Well it was confirmed on Martin's Not a Blog. Sean Bean has cast as Eddard! Wow. I'm really impressed they were able to get him. He should be able to do a fairly epic job too. They cast Mark Addy as Robert. He played Roland in a Knight's Tale. He seems a bit short to play Robert, but other than that he seems pretty good. and I'm sure they'll even his height out somehow. They also have casted Jon, Joff, and Viserys. They're pretty much nobodies, which is what I think this show needs. A few somewhat bigger names, and then a bunch of really awesome nobodies. Man, I can't wait until we start seeing images of these guys in their costumes.

Just saw it, the casting sounds awesome in my opinion, and yes, I don't think Robert's height will be a problem, either.

Have you seen the pics of the actors for Jon and Viserys? There are links in some of the comments.

I can't wait to see who they'll pick for the ladies.

oh didn't see those pics until you mentioned them. Awesome on the Viserys pick! I think he should at least look alot like him. Sucks that there wasn't a more recent picture for the Joff actor. Also, I have to say, I'm a bit sad that they didn't get John Goodman for Robert. Maybe they'll be able to get Patrick Stewart for Stannis though!

I wonder wether Patrick Stewart could be better as Stannis or as Tywin. Anyway he would be really a great addition to the cast.

Patrick Stewart would be awesome, but my recollection is that Tywin and Stannis don't appear in person at all in A Game of Thrones. Are they casting for those roles now?

Hmmmm good point there. Although I thought Stannis was at least at one point in a Small Council meeting.

Actually, I just remembered -- Tywin does show up in some of Tyrion's sections in AGoT. I think Stannis might not have shown up until A Clash of Kings though.

schrecklich said:

Correct. Tywin is in a chunk of AGoT (commanding armies that Tyrion travels with). Stannis does not show up in person until the second book, although he is much talked about.

As much as I love Patrick Stewart as an actor, I don't want Stannis to double in age. He is Robert's younger brother, remember?

But couldn't you just see PS as Old Bear Mormont? "Commander, the Wildlings are acting strangely. Should we send out a ranging party?" -- "Make it so."

I see Patrick Stewart more as Tywin.

The image I've always had in my eyes of Stannis is John Malkovich, but he might be out of their price range.

Actually, if Patrick Stewart is going to be someone, I'd like to see him as someone who is NOT a hero or some odd permutation of Picard. Who I think he'd really be fun as is Craster.

HA! Nonsense!

There's only ONE role Patrick Stewart can play in AGOT. It has been proven by FFG.

I agree he'd be good there, too. I mean, compare the tag lines...

"Just so."

"Make it so."

What about him playing walder frey? Maybe he's not "weasely" enough?

'Weasely' isn't really an adjective I apply to him, although I'm sure an actor of his caliber cold pull it off (and it would definitely be against type).

Good call about Stannis. That's strange, though, I know he is the middle brother, younger than Robert, but I keep seeing him in my mind's eye as the oldest instead, it's because of his demeanor, I suppose..

I don't quite see PS as the Old Bear, either. He's tall but to me the Old Bear feels not just tall but also big, I visualize him rather like Asbjørn Riis (Halga the Wise in 'The 13th Warrior') http://www.thistlehaven.net/J3/The13Warriors.htm (minus the hair, of course).

OK, I can see that guy as Mormon.

Now for the difficult ones... The Cleganes.....

Who do you see as them?

Who should be Dany?

If the actress was "big" one could go with Dakota Fanning, she's already been in abused little girl films.

Another possibility would be Evanna Lynch.

I don't have reletives young enough now to know who's-who in the too-young actress category.

I always had a Natalie Portmanish image in my mind of her (think where she's bald in V For Vendetta and compare with the end of the first book). They'd have to downplay her age a bit and she'd be out of their price range anyway, though.

The Cleganes? He is too old by now, I think, but to me the Hound looks very much like Ron Perlman: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Perlman . the Mountain...is big trouble, really no idea.

As to the ladies: for Cersei maybe Kristianna Loken (Terminatrix) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristanna_Loken or Rebecca Romijn (Mystique) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_Romijn (bad photo).

For the younger ladies I really have no idea at the moment, I'm a bit out of touch with the up-and-coming young actresses (specifically those on the other side of the Atlantic).

I forgot all about Ron Perlman for The Hound, who would be the most awesome choice possible.

Actually I'm fairly certain that Martin had said that the Hound was the only character he had actually written with an actor in mind and that it was indeed Ron Pearlman. I thought I either read that online or maybe it was at the book signing in Madison. Either way it would be pretty awesome to get him for The Hound. Also, John Malcovic would be AWESOME as Stannis! And even though Stannis is younger than Robert, I also visualize him as easily the oldest looking. I mean he just seems so crotchety(sp?)! I'm fairly certain that Patrick Steward could play any of the roles mentioned. Kudos for the Make it So JJ! haha and seeing him as Craster would be pretty awesome too. Although I don't want to see him as such a creepy old man. lol It'd just ruin the Next Gen movies for me.

Also what about the little girl from The Golden Compass for Arya?

She's 15 now... Arya is 8. So uhm while she's still young there might be two minor issues with a postpuebescant girl portraying a prepubescant girl.

... then again even arya has a nude scene, though it's so minor they could just cut it.... but HBO does like thier nudity.

Sometimes, I get the sense that a "year" in Martin's world doesn't quite match a year in our world what with people marrying at 13 and living to a hundred and things like that. That said, I've always picture Arya as more boyish than the Golden Compass girl (though I guess she can do the mischievous part pretty well). Personally, I hope there are a lot of no name actors (that are still skilled actors), but it's not much fun to speculate about people you've never heard of.

Amante said:

For the Portman festishist... check out this card: http://www.tzumainn.com/agot/cards/card.php?card_id=474

Someone tracked down an image of Portman from a fashion mag that Evans clearly painted over.

As for other roles, I wish there was a younger clone of Perlman to use, since I think he'd do a wonderful job as the Hound. And a younger version of Kurtwood Smith (Boddicker in the original Robocop, Red Foreman on That 70's Show) for Tywin, GRRM mentioned him asanother "like" as well.