His Dark Materials: HBO reveals voice actors for Iorek Byrnison and the dæmons
Ever since the BBC and HBO announced a plan to produce a show based on author Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, we’ve been excited. We’re excited to see Lyra Belacqua (Dafne Keen) receive the fiery onscreen adaptation she deserves, and we’re excited to see Pullman’s weighty themes explored with a deft touch. But mostly we’re excited about Iorek Byrnison, the armored talking warrior bear. More on him, please.
In the 2007 film adaptation, The Golden Compass, Sir Ian McKellen voiced Iorek, and as meh as that movie was, it was hard to argue with that choice. In HBO’s His Dark Materials, English actor Joe Tandberg (who voiced Josera Snow in Telltale’s Game of Thrones video game, FYI) will play the part.
“All bears are true, but I’ve known Iorek for years, and nothing under the sky will make him break his word. Give him the charge to take care of her and he’ll do it, make no mistake.”
— His Dark Materials (@darkmaterials) August 30, 2019
@joe_tandberg is Iorek Byrnison.#HisDarkMaterials pic.twitter.com/TsZ4IbXOmd
HBO also announced the voice actors for several other animal roles — in the world of His Dark Materials, everyone has an animal familiar called a dæmon, and they can all talk.
Comedian Cristela Alonzo will play Lee Scoresby’s (Lin-Manuel Miranda) faithful arctic hair, Hester. Kathy Bates played Hester in the 2007 movie.
“Hester could fight: her claws were sharp, too, and she was tough and brave.”
— His Dark Materials (@darkmaterials) August 30, 2019
Cristela Alonzo (@cristela9) is Hester.#HisDarkMaterials pic.twitter.com/iM3n9T32Et
Kit Connor (Grantchester) will play the key role of Lyra’s daemon Pantalaimon. Freddy Highmore (The Good Doctor) played Pantalaimon in 2007.
“She and Pantalaimon could feel each other’s thoughts”@kit_connor is Pantalaimon.#HisDarkMaterials pic.twitter.com/yX8g8DMy0g
— His Dark Materials (@darkmaterials) August 30, 2019
David Suchet plays Kaisa, a snow goose belonging to Serafina Pekkala, queen of the Lake Enara clan of witches.
“The flying thing came closer and circled the ship on outspread wings. [...] In the Aurora’s light she saw a great bird.”@David_Suchet is Kaisa.#HisDarkMaterials pic.twitter.com/VJPOCXJfzK
— His Dark Materials (@darkmaterials) August 30, 2019
I’m not exactly sure about the Golden Monkey’s name, but it belongs to Mrs. Coulter, a powerful mover and shaker who takes a great interest in Lyra. The Golden Monkey doesn’t actually talk in the books, and it sounds like that’ll hold true here, with the “animal noises and vocal characteristics created by Brian Fisher.”
“He is in the form of a monkey, but no ordinary monkey: his fur is long and silky and of the most deep and lustrous gold.”
— His Dark Materials (@darkmaterials) August 30, 2019
The Golden Monkey’s animal noises and vocal characteristics created by Brian Fisher. #HisDarkMaterials pic.twitter.com/padwpnQntg
Who are you most excited to hear? Let’s discuss.
dark. Next. Release date for HBO’s Watchmen show (probably) unveiled
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