Casting news for Game of Thrones continues to trickle out of Westeros, and we’ve learned that two familiar faces will return, as well as a new name in a new role!
Although she was only on screen for a short time, it was significant that Alys Karstark — the last surviving heir to Karhold after the rest of her house was defeated alongside Ramsay Bolton — was called upon by Jon Snow in Season 7 to reaffirm her family’s loyalty to House Stark. So significant, in fact, that actress Megan Parkinson will return to the role for Season 8, according to a listing on the actress’ talent agency website: Independent Talent lists Parkinson as portraying the Northern noble in Season 8 as well.
In addition to Alys Karstark, young Ned Umber, who represents what’s left of House Umber — another Northern house who fought against Jon in the Battle of the Bastards — also reaffirmed his family’s fealty, and the actor who portrayed him, Harry Grasby, also will return in Season 8. Wiki of Thrones reported recently that Grasby was spotted at the Belfast airport, so it’s safe to say that we’ll see the heir to Last Hearth again.
As for new faces, the Lisa Richards agency lists Irish actor Seamus O’Hara as “currently filming on HBO’s Game of Thrones,” and casting site Spotlight.com reports that he will play a character known as Fergus. It’s not a name from the books, so we’ll have to wait and see who Fergus is and what his role might be.
It’s not surprising that houses Umber and Karstark might feature prominently in at least one episode of Season 8; Last Hearth, the Umber’s castle, is the closest to the Wall and likely will be the first one for the Night King and his army to come across, with Karhold not far from there. But will the castles fall without a fight, or will Ned and Alys have bigger roles to play? Only time will tell.
Now and Always!
🤖👨🚀 Alys Karstark = Alys Giantsbane?
Who is this Fergus guy?What his role?
Of course they kill the little Ned Umber, because he got his name after Sean Bean’s character…
Fergus is cute. He gon die.
I like continuity with these super minor characters. I hope Edmure Tully will return as well. He was much bigger character than these two.
My bet is that they are little more than “continuity extras.” After all, they know full-well that the series will be watched as a series for years to come, and having the same faces in bit roles helps.
mau,
Well now that Captain Jack Black Randall is no more, Id think there wouldnt be a conflict for Edmure to make an appearence.
Ser Broccoli McBroccoliface,
No. It wouldn’t. I know that it was very hard for them to get him in S6. And he did not appear in S7.
But the question is, do D&D even want to waste time on Edmure in S8.
Wimsey,
I agree. Since there are so many actors in the show, the number of those who were recasted is really low.
Daario, Three-eyed raven, Dickon and Gregor Clegane. I wouldn’t count Myrcella and Tommen sunce they made them older after several seasons of absence.
mau,
Daario was the only one I would have noticed, although I might have caught Dickon had I binge-watched Series 6 before Series 7. (I didn’t, and I didn’t.) I never would have caught Myrcella, either, although I don’t think that I would have assumed that they would use the same person. (Minor kid’s parts usually are given to kids of production staff, after all.) Of course, some kids appearances change a lot when they hit puberty: I remember that a lot of people thought that Hermione had been recast after the 2nd Harry Potter film because Emma Watson’s appearance changed quite a bit over the 18 months between films!
I watched Series 1 on HBO2’s marathon the other day, and I was amused to note that the guy playing Beric Dondarrion could easily have been used to play a younger version of a character played by Richard Dormer. True, only a couple of years elapsed, but I figure that a few deaths & revivals probably ages you a bit!
That stated, I’m sure that I might notice Alys Karstark and Ned Umber if I binge watch Series 7 before I watch Series 8 AND if they appear early in the season. Otherwise, I’m sure that they’ll just be trees in forest! 😎
Interested to see if Ania Bukstein, Kinvara, is spotted , since she is supposedly at a location mentioned in season 7, Volantis. In fact hope a lot of mysterious stuff surrounding leaders of the religion of R’hllor is cleared up!
Daario !? Does he just disappear ? Spotting Michiel Huisman is a must.
I like how kindly King Jon extorted the loyalty of two terrified kids. Great HR skills, Jon.
Wights they Will be 😁😭😭😭
Wimsey,
perhaps but I also suspect that both young actors had such presence in that very short scene – from being terrfied (and trying hard not to show it) to kneeling and then releaf on their faces. I was hoping they would use them, eager to see what they add to the story.
Surely
what a delicious situation! some houses of Stark loyalists are ruled by kids now. house Mormont, house Umber, house Karstark, house But-i’m-hungry…
i cannot wait to see one of these houses fly in the wars to come.
It is tough to see what they could add at this point. The story really is going to be about figuring out what past mistakes are being repeated, and how to not repeat them this time around. They might be used in the plot, but they will be pawns under the hand of one of the protagonists.
Well, I hope they get more screen time than they did in S7e1 and with more than one line when they knelt with their swords then stood up and said: “Now and always” pledging fealty to Jon Snow and House Stark.
Megan Parkinson and Harry Grasby were also shown to be in the cast list for S7e2, but I didn’t see them in that? Probably lost in the crowd of extras in the hall of Winterfell when Jon said he was going to Dragonstone – Ah, and leaving Sansa in charge 🙂
Wimsey,
oh, totally agree with your last sentence.
mau:
THE NIGHT KING.
I know, I know. Some people don’t care, and others do. I’m afraid I like Icy Pier Night King (Richard Brake) much more than Javelin Gold-Medalist Night King (Vladimír Furdík). For some reason the former strikes me as far more expressive and menacing.
I’ve never really thought about it before, but you’re absolutely right! I was far more haunted by the image of him on that pier, raising his hands, than I was when he was firing those javelins at Viserion and Drogon.
Alba Stark,
I was far more struck by Furdík’s acting in the single scene in which we’ve seen him without makeup (Leaf creating the Night King) than in his scenes as the NK. Some actors pull off the heavy-makeup thing far better than others; I don’t know how much of it has to do with bone structure and getting “lost” under makeup, and how much of it has to do with the theatricality necessary to convey emotion when one’s face is under half an inch of prosthetics. I don’t dislike Furdík at all, but he’s no Ron Perlman. 😉
There is no need to “waste” any screen time. If Jaime is taking an army North, he could take it from the Riverlands at the beginning of season eight, and Edmure could appear there, supporting Jaime’s story, without wasting any time on Edmure alone. Even if this doesn’t happen, Edmure can just appear up North to help, and be a tertiary character in strategy councils and battles.
Ten Bears,
Yup, I’m also hoping they include that from the books! A little wildling + Alys interaction would be fun to see. 👰😁
He’ll be a captain at the vanguard of an army facing off against another army arrayed at the other end of the battlefield, with neither side attacking until Fergus sings out:
”Let’s get it started!”
Me too! In just one scene with Varys, Kinvara left so many unanswered questions, e.g., whose voice spoke from the flames burning Varys’s junk; what’d it say; and how did she know? (I’d never seen the usually unflappable Varys so spooked before.)
Also, is Kinvara as High Priestess of the Red Temple still dead set on Dany being the PTWP? And is she still convinced that the dragons are a “gift” from the Lord of Light to “purify nonbelievers by the thousands?”
I thought Ania Bukstein was really good as Kinvara: alluring yet creepy. I do hope she’s back. Along with Rila Fukushima, the red priestess who freaked out Tyrion.
Luka Nieto,
My thoughts exactly (as I’ve argued elsewhere)!
Luka Nieto,
Oh please yes this, Luka!!
But I’m about 99.9% sure Jaime will show up in WF with nothing but his handless self and news of Cerseis betrayal… *sigh*
This is pretty much what I expected to happen, I think we are going to see potentially Karhold, Last Hearth and maybe Castle Black completely over ran by the white walkers in episode 1 or 2. This reinforces the threat and allows the politics of Jon bringing the Mad Kings daughter North and of course his own parentage coming to public knowledge. Then sets up some hardcore action at Winterfell in episodes 3 & 4.
Ps just one point and I mean this constructively, isn’t it learnt rather than learned in the article opening paragraph?
What role could Daario realistic achieve in the remaining six episodes though? I suspect he’s likely gone unless he turns up with the golden company.
Jon Snowed,
He may pop up and try to kill Dany (or Jon) to prevent a happy ending, for instance.
Jon Snowed:
Both are grammatically correct, but “learnt” is far more common in British English and “learned” is far more common in American English.
Jon Snowed,
I, for one, will be truly peeved if we never see Daario again. The idea of Daenerys never looking back on Meereen after everything she did there is detestable. Good writing demands some sort of closure to that plotline.
Given that Melisandre is on her way to Volantis and both she and Kinvara know something about Varys that the audience doesn’t, I do expect to see Essos at least once more.
He’s the one-handed adopted son of some northern lord, I’d guess. French I think.
I hear you regarding the way Dario was written out and agree there wasn’t a lot of closure however I still don’t see how they can fit it into the final six episodes. I am basing this largely on the relationship between Jon and Dany, plus assumptions she may be pregnant and there will be some tension when she realises Jon is the heir to the throne and not her, adding Dario to that mix just feels like an unnecessary extra problem to resolve.
Ps – thanks for the grammar clarification.:)
Dragon Tender,
LOL! You have good taste in media, Sir.
CarolineStark,
🙂