Kit Harington is attending the New York Comic Con this weekend, to promote his upcoming film Silent Hill: Revelation 3D. Naturally, a few journos have taken the opportunity to ask him about the third season of Game of Thrones.
Terri Schwartz of Spinoff Online was one of those who spoke with Harington about Thrones and got his thoughts on his new co-star, Ciarán Hinds.
“Ciarán Hinds is one of the most lovely men you will ever meet, and also one of the most fantastically fantastic actors,” Harington said. “I’m so privileged with the people I’ve worked with, the other older actors I’ve worked with, and he’s now another addition to that list that I can say I’ve worked with. It was fantastic.”
But Hinds wasn’t Kit’s first choice for the role. He originally was hoping for HBO vet Ian McShane.
“I was kind of going Ian McShane would work for this, and then they came up with Ciarán Hinds and it was just perfect,” he said.
Meredith Woerner of io9 also snuck in a few questions about Thrones in her chat with Kit. You can watch the video of this interview at io9.
Winter Is Coming: I’m with Kit, McShane would have made a great Mance. Hopefully David & Dan can cast him in another role down the road. Victarion Greyjoy, perhaps?
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87 Comments
I wanted McShane as Mance from the beginning he would have been great, I am sure Hinds will be great though.
Hopefully Mcshane can some into it at some point, not sure who as….
Euron or Victarion maybe though he is not really brutish enough for Viccy
He could maybe play the role of Brown Ben Plumm/Tattered Prince if they expand and combine the roles to an extent, having him take over the role of most of the commanders of sellsword companies perhaps with him forfilling the role of Yezzan zo Qaggaz too.
Guess he could also be Randyll Tarly of Jon Connington. I am sure he would be great in whatever role.
The B of B-townQuote Reply
While McShane is a good actor he’s also 70 years old, so I honestly don’t think that would have worked out.
Seeing as HBO originally asked Dominic West (who’s 42) I get the impression that they were looking for someone younger as Mance, but then went with Hinds when West turned down the role.
Though for all we know McShane might have been their third choice.
CarneQuote Reply
I pictured Mance to be younger than McShane though, so I’m quite happy they chose Hinds for the role. So far I’m satisfied with the rest of the new casts, which makes me impatient to see all of them in action.
LexyvilQuote Reply
Can’t tell from the video, I wonder if Kit’s back up and running?
ConorQuote Reply
Especially in light of ADWD, I agree that McShane would have been too old for the part. Hinds can play younger than he actually is.
If McShane had been cast as a Greyjoy, it would have have to have been as Balon. In particular, he would bring too much charm and charisma to any role to be the best Victarion. On the other hand, there’s this red priest whom Victarion meets, and that might be a great role for Ian McShane.
Maester TcostQuote Reply
Victarion will probably be a 35-45 year old, not a 70 year old.
spacechampionQuote Reply
I’m glad it’s not McShane. Leaving aside that he’d probably be too old… more importantly, I feel I know how he’d play it. That’s not to say he’d play it badly, but just… I’ve read the books, I know more or less what’s going to happen, I even know quite a few of the lines they’re going to say… I don’t want an actor where I hear the name and think “oh, yes, I know how he’s going to act that”. It’s not like a normal show for me, where the actor reveals the character by doing stuff – here, I know what the stuff is, so the novelty for me is in how the actor actually acts.
So part of the reason i don’t enjoy Gillen’s littlefinger is that everything he does is exactly what I thought he was going to do the moment I heard he was cast. [But slightly over-done - that's the other reason].
By contrast, I really like Dillane’s Stannis – because when i heard he was cast, I knew he had the skills to play the role, but I didn’t know exactly how he was going to play the role. So it’s exciting to watch him find a way.
Likewise, with Hinds, my head says he can certainly play the role – but I can’t really imagine it. I can’t, for instance, take one of his previous roles, nudge it slightly, and come up with something that fits Mance Rayder. So that makes me excited to see how he does it! Whereas with McShane, I suspect i’d have spent the first scene going ‘oh, yes, that is how he’s playing it!’, and then spent all his other scenes thinking ‘ok, i’ve seen this now, can we have the next guy please?’.
Of course, there are some casting decisions where you can’t imagine how they play the role and you’re worried rather than excited, because you don’t think they can do it. But in the case of Hinds, I think he’s got all the attributes he needs to play Mance (he’s physically intimidating, he’s commanding, he’s charming, he’s funny)… I just don’t know how exactly he’s going to put those elements together.
WastrelQuote Reply
Perhaps Doran will be more perfect for McShane
TJeffQuote Reply
If we are thinking now about role for McShane I have one role that could fit him: Arnolf Karstark. What do you think? Or maybe one of Umbers? Here some pics. He looks on them like some Northener: http://www.zimbio.com/photos/Ian+McShane/Ian+McShane+Promotes+Canal+Cuatro/5oXVkeXkNc_
http://www.superiorpics.com/ian_mcshane/pictures/McShaneAG03033372_picture.html
bonQuote Reply
Mcshane for Mace Tyrell. I’d say he’d be decent for Doran as well but I feel that the producers should use the opportunity of introducing the Dornish to broaden the ethnic diversity of the cast.
HouseLarkQuote Reply
HouseLark, I am holding out hope for Brendan Gleeson as Mace. :)
ImpiQuote Reply
Agreed. He’d be perfect as Doran.
NezzerQuote Reply
We may at least wish for this, To include Brendan Gleeson in the series would be
awesome. I hope he is a fan.
WildSeedQuote Reply
How about Alfred Molina as Doran? And the guy who played the Captain in Pan’s Labyrinth or Olivier Martinez or Joachim al Meida as Oberyn?
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
” I’m with Kit, McShane would have made a great Mance. Hopefully David & Dan can cast him in another role down the road. Victarion Greyjoy, perhaps?”
Lol, no, McShane is a perfect Lord Tarly dude. Just imagine him in the Brienne.
Bannerless BroQuote Reply
As much as I’d like to have McShane on the show. I really want Rufus Sewell as Victarion. And Christopher Eccleston as Euron.
WinterdarkQuote Reply
Also, Ray Stevenson for Victarion Greyjoy, James Purefoy for Euron. I can imagine them interacting.
Bannerless BroQuote Reply
Ray Stevenson as Victarion is my top choice. It needs to happen.
CarneQuote Reply
Joshua Taylor,
Molina was not how I imagined Doran, but it would be an incredible performance. I imagine they would have to age him a little though.
Bannerless BroQuote Reply
Gerard Depardieu or Kenneth branagh for Mace Tyrell!!
Caro HQuote Reply
Caro H,
I vote Tom Wilkinson
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
I don’t know, i always pictured the dornish as black so hopefully HBO can get some good black actors in the cast. hes too big a name, but laurence fishburne as doran would be incredible
milkQuote Reply
Agreed, I’ll be really angry if the Martells aren’t portrayed as POC. I pictured them as more Indian than black though. I could see McShane as Mace Tyrell, although I did picture him a bit younger.
AlyQuote Reply
…?
What if I always pictured the Dornish as one-armed Belgians?
WastrelQuote Reply
I don’t know where people get the notions of the Martells being black. Do you mean Summer Isles black? Because I’m pretty sure it’s safe to assume that the Martells are either Spanish or Persian if we are to give a real world analog to their ethnicity.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
I have always pictured McShane as Doran Martell. His age shouldn’t be a factor, he won’t even have to stand.
ChrisQuote Reply
I’d say that the Dorne is most similar to Spain, with the Rhoynish as the equivalent of the Moors. Alfred Molina would be a good choice for Doran if he’s available.
John G.Quote Reply
Hear hear (me roar:)), McShane in any role! (I trust they can find fitting ones.)
Hear Me RoarQuote Reply
John G.,
Spain indeed. I always pictured the Martells as Castille and Aragon types. Also not to be racist but George wrote the RV as a Latin man, the suaveness, the temper, the perpetuating stereotype. It’s plain if you ask me. Now it’s still possible D and D may go darker to toned for TV!Dorne but I don’t think they will. If they do then I’ll expect a good performance regardless of skin tone.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
Best Al Swearengen quote ever:
“Gabriel’s trumpet will produce you from the ass of a pig.”
And McShane should be Coldhands.
the goatQuote Reply
the goat,
Lemme guess he was talking to EB?
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
By citing Spainish or Persian, you may also be including Moorish Spain and East
Africans whom either sailed or taken to Persian lands. Even Asian India wasn’t
exempt to invasions and assimilation of cultures.
I like Alfred Molina, he’s incredibly versatile, both he and McShane would be an
asset to GoT in roles other than the Martells. Has the roles of the Tyrells been cast
yet ? There were really good suggestions going around, I’m sure they may be
listed in the Casting Threads. I’ll take a look later. I can’t think of a the name
of a actor for the portrayal of Lord Manderly ( for future seasons ), but I can con jour
up an image of him.
Molina was pretty good in the film version of ” the Tempest “, alongside Helen
Mirren.
WildSeedQuote Reply
Ah, I see your point here, sorry I did not read this comment first ):
I would support McShane portraying anyone but a priest :D
WildSeedQuote Reply
WildSeed,
Check out Molina in ‘Frida’. The man has gravitas.
And Ian McNiece IS Lord Manderly.
Tom Wilkinson for Mace Tyrell.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
Molina is great, but not for a Martell. Same with McShane.
Ours is the FuryQuote Reply
WildSeed,
Never saw “Pillars of the Earth”? Mcshane was terrific as a corrupt catholic bishop. Still though, some of the recommendations for parts he could play have to be in jest. Victarion Greyjoy? A huge hulk of a man that does some very physical shit? Are we throwing out random names now?
And someone else said Moqorro… A man who’s supposed to be blacker than black? Naw.
He’d be the perfect Randyll Tarly though. The man can play brutal and unforgiving to be sure.
hashblower420Quote Reply
Impi,
Brendan Gleeson is who I pcitured as Mace when reading too.
If not Mace Tyrell maybe he could play Jon Connington (greying red hair with leathery skin) or Rolly Duckfield (brawny man with a shaggy beard and shock of orange hair) later…..
darquemodeQuote Reply
Ours is the Fury,
I love both actors but agree…. I’m not sure either is right for Doran.
At least Molina is 50% Spanish and 50% Italian even though I think of him as more British.
I like the idea someone suggested of Om Puri or maybe Naseeruddin Shah or Makram Khoury a Doran.
I do wonder if they will age up any of the Martells like they have aged up many of the roles, but especially Doran or Oberyn…..
darquemodeQuote Reply
Jason Isaacs for Randyl Tarly! or at least someone
nightwolfQuote Reply
I wonder if John Noble will be free for Mace Tyrell once Fringe is done?
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
You are indeed correct, you glorious cocksucker.
(in this case, its a term of endearment. Honest.)
As for the opposite of endearment:
Oh, my sweet summer longhorns,
what do you know of fear?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUUS4T4JDUA
63-21. Science, bitch!
Fried bacon-wrapped Oreos. Straight. up. your. burnt. orange. ass.
the goatQuote Reply
Oh good call. I would kill to have Gleeson in GoT, I can actually see him as a good Victarion, or if he hadn’t already been cast, Tormund.
To reply to someone else: I don’t picture the Dornish or Martell’s as necessarily black, just not white. Some of this is of course my own reading of the books.
HouseLarkQuote Reply
I had pictured John Rhys Davies as Mace… while he’s been in some huge movies (LotR and the Indiana Jones movies), he’s also played in some SyFy channel B movies and a lot of other lower level stuff.
NewJeffCTQuote Reply
yes, I did see Pillars of the Earth . Performances by Redwyne , Sewell and others,
were stellar. In spite of the source material, I just could not accept McShane as a.
priest . Somehow it reminded me of Edward G. Robinson portraying a righteous
Jew . I …..just ….can’t…, sorry. In my opinion, he makes for a better Greyjoy
family elder ( too bad he wasn’t Balon ). I would even go for Euron.
WildSeedQuote Reply
I don’t see how McShane is too old for Victarion. He may be 70, but he doesn’t really look it. Plus they cast consistently older in this show. Sean Bean is 53. Lena Headey is 39. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is 42. And Patrick Malahide is 67. It’s not completely outlandish that a 70 year old McShane could play his slightly younger brother.
I mean, look at this picture of Balon and then this recent picture of Ian McShane. Now tell me those two couldn’t play brothers?
Doran Martell should be an actor of Middle Eastern descent. And someone of McShane’s stature would be wasted in a small role like Mace Tyrell or Randyll Tarly (assuming those roles even make it in the show). Victarion is one of the only roles he could conceivably play.
(Marwyn the Mage is another potential fit, depending on how large a role he plays in the story down the line.)
McShane for Victarion in 2013. Get on board!
Winter Is ComingQuote Reply
WildSeed,
Performance by “Redwynne”? Lol I think you meant to say Redmayne? Lol! You know your invested in ASOIAF when….
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
Tom Wilkinson would push the credibility of GoT and excel at any role, but I won’t
get my hopes up for his accepting the role. I ‘m aware that he has completed other
HBO projects ( ie. John Adams miniseries ), but he must be $$$$$.
Yes, Molina scored high in ” Frida “, I thought he was actually Diego :D
WildSeedQuote Reply
NewJeffCT,
That’s a good very plausible casting for Mace Tyrell! the problem is the character is a pushover so I don’t think their going to portray him close to the book at all. I am hoping he is overshadowed by whoever is playing Randyl Tarley.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
I’m surprised I got that right, I usually refer to him as ” one of the Weasley brothers”
( Harry Potter )
WildSeedQuote Reply
Winter Is Coming,
I agree, Balon would have been a great portrayal for McShane, but the role was rather
short AND done quite well by the actor chosen.
WildSeedQuote Reply
Isn’t Boromir’s dad taking a holiday at Modor soon ?
WildSeedQuote Reply
Yeah, maybe he’s not too old after all, still, he doesn’t have that smug face that makes me want to punch him that I expect Euron to have. That’s why I think Purefoy would be better as Euron, even if he’s not old enough for the role.
Ah, and I think Ian McShane has a very Dornish look with that Mediterranean look. I see Dornishmen more like Mediterranean than Middle-Eastern so he’d be perfect as Doran for me.
NezzerQuote Reply
In my opinion, Edward James Olmos would be a great Doran Martell. He has the necessary presence to portray a character who is an important player but gets little “screen” time.
SlothropQuote Reply
Nezzer,
Yeah, as far as Dornish ethnicity goes, I believe Tyrion described it as something to the effect of Martells being Salty Dornishmen, which are probably spanish-y, then the Sandy Dornishmen being more middle-eastern looking (I’m not sure of any House examples of them), and then the stony dornishmen being white, which I believe would be the Dayne’s and other houses around the border.
I’ve never seen McShane in anything, but I want James Callis for something. I have no idea what, but I’d like to see him.
AndrewQuote Reply
NewJeffCT,
I like John Rhys-Davies quite a bit, but he seems to be one of those actors that is always busy with many projects on his table. He may be a bit old too at 68 although HBO is aging most roles up a good deal.
The other two actors I have thought of for Mace Tyrell are Angus MacFadyen and Ronan Vibert. Angus his that look and feel of Mace, but Ronan has some possible connections since he was Lepidus in Rome cast by Nina Gold….
darquemodeQuote Reply
Even though he might not be fat enough, I want Ian McShane to play Lord Manderly.
OliveQuote Reply
Yes tom wilkinson could work as mace! hmmm, maybe denis lawson for doran?
Caro HQuote Reply
WildSeed,
He was taking a holiday but he got burnt real bad ;-)
Apparently no matter how much sunscreen you put on its kind of useless when your covered in oil.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
Caro H,
Denis Lawson would join Burn Gorman and Charles Dance as a resident Bleak House veteran. Not mention how much geek cred the show would further gain to have Wedge Antilles AND General Veers!
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
This guy is more than a decade older than Ciarin Hinds who played Dumbledore’s brother
TomQuote Reply
Only problem is he’s 30 years older than the character. He could have played Mace’s father if he was still alive
TomQuote Reply
Then why not Eddie Murphy?
TomQuote Reply
Having just stumbled on the end of “Jane Eyre” with Michael Fassbender as Mr. Rochester, a woman thought he might be good as Victarion. He could be the youngest brother of Balon Greyjoy, if given a little grey in his hair maybe? He has a similar face shape and a really powerful presence onscreen IMO. Nina Gold cast that series so he is well known to her, a plus. McShane might be a good Connington or one of the heads of the sellsword legions? So many good roles coming up in future seasons too. Can’t wait to see how some of these other roles are cast, it’s going to be fascinating viewing.
Mrs. H’gharQuote Reply
I love McShane but honestly he’s too old for the role.
Al SwearengenQuote Reply
Mrs. H’ghar,
Yeah awesome as it may be we are never going to see the Fass on GoT, he’s A List now. He would be an awesome Rhaegar Targaryen though.
Come to think of it, Tom Hiddlestone resembles Harry Lloyd. He would be a good Rhaegar as well. But he’s too high profile now as well probably.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
Ah well, a woman can dream!
Mrs. H’gharQuote Reply
Joshua Taylor,
YES@!!!! Alfred Molina for Doran Martell, I think he’d be perfect!!!!!
Susie-QQuote Reply
I’ve always figured the Dornish as Latino, with the Roynish being native american strain, and all the references to heat in the food being the peppers of the area.
Critical GeekQuote Reply
Don’t insult ! No one would take comedic actor Murphy as serious here.
Laurence Fishburne has proven himself as a dramatic actor, possibly a thought
for one of the roles ( even Doran ). He is an accomplished stage actor as well.
I thought he did a great job in the role of Othello, alongside Kenneth Branagh.
WildSeedQuote Reply
Really ?
WildSeedQuote Reply
He was who I wanted for Littlefinger. If we were going to put McShane somewhere he would probably make a good Old Griff. Because clearly the two Grayjoys are Pilfory and Stevenson because GOT needs more Rome alums.
I always saw the Martells as Middle-eastern, to kind of Hispanic, which is always what happens when a person gets described as dusty or dusky.
SeanQuote Reply
Did he really say Ian McShane as Victarion Greyjoy?
Durka DurkaQuote Reply
Sean,
He would have made a very intriguing Littlefinger indeed!
I’ve thought of maybe fitting McShane in as Old Griff too, but I keep wondering if he is too old for the role. If Connington was a peer and good friend of Rhaegar wd that mean he was a contemporary in age too? If so 40-ish or mid-forties if HBO ages the role up.
Athough I’m not sure Old Griff has to be a contemporary of Rahegar
I think McShane may be too old for Connington…. Even if Mcshane is relatively physically fit and maybe can play some younger than his true 70 years….
I just don’t see too many 60-ish roles left, especially not many meaty roles that would work for someone of McShane’s stature. Victarion as Winter suggested, Doran like some others suggested… and that’s about it. Maybe they could beef up the role of the Kindly Man? I would love to see Maisie Williams opposite McShane for an entire season!
I recently read McShane was cast in the second season of American Horror Story so I may have to watch that for him!
darquemodeQuote Reply
Note on the whole Dornish people being black or brown skinned, GRRM specifically said to a women of color, some actress whose name I can’t recall, “you look like nymeria sand”. So I’d like to see the Martells as POC
Julian WalkerQuote Reply
The Martells feel more middle eastern than Hispanic. The Dornish are descendants of the Rhoynish from Essos who immigrated to southern Westeros. There is a strong parallel to the arrival of the Moors in Spain, down to the description of palaces like Sunspear and the Water Gardens. Those are not white Spaniards, btw, but darker-skinned people.
Julian Walker,
It was Janina Gavankar of True Blood.
http://interracialscentral.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/janina-gavankar.jpg
Ours is the FuryQuote Reply
Ours is the Fury,
Yeah, plus they’ll likely shoot in Morocco (or somewhere else in the region), so it’ll be much easier to get local extras.
the goatQuote Reply
I love these two. Not necessarily for Mace, but I’d really like to see them in GoT. Now that you mentioned it though, I’m starting to see Angus MacFadyen in the part – there is a bit of physical resemblance, if you compare him to Finn Jones & Natalie Dormer.
MachaQuote Reply
I hope he can as well. However, Brown Ben Plumm is actually…brown, is he not? (as in, dark complected)
Tyrion4LyfeQuote Reply
I just stumbled across this: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/news/article_1705007.php/American-Horror-Story-Asylum-will-scare-the-crazy-out-of-you-some-thoughts?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_33514
It looks like Ian McShane might end up being busy working on future American Horror Story Asylum seasons.
Tyrion4LyfeQuote Reply
Ian McShane doesn’t grow. He fits anything. He is King.
KjetilQuote Reply
the goat,
Hmmm, thinking of Moroccans….
I was just watching World Without End and enjoying Aure Atika as Queen Isabella. I hadn’t seen her before so I looked her up and she is French / Morrocan via Portugal. She could make a good Ellaria Sand. Has that striking and sensuous look without being the “traditional” beauty much like Ellaria was described.
darquemodeQuote Reply
Rolly Duckfield is supposed to be a young man
TomQuote Reply
Tyrion4Lyfe,
Dagmer Cleftjaw has no cleftjaw, Qhorin halfhand has all of his hand
TomQuote Reply
Mrs. H’ghar,
McShane is twice the age of Connington
TomQuote Reply
I mentioned McShane for a role a long time ago here on these comment threads. My pick was Euron Greyjoy. I also thought Brian Cox would be good as Doran Martell. But “Ours is the Fury” reminded me Doran isn’t white. By the way, as for McShane’s age I think he looks younger than the person who played Balon so I still think Euron is a good choice.
ClambakeQuote Reply
I would also love to see McShane in a major role otherwise it would just be a waste of talent.
ClambakeQuote Reply
If only your posts were all like this, sorry if that
sounds extreme.
firstchoiceQuote Reply