Which Game of Thrones characters have been recast, and was it the right move?
By Corey Smith
Beric Dondarrion
This one may have slipped by you, but before Beric Dondarrion sword-fought the Hound, Australian actor David Michael Scott (no relation to the paper salesman) portrayed the Lightning Lord for a single scene in the season 1 episode “A Golden Crown.” Ned Stark commanded that Dondarrion hunt down the pillaging Gregor Clegane, and Scott responded with a solemn nod. Then it was off into to adventure, getting stabbed in the eye, slashed in the throat, and more.
Richard Dormer (no relation to Natalie Dormer) played the role starting in season 3, after Beric had died and come back to life half a dozen times. He then disappeared again for a couple years before coming back in a semi-recurring fashion in season 6, and he’s been with us ever since.
After converting to the Lord of Light, Dondarrion got a new outlook on the world. Dormer plays him with a forlorn sense of duty and a grizzled beard. Which portrayal do you prefer?