Westeros

UPDATED: And GRRM has confirmed, and adds that it seems another clue or casting announcement is forthcoming.

We were asleep when George posted this rather late casting clue, so all the guessing has been done and we’re pretty sure fans commenting on GRRM’s livejournal have nailed it down. Here’s the clues:

Several candidates are batted about in the thread, but it sure seems to us that given the character—his being “sad” really suggests the Night’s Watch squire Dolorous Edd—we can eliminate certain of the actors, such as Bernard Hill or the esteemed Christopher Lee. Once you do that, well,  no one fits better than British actor Ben Crompton.

• The post title, “Across the Atlantic Sea”, happens to be part of a lyric from Hair about Manchester—and Crompton is a Mancunian.
• “an ideal choice”: He appeared in the TV series Ideal.
• “a madman”: Played Mad Al in Going Postal.
• “a nut”: Played William Nutt in The Supsicions of Mr. Whicher.
• “a spud”: Played Spud in Midsomer Murders.
• “a martian”: Played Martian X in Radio Mania: An Abandoned Work.
• “a king”: Played King Mike in King Jeff.
• “a slaver”: Played Hodge in The Slavery Business: How to Make a Million from Slavery.
• “he’s gone up with a balloon”: Appeared in a short film, The Balloon.
• “down with a ship”: Appeared in The Sinking of the Laconia.
• “he’s stroked so many women”: Appeared in the sketch comedy Man Stroke Woman.

Can’t get more perfect than that!

Below, we have a few clips of the actor from Man Stroke Woman: