We’ve known for a while that New Zealand-born actor Joe Naufahu (Spartacus: War of the Damned, Go Girls) would have a “multi-episode arc” in Game of Thrones Season 6. Given his coloring and physique, it wasn’t hard to guess that he would be playing a member of the Dothraki. Now, we know which one.
According to Naufahu’s Red 11 CV, he will be playing Khal Jhogo, one of Khal Drogo’s former followers, and the second to declare himself a khal after Drogo became incapacitated toward the end of A Game of Thrones.
The khalasar Daenerys runs into at the end of A Dance with Dragons belongs to Khal Jhogo, and is around 20 thousand riders strong. Seeing as Naufahu has a “multi-episode arc,” signs point to him being at the head of the khalasar Dany met in the Season 5 finale, as well.
Incidentally, in A Game of Thrones, Daenerys has some choice things to say about Jhogo and his bloodrider Mago after they rape a Lhazareen girl named Eroeh, whom Daenerys had taken under protection. “Before I am done with them, Mago and Ko Jhago will plead for the mercy they showed Eroeh.” Eroeh didn’t appear on the show, but I’d still be nervous about Dany wreaking some vengeance on Jhago, especially after Drogon comes back into the picture.
Meanwhile, Naufahu and the other Dothraki actors are having a grand old time in Belfast. Here’s Naufahu with fellow Dothraki Diogo Sales…
…and here he is with Andrei Claude…
…and here’s Dothraki performer Staz Nair playing piano while Sales dances.
It’s just a constant flow of photos from the Dothraki players. If anything, they’re having too good a time, seeing as new cast member Elie Haddad straight up posted a photo of a Season 6 script, which could not have pleased HBO. Still, they’re all new additions to the cast, so it’s only natural for them to be excited.