Game of Thrones Casting More Northern Lords For Season 6
By Ani Bundel
Last week, we had a bogus casting claim out of India over a Bollywood star who claimed he was been courted for Game of Thrones Season 6. There were many things wrong with his story from the outset. But one claim, that there was no way the show would be casting characters this late in the game, was off. Due to the lack of major player roll outs at San Diego Comic Con, casting for this season has been a rolling process, with openings for midlevel characters who are only going to appear in one or two episodes popping up all along the way. And though we saw that director Miguel Sapochnik posted the clapboard for the beginning of the final episode only a couple of days ago, apparently there are still roles to be filled.
According to Watchers on the Wall, the production is trying to film two more roles. The descriptions come with names, but as seems to be the way of it this season, those names have probably been changed to protect the rest of us from spoilers.
“Boyce”: He’s a callow young nobleman in his 20’s who has been thrust into a position of power before he is ready. They’re looking for an actor using a Northern accent, and one who is physically fit, can play somewhat hot-headed and can look rugged. Our source says the character has a couple speeches in a scene with leading cast. He’s only expected to shoot for one day- December 16th- in Northern Ireland.
“Fletcher”: He is a fat nobleman in his 60’s. He has distinctive rugged features, a Northern accent, and a distinguished air. Our source says he has a stirring speech during which he unexpectedly shifts political allegiances. The actor is only expected to shoot for one day- the same day as the above role, on December 16th, in Northern Ireland.
——-Though ‘spoiler’ is not a word I’d apply to this situation——-
——-The evidence suggests we’ve engaged in Speculation——-
So two Northern Lord cameos, probably for the end of the season, either pre or post-Battle of the Bastards. We’ll take the second one first.
“Fletcher” is clearly a bogus name, but the description should be familiar to book readers. A “big speech” where he “unexpectedly shifts political allegiances” is a key point for only one Northern character, and that’s Wyman Manderly, who publicly supports the Freys and Boltons while secreting undermining them. Manderly (nickname: “Lord Too-Fat-To-Sit-A-Horse”) is described over the series as a kindly man who looked upon Bran with less pity than others, as well as someone who allows people to think him cowardly and craven due to his size and health, when actually he is an extremely shrewd player of the game.
Manderly doesn’t really appear until A Dance With Dragons, when he steps into something of a major role. Now, in the books, this role is brought on by Davos, who is traveling from place to place trying to drum up support for Stannis. Obviously, that’s off the table for the show. And since this character is only filming for one day, it’s likely that Manderly’s revelation about his Stark loyalties will be made to someone else.
Another question: will Manderly bake a bunch of Freys into meat pies and serve them to the Bolton family, as it does in the books, or no?
As for the other character, it seems to be someone who is on hand for Manderly’s speech, as they’re filming on the same day in the same place.
Let’s look at the Northern Houses we know, other than Bolton: Cerwyn, Dustin, Flint, Glover, Hornwood, Karstark, Manderly, Mormont, Reed, Ryswell, Tallhart, and Umber. Some of these we can cross off the list easily. The Umbers we believe to have been on a different casting list. Same with the Karstarks. Dustin is run by Lady Barbrey. Likewise, Glover is run by Lady Sybelle. Lord Rodrik Ryswell is (in the words of a man Arya killed) “too old.” Robin Flint was killed in the Red Wedding. Hornwood’s heir, Daryn, supposedly didn’t survive the first book, and hasn’t been mentioned on the show. The Mormonts…well, we know where Jorah is. Likewise, we know where the Reeds are.
That leaves House Tallhart, who have no named members I can think of, and House Cerwyn. House Ceryn is currently being run in the books by young Cley Cerwyn, after his father is killed at Harrenhall. Last season, the show deliberately made mention that Ramsay Bolton flayed Medger Cerwyn for not paying his taxes, so even though we’ve gotten there by slightly different means, that makes Cley head of the House, and probably following whatever plan the elder Manderly is running.
Any other ideas?