Thomas Brodie-Sangster (
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Diana Rigg (
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Many new cast members are joining “Game of Thrones” to play iconic characters from the novels by George R.R. Martin. Here they are:
Ciáran Hinds, Mance Rayder — Irish character actor Hinds, 60, is no stranger to playing men of power, like Big Daddy in the Broadway revival of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” Hinds played President Bud Hammond, a Bill Clinton takeoff, in USA’s “Political Animals” last summer, and he also starred as Gaius Julius Caesar in HBO’s lush drama, “Rome.” Mance Rayder is a former member of the Night’s Watch who was born a Wildling and now is known as the King Beyond the Wall. Rayder has a thing or two to teach Jon Snow (Kit Harington), who’s been separated from his compatriots and now is forced to march with the Wildlings.
Diana Rigg, Olenna “The Queen of Thorns” Tyrell — Rigg, 74, was a ‘60s sex symbol, best known for playing Emma Peel in “The Avengers” from 1965-67 and Countess Tracy di Vicenzo in 1969’s “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.” In “Game of Thrones,” Rigg, who won a Tony for playing Medea on Broadway, will be much less about sex and more about intrigue. Olenna is grandmother to Margaery Tyrell (“The Tudors’” Natalie Dormer), who was married to Renly Baratheon, and thus in line to be queen, but now betrothed to Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson), son of Cersei, who inherited the throne after his father, King Robert (Mark Addy), died in a hunting accident. Margaery is wily, and she definitely gets it from grandma.
Clive Russell, Brynden “The Blackfish” Tully — Scottish actor Russell, 67, will play the uncle of Catelyn Tully Stark (Michelle Fairley), who serves as an adviser to Robb Stark (Richard Madden), the King of the North, and is helping run the Tully family holdings at Riverrun.
Ellie Kendrick, Meera Reed and Thomas Brodie-SangsteR, Jojen Reed — The Reeds are two children from a neighboring kingdom whose father was a friend to Ned Stark (Sean Bean). Kendrick, 22, plays Meera, a teenager with strong survival skills. Brodie-Sangster, also 22 plays Jojen, who has the gift of “greensight” or prophetic dreams. Both are integral to the survival of Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) and his direwolf, Summer, as they escape Winterfell, searching for the three-eyed crow that Bran keeps dreaming about.
Nathalie Emmanuel, “Missandei” — Emmanuel, 24, plays Missandei, who becomes a servant and interpreter for Daenerys Targaryen after Dany conquers her people. Her education and diplomacy earn her a position of influence with the would-be queen and mother of dragons.