edmure was actually described in the books. Which was funny because when I saw him in Game of Thrones, I thought his appearance couldn't have been further from the character's. The fact he let himself get a little shaggy for one episode of Rome and never did anything in advance for Game of Thrones seems kind of like a missed opportunity to totally epitomize Edmure.

Makes you wonder how much other stuff could have easily been done but simply wasn't. Richard Madden and Kit Harington keeping themselves clean shaven until later episodes, Iwan Rheon letting his hair grow down to his shoulders, Ciaran Hinds growing out his magnificent brown beard, etc, etc. Maybe I'm a nitpick but I mean, why the hell not? I would much rather have the actors look like the character's they're portraying. Especially if it's within their immediate power. Is it just me or should the people doing the casting make those kinds of requests more often?

Edmure in GoT - Brutus in Rome - Edmure in ASoIaF

Bummer. Maybe he'll look a little better after some time with the Freys. One can only hope.

[oprahnoodlemantra]

Ciaran Hinds was flying between Iceland, Belfast, and the US because he was doing a play around the same time he was filming GoT. The timing wouldn't have worked out. It's possible Tobias Menzies was in a similar situation.

[Pinkie Baelish]

Meh, the show has enough bearded guys anyways. Unsullied already have trouble telling Bronn from Yoren.

Iwan Rheon definitely needed a wig of straggly long hair. He looks too much like an evil Hobbit with that haircut.

[sightofthesun]

Either he didn't want to or he didn't have the time, I suppose. It didn't really bother me that he was clean shaven tbh.

Like you said, in a later season (I don't think he's gonna be in S4?) he'll probably look all ragged with his hair grown out and what-not :)

[Daske]

Because beards itch like hell!

[Ryan Baratheon]

That actually bothered me alot

[sightofthesun]

That actually bothered me alot

Why? I don't mean it in a rude way, I'm just curious btw :)

[Ser Luke.]

Wow, looking at him in Rome again, he really does look just like Edmure. Like Hinds, there must have been an issue with the timing.

[locke and key]

I don't think I necessarily agree, if the appearance is an intrinsic part of the character (IE lannisters are primarily blonde, and targs have silvery hair), or it's required for their situation (IE they need to look like they're related to another character or their character hasn't had a chance to shave). then this makes sense. But IMO seeing as most of the audience aren't book readers and so don't have a pre-conceived notion in their heads of what the character should look like and the actor hired does the best job at bringing across the character in their performance, then beyond the basic parts of their characters appearance which I mentioned above, it doesn't really matter how they look. For me the performance of the actor is what evokes the character not their appearance.

[Ser Luke.]

Yeah, it's not absolutely necessary, but it would have been a really nice touch IMO

[Gregor's Nancy Boy]

Ciaran Hinds was flying between Iceland, Belfast, and the US because he was doing a play around the same time he was filming GoT. The timing wouldn't have worked out. It's possible Tobias Menzies was in a similar situation.

Could be that but I think it's just as likely no one even bothered telling Menzies what Edmure was supposed to look like given the number of instances similar to his where actors could have altered their physical appearances more. In which case, it would be a real shame.

I don't think I necessarily agree, if the appearance is an intrinsic part of the character (IE lannisters are primarily blonde, and targs have silvery hair), or it's required for their situation (IE they need to look like they're related to another character or their character hasn't had a chance to shave). then this makes sense. But IMO seeing as most of the audience aren't book readers and so don't have a pre-conceived notion in their heads of what the character should look like and the actor hired does the best job at bringing across the character in their performance, then beyond the basic parts of their characters appearance which I mentioned above, it doesn't really matter how they look. For me the performance of the actor is what evokes the character not their appearance.

Well, I guess my personal outlook on it is: I imagined this character a certain way in my head and he didn't look anything like how I envisioned him, which disappointed me. BUT he easily could have. And therefore I am doubly disappointed. So yeah, it's something I wouldn't care all that much about had I not read the books. Although I still would have noticed Edmure looked very dissimilar to Catelyn and Lysa. So your points about the appearance being an intrinsic part of the character (the Tully's are primarily red heads as much as the Lannisters are primarily blondes) and the character needing to look like they're related to another character both apply in Edmure's case.

[DarkAndFullOfTurnips]

Because he can't grow a real beard and it doesn't really detract from immersion.

[Mad Monkey]

Honestly, I'm kind of glad he didn't. It made him look younger and more earnest, which made the scenes where he gets upbraided by Robb Stark and Greatjon Umber more affecting.

(It also helped me because I have a hard time telling some of the characters apart since so many of them are tall, dark-haired bearded white men... I remember a scene where there was a man sitting on a shoreline and I kept trying to figure out who he was -- Jeor Mormont? Stevron Frey? Greatjon Umber? I didn't catch on until Salladhor Saan walks in and I think, Ah, Ser Davos.)

[Gregor's Nancy Boy]

Because he can't grow a real beard

What is a "real" beard? Not exactly impressive but it'd suit Edmure just fine. I think a small beard is better than no beard.

and it doesn't really detract from immersion

Well, depends on who you are and how much you notice things. Like I said, he and his sisters share little to no resemblance. Apparently, when Tobias Menzies grows his hair out and his mop gets thicker, it takes on a shade of dark red. Auburn. Like Catelyn's and Lysa's. When it's short and thin, it looks more of a rat brown.

Honestly, I'm kind of glad he didn't. It made him look younger and more earnest, which made the scenes where he gets upbraided by Robb Stark and Greatjon Umber more affecting.

I actually thought he looked quite old in GoT. A beard might have covered up some of the lines in his face. Totally based on my own opinion though. I remember my dad shaving his goatee for the first time in my life a few years back. Everyone said it made him look ten years younger while I thought it had the complete opposite effect.

(It also helped me because I have a hard time telling some of the characters apart since so many of them are tall, dark-haired bearded white men... I remember a scene where there was a man sitting on a shoreline and I kept trying to figure out who he was -- Jeor Mormont? Stevron Frey? Greatjon Umber? I didn't catch on until Salladhor Saan walks in and I think, Ah, Ser Davos.)

I can understand that but I, personally, couldn't be more against the showrunners streamlining bits and details of the books to cater to those who don't pay attention enough. I mean, you were confused for a second (which is understandable) but you got it on your own eventually. I began reading ASoIaF right after season two started and I never had any problems discerning characters up until then because I was so into the show. If someone can't follow along, they should just go back and rewatch past episodes. The amount of things that have been changed to help casual viewers understand the narrative better is frustrating to some of us book readers. Especially when their changes take away from certain elements G.R.R. Martin carefully orchestrated into subplots. Bottom line though, I'm sure, is it's all done for ratings. The better casual viewers understand what's going on, the more likely it is that they'll tune in.

Regardless, I don't think one more white guy with long hair and a beard would have been so confusing.

[Fightbringer]

in all probability its because the role of edmure wasnt big enough to warrant him growing a beard, whereas with brutus he was one of the main characters. Its understandable really, he probably had other roles to fit around GoT. Im not that bothered with that kind of thing given that the bigger characters generally stay more faithful to their book appearances, because they devote more time to GoT (eg Maisie Williams with shorter hair, Jaime's beard, etc)

[Mother of Mountains]

I think it kind of fits Edmure's character, it emphasises his vanity when compared with his uncle and nephew.

[locke and key]

Could be that but I think it's just as likely no one even bothered telling Menzies what Edmure was supposed to look like given the number of instances similar to his where actors could have altered their physical appearances more. In which case, it would be a real shame.

Well, I guess my personal outlook on it is: I imagined this character a certain way in my head and he didn't look anything like how I envisioned him, which disappointed me. BUT he easily could have. And therefore I am doubly disappointed. So yeah, it's something I wouldn't care all that much about had I not read the books. Although I still would have noticed Edmure looked very dissimilar to Catelyn and Lysa. So your points about the appearance being an intrinsic part of the character (the Tully's are primarily red heads as much as the Lannisters are primarily blondes) and the character needing to look like they're related to another character both apply in Edmure's case.

ok to me the beard isn't a big part of ed's character, but then again for me he's one of the more forgettable characters tbh, so I probably don't really care as much

[Cregan Quagg]

The Lannisters are a much crazier case of this. Not only did the show fuck with some very essential physical characteristics, they are inconsistent as well. I mean, Peter Dinklage went from very pale blond in the pilot (100% correct of course) to a sort of dirty blond during the rest of season 1, to full on brown in the other seasons.

At least Lena Heady's wigs have a consistently goldish colour. And what happened with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau - did they dye his hair for the pilot as well? He was pretty blond back in the footage shot for the original pilot and ever since his hair stayed light brown, NCW's original hair colour. Too much of a hassle to keep dyeing it? I mean, this is an issue when the show makes so much of those "yellow-haired shits". I thought the seed was strong.

[Khal-a-bunga]

About as much of a non-issue as I can possibly think of, to be honest.

[PhoenixFlame]

Jaime's hair is supposed to be greasy and dirty from incarceration, malnourishment, muddy faceplants, and travel. Some people's hair gets a lot darker just when it's greasy.

I could barely remember Edmure even had a beard. The lack of one helps make him look a bit more partyboy instead of warrior.