We know that most, if not all, of the remaining actors in the pilot will belong to British Actors’ Equity. Certainly at least a few more of the major roles will be filled with, if not exactly big names, experienced and known actors that belong to the guild. The minor characters however will all go to local and no-name actors.
Equity’s website has a directory of actors that belong to the guild. There aren’t a lot on there, but it is fun to browse the directory and see which actors match up to the looks of some of the minor characters. Characters like Hullen, Ser Rodrick, Luwin, Illyrio, etc. all have small amounts of screen time and will probably be cast with some of these unknowns.
When browsing the directory you can specify what region you want to look in. Northern Ireland has a relatively small contingent but it is likely that NI-based actors will be prefered by the producers since they have to spend a certain amount of money on local cast and crew. Doing some more research I turned up a couple of Northern Ireland casting agencies with searchable actor directories, Sashaze Talent Agency and Dealers Agency. Both of these have more actors to look through than Equity’s website. It’s no guarantee that all of these actors are Equity members, but looking at their credits I would assume that most are.
Yeah, this probably isn’t as exciting as speculating whether Sean Bean will get cast as Ned or arguing whether Gillian Anderson or Saffron Burrows makes the better Catelyn. But it is a fun diversion nonetheless. So channel your inner casting director and see if you can find the perfect actor for the minor characters of the pilot!
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53 Comments
Just to start things off, here are a couple I found:
Gared
Irri or Jhiqui
WinterIsComingQuote Reply
Ooo, fun. This will keep me occupied for a while :)
SilverstarQuote Reply
Holy crap good choice on Irri/Jiqui
AnonymousQuote Reply
Too bad the Equity database is still being build and we don’t have access to all the actors (which also means we can’t check if some interesting potential candidates are Equity members or not). Nevertheless, it’s a good idea and I like the initial selection ;)
MarkoQuote Reply
Rodrik Cassel?Renly Baratheon?Loras Tyrell?
SilverstarQuote Reply
NI native Martin McCann (‘the Pacific’) already has an HBO connection. Been meaning to put his name forth for a while, but I can’t seem to find a role he’s suited for. Any ideas?
http://www.dealersagency.co.uk/showactor.asp?ID=24
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564901/
GraegorQuote Reply
auditions for 4 of the minor characters took place recently in Northern Ireland. I know this as my son auditioned for one of the roles. No decision until end of June.
AnonymousQuote Reply
Ooo, which role? Can you say?
SilverstarQuote Reply
silver uh the guy you posted for rodrik cassel is in memorium….
AnonymousQuote Reply
He auditioned for Bran, not sure about the others. Sorry
AnonymousQuote Reply
I’m only through the first three books, but I wouldn’t call Bran a minor character…Good luck to your son though, that would be a great break! (Assuming he isn’t someone who has already had a break)
DanQuote Reply
So he is. I stupidly was only really looking at the photos.
Bran, eh? That’s not really even a minor character – could turn out to be a big one! Good luck to your son :)
SilverstarQuote Reply
Sorry I should have said these where children’s characters not minors. Thanks for your good luck wishes!!
AnonymousQuote Reply
Aha, children’s characters. Maybe Sansa, Bran, Arya, and Rickon then. Or Myrcella and Tommen. They’re all in the pilot.
SilverstarQuote Reply
Hmmm, I would guess than that the other 3 being cast are Sansa, Arya and Joffrey???
DanQuote Reply
Will update post as soon as I find out who the other characters were.
AnonymousQuote Reply
Yay! Inside info is fun!
DanQuote Reply
I love the opportunities the internet provides nowadays. Thank you ‘Mum’, and good luck. You could not have found a better place to share this with others.
MarkoQuote Reply
Your man McCann looks a Bronn, though I haven’t a clue as to his acting ability or range. But IMHO, Bronn’s on the high end of minor characters.
This here kid could probably do Pypar — he’s fairly short and ‘s described as “slim”. No sticking-out ears, unfortunately.
She‘s really pretty. I’m sorry, that has no relevance whatsoever to the topic at hand, but seriously.
This look like a potential Yoren to you?
A thought: we need to find some sort of martial arts person or something to do Syrio. Not much talking and he dies fast, but he needs ‘em tricks.
He‘s a bit pale for a Dothraki, but he’s got the martial arts and etc. on his resume, so he could probably go for one of Dany’s bloodriders.
AoedeQuote Reply
My question with minor characters is- as some have suggested- will those characters whose role starts rather small, and over the course of the series become important, even be cast?
Will they cut out Theon, Davos, etc. Minimize their roles? At first, they’re not important in terms of the plot-lines, but several characters do become crucial later on.
While we can’t be sure the television show will ever even get that far, we also probably hope the minor characters that become somewhat important, or even have temporarily important roles, are cast with foresight. I hope they don’t gloss over the importance of these smaller characters when casting the pilot.
NjordQuote Reply
I mean, thinking of budget concerns and such if they intended to get a solid, respectable BBC involved or British actor for a smaller character like Theon, hoping the show is successful, I guess that would neccessitate glossing him over, or excluding him, from his small early appearances.
What would we prefer- to see a character like Theon depicted as often as he is in the novel, or to see him cut from the beginning of the series, but then brought in as an actor that they couldn’t have afforded normally if they’d done that?
NjordQuote Reply
The thing is, Theon’s betrayal has virtually no impact if we don’t see him right at the start. Know what I mean?
AoedeQuote Reply
To heck with Irri or Jhiqui, I want to see Karen Hassan a bit more than that. Nice find winter!
AnonymousQuote Reply
Aoede, I really agree but despite their alleged fandom, if Benioff and HBO get caught up in the technicalities of producing a show; the budget, casting calls, etc. and opt- if even financially- to shrink the cast by cutting a character like Theon, the late story will be vastly impacted negatively and, as of yet, we don’t know if they’ll do that or not.
NjordQuote Reply
Well, obviously I’m not a TV exec, me, but it seems that if Theon’s early appearances are relatively few, then having a good actor guest-star — even if it’s a somewhat famous/expensive actor, which is not necessary for quality — still wouldn’t add up to all that much.
AoedeQuote Reply
Aoede, that’s true. I suppose they can just bring him on in limited capacity rather than with some season-long contract. I didn’t think of that. Guest star credits and such would solve my issue with budget I think. Good point.
NjordQuote Reply
Doreah perhaps? She did teach dany how to "love" Drogo!
http://www.equity.org.uk/viewmember.aspx?id=7260&page=1&type=northern%20ireland&subtype=
AnonymousQuote Reply
Just had a quick look, how about;
Thoros of Myr or Ilyn Payne: http://www.dealersagency.co.uk/showactor.asp?ID=233
Renly Baratheon: http://www.dealersagency.co.uk/showactor.asp?ID=191
Alistair Thorne:
http://www.dealersagency.co.uk/showactor.asp?ID=205
JGQuote Reply
Aoede, good call on bloodrider! Looks ideal.
JGQuote Reply
JG like that for Payne
AnonymousQuote Reply
Ditto, probably because of the pale eyes. But I can see where you’d get Thoros of Myr.
AoedeQuote Reply
Lots of great suggestions here!
Anon: Thanks for the info about the auditions! Any more details you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
If you don’t mind me asking, how old is your son? Just curious to see what age range they are looking to cast for the role.
Good luck to your boy! This is a potentially huge role. Congrats on getting an audition!
WinterIsComingQuote Reply
Will the series be released on Sep.? Who knows the exact date? cant wait…
ChenzQuote Reply
Won’t be released this year and probably not next year, according to what I’ve read here and elsewhere.
AoedeQuote Reply
Marillion
JGQuote Reply
Ah, but can he sing? :D
AoedeQuote Reply
thanks, Aoede, a long long time to wait
ChenzQuote Reply
Aoede: lol, was just thinking that!
JGQuote Reply
This is weird because alot of the people you are speculating about are people that I’ve worked with. I had the pleasure to be on set on ‘City of Ember’ when Mark Mulholland filmed his last ever scene. He was playing an official portrait painter who was painting a portrait of Bill Murray’s character, Mayor Cole.
Also, I worked with Martin McCann a few years ago on a crime reconstruction program. I was the detective interviewing him. His career really took off after Sir Richard Atternborough cast him in ‘Closing The Ring’.
I’m glad to hear that auditions have started. I haven’t heard anything yet but sometimes we are put forward for minor roles (if the face fits…!)
I was going to wait to see if any of you folk found this but I’ll stick it on now…
http://www.extrasni.com
This is the extras agency I’m with and probably the one that will supply extras and featured extras (and possibly minor speaking parts) to GOT. This is the biggest extras agency in NI. I’m in there but I’m not saying who (I’m male BTW which narrows it down to about 400!)
I’m working on a TV show for them on Monday so if I hear anything about this I’ll let you know.
RimshotQuote Reply
Even more faces to play with :)
Thanks Rimshot.
And I’m going to attempt not to completely mess up my post formatting the next time too.
SilverstarQuote Reply
My son is 9. He was the oldest boy from his agency to audition for the role of Bran.
AnonymousQuote Reply
Anon: Wow. Very interesting. It looks like they are casting the exact age of the character. Bran is listed as 8 in the script. Makes sense since the issue of the actor outgrowing the role a few years down the line is more present with an older actor.
Thanks for the info!
WinterIsComingQuote Reply
That is very interesting about your son’s age. 9 is young – and it’s a big role to be saddled on such a young actor. It will require a very special kid to pull it off. It’s possible they are first trying to find that perfect, special kid who is exactly the right age at first and if not they’ll expand the search some.
Tell your son to ‘break a leg’ (and then make sure he understand that really means ‘good luck.’) :-)
BrudeQuote Reply
Breaking a leg would be especially appropriate for Bran.
AnonymousQuote Reply
LOL!
And such interesting news indeed!!
LivveyQuote Reply
Dan was spot on with his guess of the other 3 children’s characters that they have started casting in Northern Ireland.
AnonymousQuote Reply
What about MANCE RAYDER? He is in the pilot too, albeit very briefly…
AnonymousQuote Reply
Bruce Campbell yeah British actors equity tra la la
AnonymousQuote Reply
my son has just had a recall for Bran, big part, I know he's up to it, just hope he get's the cance.
sueQuote Reply
Good luck to your son, Sue!
SilverstarQuote Reply
thank's Silverstar, nice to know I'm not the only human awake at this time!!
sueQuote Reply
I'm a Brit … I've been up and awake for hours ;)
When I count as human or not, I'm not sure …
SilverstarQuote Reply
my son is 9 too he is very grown up for his age but quite small which is a help I guess
sueQuote Reply