OT: A Song of Ice and Fire Series (spoilers inside)

[wade moore]

Bean is definitely not pretty enough for Jaime. I like him as Ned.

[DaddyTorgo]

Yeah...I typed out that post and then said "hmm...Bean's prolly not pretty enough for Jaime" and went back and edited that bit in.

He'll be great as Ned, no doubt about it. Just going to suck when he meets his fate (again).

[flere-imsaho]

I expected Ned to be taller than thinner than Bean, but he's a good choice regardless, especially as the series will want a good actor to get the endeavor off the ground (Ned gets a lot of time in the forefront before the inevitable happens).

[ISiddiqui]

Jaime is going to be the most difficult one to cast. I think it has to be an Orlando Bloom type of person (well an Orlando Bloom who can act - and be convincing as sometimes evil/sometimes good character).

[JeeberD]

Fred Flintstone (the back-up version, even) is playing Robert? Yeesh...

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

I expected Ned to be taller than thinner than Bean, but he's a good choice regardless, especially as the series will want a good actor to get the endeavor off the ground (Ned gets a lot of time in the forefront before the inevitable happens).

I did too. I actually always thought Liam Neeson would be perfect, but Sean Bean works well.

With Tom McCarthy at the helm and Dinklage and Bean on board, things are looking pretty good.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

Fred Flintstone (the back-up version, even) is playing Robert? Yeesh...

I was flipping through some pictures of him on his IMDB page. There are some stills from a movie called "The Order" (don't recall it, though it had Heath Ledger in it) and he looked much more Robertesque than he did as the poorman's Fred Flintstone.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

I was flipping through some pictures of him on his IMDB page. There are some stills from a movie called "The Order" (don't recall it, though it had Heath Ledger in it) and he looked much more Robertesque than he did as the poorman's Fred Flintstone.

IIRC that was a pretty sweet flick.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Jaime is going to be the most difficult one to cast. I think it has to be an Orlando Bloom type of person (well an Orlando Bloom who can act - and be convincing as sometimes evil/sometimes good character).

See, I think it's even tougher than that. For me, Jaime is a much bigger guy than Orlando Bloom. I'm picturing someone more say... Jon Cena sized, but who can act and has Bloom's looks.

[DaddyTorgo]

here's a thought - Khal Drogo = The Rock

I keep picturing him in Scorpion King getup

lol

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

I was flipping through some pictures of him on his IMDB page. There are some stills from a movie called "The Order" (don't recall it, though it had Heath Ledger in it) and he looked much more Robertesque than he did as the poorman's Fred Flintstone.

Well, I wasn't going based off of looks, really (though Robert is supposed to be huge all around, not just his gut). Addy is much more of a comedic actor, and Robert isn't exactly a comedic character. Hopefully he has dramatic chops that I'm not aware of...

[flere-imsaho]

For Jaime I see Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy in Harry Potter) or Martin Csokas (Celeborn in LOTR). Generally not overly muscle-bound.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

For Jaime I see Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy in Harry Potter) or Martin Csokas (Celeborn in LOTR). Generally not overly muscle-bound.

Yeah, I was trying to think of someone big, but not muscle bound. Almost went Matt Damon there - in body type that is.

[Fidatelo]

I think a buffed-up (not roided, just buff) DiCaprio would make a good Jamie. Not that it would ever happen, but if we're throwing out names.

[flere-imsaho]

Damon and DiCaprio are too short.

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

Damon and DiCaprio are too short.

I don't recall LotR using midgets for the Hobbitses. This isn't a stage play, I don't think height should be much of an issue.

[DaddyTorgo]

yeah. fun stuff can be done with camera angles and all to adjust height

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

yeah. fun stuff can be done with camera angles and all to adjust height

Not to mention that everyone in Hollywood is short, so it's all relative.

I think Brad Pitt circa 10 years ago could have played Jamie well also. He's too old now though, I suspect.

[ISiddiqui]

Well, and he's Brad Pitt, so why would he do an HBO series?

[Autumn]

Exciting to see this really moving forward. I think Sean Bean works for that. I don't think he's "pretty" enough to be Jaime. We need someone there who you can kind of loathe to begin with because he's so arrogant, not in a Boromir kind of way, but just a pretty spoiled boy way.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

Not to mention that everyone in Hollywood is short, so it's all relative.

I think Brad Pitt circa 10 years ago could have played Jamie well also. He's too old now though, I suspect.

I agree that someone in the Brad Pitt mold (obviously Brad Pitt himself is waaaay too big a name for this, or any other, series) would have been perfect. Similar to his spin as Achilles in "Troy."

Jaime isn't so much big as he is fast. I definitely pictured him as being more physically intimidating than Orlando Bloom.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

I agree that someone in the Brad Pitt mold (obviously Brad Pitt himself is waaaay too big a name for this, or any other, series) would have been perfect. Similar to his spin as Achilles in "Troy."

Jaime isn't so much big as he is fast. I definitely pictured him as being more physically intimidating than Orlando Bloom.

Yeah, I'm not finding a good way to explain it - but Bloom was just too small for what I picture. Someone of the Pitt mold would probably work fine.

I know he's too big of a hotshot now, but maybe even someone like Ryan Reynolds style.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by wade moore

Yeah, I'm not finding a good way to explain it - but Bloom was just too small for what I picture. Someone of the Pitt mold would probably work fine.

I know he's too big of a hotshot now, but maybe even someone like Ryan Reynolds style.

I get what you're saying and I think that is the right mold. You need someone who can be intimidating, yet still is a pretty boy. Who is an arrogant bastard, but is still charasmatic and charming. You add in the fact that the actor has to resemble whoever they cast as Cersei - to at least some reasonable degree - makes it all the more challenging.

The casting of the Lannister siblings are really key. So far, so great with Tyrion.

[wade moore]

We need to play the "who would you cast" game..

Used to love doing this with GI Joe, Marvel, etc before they found ways to screw it up .

[Autumn]

How about what's his name, Ryan Phillipe for Jaime?

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Autumn

How about what's his name, Ryan Phillipe for Jaime?

Height would be my only potential concern there. Just finally watched Crash on Friday - he'd be a pretty damned good selection.

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by Autumn

How about what's his name, Ryan Phillipe for Jaime?

Great idea, I think he could pull it off quite well...

[wade moore]

Most of you guys won't know this kid, but..

He was on the ABC Family show Kyle XY - Chris Olivero

I think he'd work for Jaime.

[chesapeake]

Mark Addy is the fat guy in the Full Monty. He had a US sitcom fairly recently, too. I don't know that he has done much that aired in the US that was not a comedy.

Casting Sean Bean as Ned Stark sounds to me like they wanted a "big name" actor on the project to kick it off, but didn't want to pay a big name actor's salary for very long.

[ISiddiqui]

He may be a bit young, but I think Christopher Egan, who was Daniel in "Kings" would be a decent choice for Jamie.

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

He may be a bit young, but I think Christopher Egan, who was Daniel in "Kings" would be a decent choice for Jamie.

I actually said this to Wade. But, for the record, you mean David not Daniel, and I think Jamie is actually about 5 years younger than Christopher Egan.

[JeeberD]

I only know Egan from Kings, but he seems too "nice" for Jaime.

[Coffee Warlord]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

I actually said this to Wade. But, for the record, you mean David not Daniel, and I think Jamie is actually about 5 years younger than Christopher Egan.

They're gonna have bump up the ages of about everyone anyway.

[OldGiants]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Mark Addy I don't recognize the name or the face. But okay.

Really?

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by OldGiants

Really?

yes, really

[ISiddiqui]

yes, really x2.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

I get what you're saying and I think that is the right mold. You need someone who can be intimidating, yet still is a pretty boy. Who is an arrogant bastard, but is still charasmatic and charming. You add in the fact that the actor has to resemble whoever they cast as Cersei - to at least some reasonable degree - makes it all the more challenging.

I don't think Beckham's available.

[Autumn]

David and Posh for Jaime and Cersei? lol Perfect.

[3ric]

I'd probably pick Paul Bettany for Jaime.

[flere-imsaho]

Nice suggestion!

[ISiddiqui]

It is a good idea. Unfortunately Bettany has 2 films coming out next year that he's currently filming and another is in pre-production and a couple more in development. It depends on when the show will start filming, I guess.

[wade moore]

Again - Bettany is almost 40 years old. If my math is right, Jaime isn't even 20 in the books - right?

[JeeberD]

I don't think that's right. I mean, Joffrey's what, 13? I don't think Cercei got knocked up at 7 years old...that's a little extreme even for this series.

[Fidatelo]

I always pegged Jamie/Cersei in their late-20's.

[flere-imsaho]

Jaime became a member of the Kingsguard when he was 15, yes, but then it was years until the overthrow and ascension of Robert, and then years again for Robert to grow older and much fatter to bring us to the present day. I'd guess Jaime is in his mid/late 30s, or older.

[ISiddiqui]

House Lannister - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Younger twin to Cersei, and son of Tywin and Joanna, Jaime Lannister (a POV character) is one of the most famous knights in all of Westeros. At fifteen, he became a knight and ascended to the elite Kingsguard, the members of which can neither hold lands nor marry. Two years after his induction he murdered Mad King Aerys during the sack of King's Landing, earning him the epithet "Kingslayer". Though he shares his sister's arrogance, amorality, and striking good looks, he is much more reckless and easily amused. In A Storm of Swords he becomes a point-of-view character.

So he was 17 when he killed Mad King Aerys.

And Joffery was 13 when he was ascended to the throne. So, I guess one could make the case that Jaime is a shade over 30.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by wade moore

Again - Bettany is almost 40 years old. If my math is right, Jaime isn't even 20 in the books - right?

I think Jaime is in his early-to-mid 30's.

I think Ned is 35 when the book starts (or thereabouts) and Jaime is a contemporary of Ned and Robert's, maybe a couple of years younger. The whole Robert's Rebellion war took place about 16 years or so before the books start and, while the youngest member of Kingsguard, Jaime had already been a member for a couple of years or so.

[flere-imsaho]

Let me clarify. At the beginning of the series Joffrey is 12. If he was conceived right at the start of Robert's reign and if Aerys was overthrown right after Jaime became a member of the Kingsguard (at 15), then Jaime & Cersei would be 27 right now. So likely more like early 30s.

[JeeberD]

I'm guessing 32. The wiki entries I read said Jamie joined the Kingsguard at 15 and killed Aerys two years later. Another entry says that Cersei was married to Robert for 15 years. And Robert married Cersei when Robert took the throne, correct?

15+2+15=32

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

Let me clarify. At the beginning of the series Joffrey is 12. If he was conceived right at the start of Robert's reign and if Aerys was overthrown right after Jaime became a member of the Kingsguard (at 15), then Jaime & Cersei would be 27 right now. So likely more like early 30s.

We know Robb was conceived right before Ned ran off to battle with Robert. So, if Jaime was 17 when he killed Aerys and Robb is, what, 14-15 when the books start? That does put Jaime right around his early 30's.

Casting-wise, I think most actors are going to be older. For example, Sean Bean is 50 and Ned is only 35. They will also likely need to age the kids a bit and use older actors in those roles to avoid the inevitable problem of the actors growing up much faster than the shooting schedule allows (see, e.g., Walt in "Lost"). Given the glacial pace at which HBO shoots its series, it will likely be an issue.