After confirming the casting of Lena Headey as Queen Cersei in HBO’s pilot of Game of Thrones, George R. R. Martin wen on to provide a list of characters still to be cast.
Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune has the exclusive news that Lena Headey has been cast as Queen Cersei, and is the last major role to be filled. Headey, now best known for her title role in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, hs an extensive film and television background. Ryan cites the strong fan interest in the pilot, which she says is not at all the norm for a series that has not even started filming, much less received a season order. She shares the view of Time’s James PoniewozikRome.
George R. R. Martin is offering a special sale copies of Inside Straight, the first in the latestWild Cards shared-world series. At $25 (with domestic media shipping included), buyers will get the Tor hardcover signed by six of the contributors, including himself.
George R. R. Martin reveals that Cersei Lannister—arguably the last major adult role left to be cast for the HBO pilot of Game of Thrones (arguable, as some might note the importance of Khal Drogo in the grand scheme of things)—has been cast. As usual, he also provides some clues.
Valyrian Steel, makers of authorized reproductions of weapons from George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, has shared a preview picture of their second version of Longclaw, which will be a functional weapon using Damascus steel to get an appearance similar to the way Valyrian steel is described in the series. The first version of Longclaw was purely a display weapon, using paint to create the Valyrian steel look; this second version will be both more limited and more expensive to the extra cost that has gone into its construction.
Dark Sword Miniatures has now released its latest two figures in the George R. R. Martin Masterworks series of miniatures, Ygritte and Asha Greyjoy. On the site, you can see pictures of the models painted by studio artists, and find ordering information to go with them.
After the hints from the producers that Sandor Clegane, the Hound, has been cast, GRRM has been relatively quiet beyond mentioning that one role had been cast and that smaller roles were being cast such as “Unnamed Eunuch” and “Redheaded Whore”. Today, however, he posted a new clue: “Eat your porage and you’ll grow up big and strong.”
This almost certainly points to the Scottish actor Rory McCann, who has acted in films such as Oliver Stone’s Alexander. 6’6” tall, he is also known for this classic commercial for Scott’s Porage Oats.
According to this cheeky post from David Benioff and Dan Weiss, it seems very likely that, “Woof woof” indicates that the role of Sandor Clegane, known as the Hound, has been filled. There’s currently no information on who has been cast in the role.
Over at “Not a Blog”, George R. R. Martin has provided larger photos of Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner, the two girls chosen to play the parts of Arya and Sansa Stark. George also provides some more information regarding their experience, with Williams having some theatrical credits while Turner has never been in any professional productions up to now.
The “secret seven”, as George R. R. Martin dubbed the seven actors cast in seven roles he has been teasing, have now been revealed at the Hollywood Reporter. Thanks to George’s clues over the last days, almost all the actors had been guessed at by fans at the A Song of Ice and Fire forums and the Winter is Coming blog. GRRM is posting information about each actor a Not a Blog.
George is at it again, following Benioff and Weiss’s remark of “another day, another knight”. It seems the seventh member of the cast is playing a knight, and he has been in some historical film(s) with the actor who plays Jaime.
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have popped to tease that another role has been cast for the Game of Thrones pilot. As GRRM previously mentioned Ser Rodrik Cassel as one among a number of minor roles that were still being cast, it seems very possible that that’s the role that has been filled. It may also be that one of the Kingsguard who accompany Robert, Ser Boros Blount or Ser Meryn Trant, has been cast; although those roles are without lines in the pilot script, from what I have heard.
Although there’s no news on the casting front, HBO Game of Thrones pilot production continues to move forward. Production offices have been established in Belfast, according to George R. R. Martin, although production has been moved back two weeks to begin October 26th which is a move GRRM hinted at during Worldcon. He also expects a few more roles to be cast this week, leaving open the possibility that with a critical mass of unannounced casting decisions there may soon be an announcement from HBO.
Green Ronin and their A Song of Ice and Fire Roleplaying Game had some success at the ENnie awards, as reported here. They received a Gold award for the best free product with the quickstart document for the game, and a Silver award for best rules. Congratulations to the publisher and designers.
GRRM’s having fun by releasing more hints about the casting. He does indicate most people have figured out one of the clues, indicating two of the roles belong to the children; he further adds that those actors are not listed in IMDB although a number of individuals in there share their name. He also states that casting continues, now aimed for actors to fill smaller roles.