When Souad Faress was first announced as a new cast member for Game of Thrones Season 6, fans puzzled over who she might play. My first guess was that she would play the “Leading Actress” in the theater company that Arya takes up with, but that role ended up going to The Babadook’s Essie Davis. With her coloring and age, some fans thought that she might be a member of the dosh khaleen, a group made up of former khaleesis who are taken to Vaes Dothrak, the capital city of the Dothraki people, after their khals have died, where they live out their days as revered seers who interpret omens. Now, it ends up that those fans…might have been right.
According to Faress’ Spotlight CV, she will be playing a “High Priestess” on Game of Thrones Season 6. Piecing out what exactly that means is harder. When we hear the term “priestess,” our minds go to figures like Melisandre, a priestess in service to the Lord of Light. We will be seeing another Red Priestess in Season 6, a young woman who will help Tyrion and Varys maintain order in Meereen by preaching the gospel of Daenerys to its citizens. Perhaps Faress is playing her boss? In the books, the religion of the Lord of Light does have a leader named Benerro, who’s based in Volantis. It’s possible Faress is fulfilling that role.
It’s also possible that the term “priestess” is a loose one, and that Faress will indeed be playing an particularly well-respected member of the doth khaleen. The dosh khaleen aren’t priestesses per se, but they are revered in the Dothraki culture, and their practices of fortune-telling and soothsaying do have religious overtones.
The Game of Thrones production is currently filming material with the Dothraki, so we’ll see if Faress shows up.
Finally, Faress could be playing Galazza Galare, the Green Grace (roughly equivalent to a High Priestess) of Meereen. Galare is a high-ranking member in the religion worshipped by the people in Slaver’s Bay. In A Dance with Dragons, she advises Daenerys on how to pacify the city. Perhaps now she could advise Tyrion and Varys.
Next: Here's where and when Game of Thrones will be shooting in the Tabernas deserD