More Game of Thrones prequel casting!

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We recently welcomed Naomi Watts and Josh Whitehouse into the Game of Thrones family in the first big casting news for Jane Goldman’s Long Night-set spin-off pilot, but we’ve been reporting on this since the casting calls back in September and October. And we’ve got a bit more of that today, with more main characters still yet to be cast!

HBO is looking to fill the roles of two series regulars. Remember that, just like with Game of Thrones, secrecy is such that not only we don’t get character names, but we don’t even get proper code-names anymore. That said, here it goes:

First of all there is the one code-named “S2“, a black woman somewhere between her forties and sixties. They’re looking to cast an age-appropriate actress, aged 45 to 60. The other one may ring a bell if you have been paying attention: code-named “A“, this is a 17-20 years old male; they’re specifically looking for a mixed race actor in this case.

Though the “S2” role is new, we have reported on “A” before, as part of the first batch of casting calls. This means they weren’t able to fill the role in all this time, and so casting director Lucinda Syson has sent out another hook to see if the proper fish bites.

I wouldn’t necessarily read too much into these two roles being sent out together, but it could be that the characters are mother and son and so they want to make sure the actors work well together—they are series regulars, after all. What do you guys think?

20 Comments

  1. I suppose it’s normal for the business but it sure seems like they’re going into this trying to match the level of secrecy that GoT has gotten to over the years. Maybe they don’t want to say to much about the concept of the show before the actual series is greenlit. Still, is it really that necessary to use code names and such for a story that is original for the most part? Even if they came right out and said Naomi will be playing (character name) or So And So will be Brandon (the Builder) Stark? Would it spoil anything to if know Brandon will be in the series?

  2. Clob:
    I suppose it’s normal for the business but it sure seems like they’re going into this trying to match the level of secrecy that GoT has gotten to over the years.Maybe they don’t want to say to much about the concept of the show before the actual series is greenlit.Still, is it really that necessary to use code names and such for a story that is original for the most part?Even if they came right out and said Naomi will be playing (character name) or So And So will be Brandon (the Builder) Stark?Would it spoil anything to if know Brandon will be in the series?

    It is kinda odd, but at the same maybe it’s a good idea to just give it top secrecy from the get go.

    Anyone else just find it difficult to fully get on board and excited just yet for this? I’m just too hyped for the final season of GoT and with that behemoth mere months away, I’m not invested in this yet.

  3. Jack Bauer 24: Anyone else just find it difficult to fully get on board and excited just yet for this? I’m just too hyped for the final season of GoT

    It does subdue any excitement with GoT still not complete. My interest should start to increase afterward. It’s also a bit difficult to get too excited about this new thing with so little to go on. That’s a reason why I mentioned the excessive secrecy about it.

  4. Jack Bauer 24,

    I’m generally not really excited about the prequel anyway, simply because most prequels are nothing more than shameless money grabs, but I’m trying to be optimistic about this one. I hope it won’t just be a bunch of member berries (South Park reference).

    Having said that, even if I was excited about the prequel, it’s not my focus right now anyway. I’m much more excited to see how season 8 unfolds. I don’t like moving onto the next big thing before the first one has even finished.

  5. Mr Derp,
    I understand the money grab thought. For now I’m optimistic about this one and the intentions of HBO. I don’t think they’re going to go into this “on the cheap” because I think they’re fans of this world and want to maximize the potential. I believe they want this new series to be their replacement flagship and if it appears like it can be they’ll start throwing everything they have at it like they got to with GoT.

    It is also likely that there will be more legitimate competition in the genre than GoT has beaten into submission over its run. Camelot was a joke in comparison to GoT when they both started at the same time and was buried quickly. It’s looking like this or a new series is going to be up against some serious epic efforts in The Witcher, The Wheel of Time and a LotR series. Each one of them is going to be aiming to be king of the hill rather than also-ran. I’m hoping they’ll all be fantastic!!

  6. S- Summer islander?

    A- Andal?

    Or do these folk not make an appearance on westeros until millennia later?

  7. Clob,

    But that’s kind of the problem for me. Their most likely banking on this to be a cash cow even though no one knows if it’ll even be good or not yet. I hope it’ll be good, but I need more information before I commit. I’m sure more information will come out as time passes.

    GoT wasn’t a sure thing when HBO decided to air it at first. It only became popular because of how good it is. Prequels tend to work the opposite way. Their banking on the previous popularity of GoT to be the reason for people to watch the prequel. I just hope the prequel offers something unique that separates itself from GoT but still keeps us in the world of Planetos that GRRM created.

    I just don’t want to see Jon Snow 2.0, Tyrion 2.0, and so on. Give me original characters with something unique to say that wasn’t already covered in the original.

  8. Mr Derp: Their most likely

    I will go ahead and give myself the Stannis Baratheon grammar treatment on this one. Perhaps with a bit of that good old fashioned Septa Unella tough love sprinkled in there somewhere too….”Shame!”

  9. Mr Derp: Having said that, even if I was excited about the prequel, it’s not my focus right now anyway. I’m much more excited to see how season 8 unfolds. I don’t like moving onto the next big thing before the first one has even finished.

    Well said. Hyping the “mysterious prequel” series with the big ending to the main series just around the corner seems not only premature, but like a money grab. And an obsession with profits is the downfall of quality. See “Star Trek”, “Star Wars”, and possibly the “Avengers” series.

    Better, in my opinion, to stage The Big Conclusion, then the following week or so, after viewers have talked themselves out regarding the amazing, incredible ending, announce …”But how did it all get started? Watch HBO to find out!” and cue the trailer.

  10. On the topic of prequels… While there have been instances that I haven’t enjoyed them, I think in general I’ve been okay with them and occasionally enjoy them. What I really, really dislike is reboots and/or remakes. DO SOMETHING ORIGINAL rather than attempting to improve with a retelling. Most of the time I find the new ‘vision’ ridiculous, especially when they turn classic dramedies into full blown farcical “comedies.”

  11. I’ve GoT a theory, the casting is for original Starks, they were of darker colors and Lord Stark married the Night Queen and from then on the Starks were whites.

  12. A bit off topic, but speaking about casting, congratulations are in order for our own Viper, Prince Oberyn himself, Pedro Pascal getting cast in “The Mandalorian”! If rumours are true and the live-action ‘Star Wars” series will be among one of the most expensive shows ever produced with a 100 million dollars plus, dispersed amongst 8-10 episodes right off the bat in the first season, then I am glad and proud that Pedro Pascal will be at the top of such a project. I wish him good luck and am looking forward to seeing the end result!

    PS Ditto on the congrats for Gina Carano and Carl Weathers!

  13. zandru,

    But Star Trek: The Next Generation was much better than the original. It also prompted my “dream-casting” of John de Lancie (“Q”) to show up in GoT S8 as R’hllor.

  14. Silly question but with the pilot being filmed in February when do we think we will know if it’s given a full season or not? It seems so odd that they want to make a pilot first before signing off on a full season give how popular GOT has become it will do well almost regardless at least initially.

  15. Naomi Watts? Yuk… No thanks. They’d be wise to keep Hollywood as far away from this show as possible. Though I’m sure they won’t be…

  16. Although most modern play-within-a-play has turned out to be shallow Hollywood narcissism and self absorption, still, the spin off I would have done would be of the mummers/acting troop.

    Really it was the first time since season two when we saw the proper overt cynicism about politics, with a the mummers giving an utterly different narrative, an inverted one, to the POV of the Starks.

    To me the absolute best in the series, and true to the sensibilities of the first books, has been the situations where a putatively noble person gives a stirring noble speech and then gets whacked. Think Ned in that dungeon, lecturing the eunuch with (paraphrased) “you grew up with actors…. do you think I hold my honor so cheap;” and of course, frankly the most stirring moment in my mind in the series, Pedro Pascal’s “oh I came to exactly the right place for justice” speech.

    The icing on the cake was the mummers making Ned the villain.

    I’d like to see a single season series that simply completely inverts who we are shown as the “good guys” and the bad guys.

    Then again count me as someone who would prefer to see the politically competent win. I want Littlefinger to win, and if not him the Boltons. And over on the east side it if fairly clear the old masters had their 5hit together compared to Dynaris’ blundering and chaos (although having the bankers win would be an acceptable consolation).

    I’d like to see all the beliefs that have crept into the show skewered, as they should be, by the acting troupe.

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