George R.R. Martin has surprised us today by dropping what appears to be a new casting clue on his Not A Blog. The message is brief but tagged with “Game of Thrones” and “HBO.” Late-breaking casting news for season 3, perhaps?
The very brief clue from Froggy in a post titled “It’s the Pits” reads:
Son of Homer.
Bart the Bear Jr. on the set of Thrones. Photo by @storkisthename
Update by HmR: GRRM has confirmed it in a comment to his post:
You guys are smarter than the average bear, plainly.
Yes, it’s BART THE BEAR.
Or rather, Bart the Second. The original Bart, that nine foot tall star of stage and screen, has departed for the great forest in the sky. So Jaime and Brienne get to play with his heir and namesake.
Here is a great video from a couple of years ago with Little Bart, or Bart The Second, with his trainer Doug Seus.
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82 Comments
I came up with Alan Stenson who played Telemachus, son of Oddesseus in the 1997 TV movie “The Oddessey.” I don’t know who he”d play though. I hope it’s not the Red Viper.
Here is his bio: http://www.castingcallpro.com/uk/view.php?uid=276593
paylorQuote Reply
There’s a famous bear named Bart.
AleksaQuote Reply
It’s Bart the acting bear. Or, more accurately Little Bart. Confirms Nicolai’s interview comment about filming a scene where he mentions an actor who can’t leave the US. Booya! Bear Pit Scene
VillaneQuote Reply
It would make sense with the “pits” mention. Though this wouldn’t be the actual Bart the Bear, since that bear is dead. But maybe he is indeed talking about a bear.
Ours is the FuryQuote Reply
Funny. Good, I’m glad it wasn’t the Red Viper.
paylorQuote Reply
It’s definitely Bart the Bear.
Bart = son of homer
It’s the pits = Bear pit
Plus, it’s the character mentioned by Nikolaj in his interview that couldn’t leave LA.
Edit: Ninja’d
Nick_ScryerQuote Reply
I considered someone from Troy. Brenden Gleeson isn’t doing anything at the moment. Perhaps him? Not sure what role he’d play, but he’d certainly be a great addition to the cast.
ViolaQuote Reply
I posted over at GRRM’s blog to ask if it’s the bear. I think it’s very likely.
Ours is the FuryQuote Reply
Does posting the first warning of this news in the last thread qualify me for a FIRST FIRST FIRST comment? ;-)
I’m sure we’ll get lots of people wishing the “Pits” is about a miniature vest-sporting fat man…
And since the appearance of Arstan has been kept under wraps until now… well, this might just be a late season-3 casting! However, there have been pictures from others surrounding Daenerys (as opposed to Theon’s storyline), and one would have expected SB and AW to appear there…
LavignacQuote Reply
Hopefully the Cub of Bart is pretty intimidating. Any links of this bear’s pic?
DavidQuote Reply
2 comments. Quickest clue solving ever?
LexQuote Reply
They cast Nancy Cartwright?
CharlesQuote Reply
Orlando Bloom? (big name). Actually think it’s the bear.
Patchy FaceQuote Reply
I’m with this, but I did a little digging and there is a “Little Bart” out there that was named after the original Bart the Bear. Here’s his IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1212069/
Oops, sorry, props should go to Villane.
AziraphaleQuote Reply
Totally. I was going to say something deep and inspiring and spend lots of time researching serious actors who’d done made-for-tv rapresentation of Homeric Epics, but then I thought, it’s Bart.
Go, laziness. Go, ignorance.
(Also: that’s me! Anyone remembers me? Sometimes I’m not dead!)
ElenaQuote Reply
No pics but the stats are intimidating!
http://www.bartthebear.com/bears/bart2.html
8 foot 6! Holy shit that scene is going to be amazing!
Nick_ScryerQuote Reply
Aziraphale,
Love his work!
Patchy FaceQuote Reply
THANK GOD.
MQuote Reply
Here’s a picture of “Little Bart” aka Bart 2:
http://i1.cdnds.net/12/02/618×425/zoopg-vertical.jpg
Ours is the FuryQuote Reply
Wow, that was a quick one! Brings back the memory of the old days. :-)
AbyssQuote Reply
I remember you, Elena.
And yes, I think Bart is “Little Bart,” who has a very active career in Hollywood. And animal laws are just about the only thing that force productions like these to shoot in specific cities, so I think those of us who guessed “bear pit scene” when Nikolaj gave us that little tidbit were spot-on.
Fire And BloodQuote Reply
Nice !!!
Coltaine777Quote Reply
Although Bart the Bear died in 2000, there’s a bear called Little Bart or Bart II raised by the same trainers: IMDb
GrzebykKQuote Reply
P.S. I wasn’t aware of how much I missed Froggy until I saw him and did the happy-fists thing. Froggy!
Fire And BloodQuote Reply
A bear!! A bear!!
un0Quote Reply
33 different trained commands listed on the website… Must be impressive on-set.
LavignacQuote Reply
Looking around that website I posted above, I noticed they do wolves too. I wonder if that’s the current Stark pack? There are definitely some look alikes there haha
http://www.bartthebear.com/wolves/wolves2.html
Nick_ScryerQuote Reply
Armand Arsanti who played in the Odyssey TV Movie about 15 years ago? He would be a great Doran Martell being of Greek heritage.
I’m just guessing. :D
sherryQuote Reply
Awesome! Bear pit scene, real bear! Can’t wait to see Gwen in that bit!
KateQuote Reply
Little Bart! Just saw a vid of him with Brad Pitt! So great and impressive! Really looking forward to that scène!!!
Sky AeroQuote Reply
They signed Nancy Cartwright?
RichardQuote Reply
God the bear pit scene is going to be one of my highlights from the season. Seeing this just makes me so happy. Can. Not. Wait!
Also I kind of geeked out a bit just seeing Froggy again. Even if this was one of the easier riddles, it’s still such fun.
ZackQuote Reply
Oh ! So glad it wont be an ugly CGIed bear !
ArkashQuote Reply
I agree with everyone else. However, if that is the case then perhaps GRRM should have made the clue a little harder.
P.S. Froggy, how I have missed thee…
NinepennyQuote Reply
Nick_Scryer,
Wolf Shadow looks like Shaggydog is the series!!!
bonQuote Reply
Did anyone see what Carice van Houten (Melisandre) tweeted? https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/543790_483353405040135_1541334662_n.jpg
ReminQuote Reply
So excited about the Bear Pit!
On a related note, my daughter and I were watching tv and the trailer for “Mama” came on. My daughter said, “The guy who plays Jaime on GOT is in this movie”. And I said, “yeah, he plays the dad and uncle”…when she heard that, she had this look of complete horror on her face. I quickly realized why, and said, “but not like he does in Game of Thrones!” She was like, “I was gonna say…” What has GRRM done to us?
GatorfischQuote Reply
Funny how people think, GRRM says Homer, I thought ancient Greek Poet, didn’t even think of Homer Simpson till I read the comments, lol!
Aegon the ConquerorQuote Reply
Nice to have confirmation from GRRM that NCW was talking about filming the bear pit scene in LA!
LuanaQuote Reply
Aziraphale,
Yup. That is big enough.
DavidQuote Reply
Remin,
I thought there was the title of episode 3 in this picture Carice tweeted… but all I can make out is something like PicVers E. ^^
ArkashQuote Reply
Remin,
Nice grab. Doesn’t seem to tell us much other than that Ep. 3 has been edited, Melisandre is in it, and, if I’m reading the timestamp correctly, in the opening scene.
WatsonQuote Reply
Looks like ” Gentle Ben ” ( also a bear , but long dead, may he RIP ) :D
WildSeedQuote Reply
Aegon the Conqueror,
me too, with circe and all…i really thought it was edric dane or bbplumm
HeatherQuote Reply
A BEAR THERE WAS!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6VMSYIXCCY
Tom O’ SevensQuote Reply
“I called for a knight!”
“But you’re a bear!”
This so reminds me of a certain scene in the Kings Landing godswood, and later at the entrance to Maegor’s. Perhaps in a future version it could be re-written as The Dog and his Little Bird.
PeterDQuote Reply
If it turns out that NCW really was filming with a bear recently I’m going to crack! XD
I was so kididng when I tossed that out there…. and then it seemed almost possible, but now this! It certainly fits the clue. Cool! XD
So nice toe Froggy back!
I wish I would have been home when the clue released so I could ve played along.
DarquemodeQuote Reply
Oh dear! Please don’t hurt me, but…….who’s Froggy? 0.O
GrijnwaaldQuote Reply
Grijnwaald,
You’re not alone , but I was playing along……real quiet like….until more clues were
dropped :D I didn’t pick up the cue about ” son of Homer ” either ):
WildSeedQuote Reply
Grijnwaald,
Froggy is George RR Martin himself… or his mischievous alter ego mayhap.
On his website when he decides to give inside info and casting clues he always uses an icon that is a little frog in a bow tie seen at the top of the page.
DarquemodeQuote Reply
Darquemode,
Oh! thanks for that :D
WildSeedQuote Reply
Darquemode,
Oh I see, thank you! :)
GrijnwaaldQuote Reply
Oh great, we get a flashback to see how Tormund lost half his member!
Mance Pants RayderQuote Reply
I concur, it’s very likely that the bear scene is what needed to be shot in LA according to Nikolaj.
Hear Me RoarQuote Reply
A Conleth Hill interview people!! apparently the sun can rise from the west and set in the east!
http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/news/backstage-pass/article/item169203/the-big-interview-conleth-hill/
“Yet for all his stage acclaim, TV work has been harder to come by… until HBO drama Game Of Thrones, which Hill describes as “a life-changing job”. But the drama of swords, snow and sauciness too almost slipped through Hill’s fingers like a greasy dagger. He was not originally seen for the part of the bald informer Lord Varys, known as the King’s Spider, but for another role entirely. Exactly which role, I don’t know, as Hill, like all good spymasters, keeps this information close to his chest.”
AdrianAegonQuote Reply
How kind x
paylor,
Alan StensonQuote Reply
AdrianAegon,
I read that. What other role do you htink?
Littlefinger?
Honestly I’m just not familiar enough with his work that I can see him in too many roles outside of Varys and Littlefinger. He’s obviously perfectly cast as Varys….
DarquemodeQuote Reply
Excellent! Nice to know one of my favourite scenes is included.
MartinQuote Reply
Goddamit why has Bart Simpson been cast on GoT! Cartoon characters never translate well to live-action settings!
PS It appears as JJ Abrams will direct “Star Wars: Episode VII” (are they still gonna call them episodes) due in 2015…another candidate in the running was suppossedly Ben Afleck…
loco73Quote Reply
Darquemode,
He’s a little to.. plump for LF. King Bob maybe? :))
Yeah I agree. He’s perfect for Varys. My fav from the show! Every time he comes into a scene, I get a smile on my face. He’s even better than book-Varys! I know, blasphemy right? :)) GoT friends ask me who is my fav character, Tyrion, Jon, Dany? When I say Varys, they stare at me. :)) I should be AdrianVarys, not AdrianAegon! :))
AdrianAegonQuote Reply
I’d guess the other role he read might have been Robert or Illyrio.
ArkashQuote Reply
There is a company called Bart’s Whirlpool Tubs in PITTSburgh PA. Could this mean that they provided a basin for Jaime’s naked kraken?
RygarQuote Reply
So this is why Nikolas was in LA with “actor” that couldn’t travel…too funny. http://winteriscoming.net/2013/01/nikolaj-coster-waldau-on-jaime-lannisters-love-life-and-season-3/
TCQuote Reply
http://gameofpolthrones.tumblr.com/
I think that if any of you understands Italian and Politics of Italy he / she will find this Site hilarious !
Personally , I am Italian , so for me it is very funny !
Lord of CastamereQuote Reply
BY THE WAY , GREAT NEWS !
I KNEW THAT WHAT NKW MEANT WAS CONNECTED TO THE PITS SCENE !
Lord of CastamereQuote Reply
A bear there was, a bear, A BEAR!!!!
ArnelQuote Reply
i wonder wht if gwen stands tall than jr. bart…ha ha just saying
the waifQuote Reply
And it’s certainly covered with hair!
KGQuote Reply
What’s there to make of? We’re going to have the bear scene, woot! Will Brienne be wearing a pink, frilly, undersized smock?
LundyQuote Reply
glad it’s not gonna be a cgi bear!!
Jaison BiaginiQuote Reply
He’s all black and brown, and covered in hair!
The Dragon DemandsQuote Reply
A bear a bear all black and brown and covered in hair!!!!
AshQuote Reply
Grijnwaald,
Darquemode,
Froggy the Gremlin was a children’s tv show in the 40′s and 50′s. It featured a mischievous rubber frog. You can find youtube videos of the show.
The only reason I have heard of him is because he’s mentioned a lot in The Armageddon Rag(a novel by GRRM written in the 80′s).
SourBillyTiptonQuote Reply
SourBillyTipton,
HA!
Good to know, thank you!!
I always wondered what the connection was.
DarquemodeQuote Reply
Lundy,
That question was from yesterday before the clue had been worked out.
Ours is the FuryQuote Reply
great news! anyone else think it will be awesome if they are singing “the bear and the maiden fair” when brienne is fighting in the bear pit?
SolarQuote Reply
Well a woman thinks that GRRM must not read this site very often, as many of us had worked this out about Bart2 in the NCW interview thread days ago! Still fun to see Froggy, it won’t be long now…
Ps…that looks like the back of Bart2′s trainer, forget his name but saw the documentary about their home and business of training Bart and when they brought Bart2 and his sister there as tiny abandoned/orphaned cubs from Alaska ( I think) and began to train them right away to work with them and bond with them. Very humane practices used FYI…
Mrs. H’gharQuote Reply
THIS. So which band’s going to cover The Bear and the Maiden Fair? Flight of the Conchords would be fantastic if they weren’t so busy these days.
The AnchoressQuote Reply
Mrs. H’ghar,
We did mention Little Bart a couple of weeks ago and here’s a vid of the “little guy” in training –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEgImnMHzzQ
And because it’s OK to “fangirl” on a Friday night (and because I miss him) here’s another cool video –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY920buKJJo&feature=youtu.be
Tereeza777Quote Reply
Mrs. H’ghar,
Sorry – sorry – I posted the same video that HmR posted above. Anyway, Little Bart will be great! How much fun for NCW to get the chance to work with him!
Tereeza777Quote Reply
Tereeza777,
A woman believes that it must have been a unique experience for all working on the set for those scenes, and hope that we will get some behind the scenes info…Little Bart will certainly be huuuuuuuuuge!
Mrs. H’gharQuote Reply
So many unforgettable moments coming up in this series! I was sure they’d cut the bear scene for logistical reasons. Glad it’s in!
Lazlo WoodbineQuote Reply