With HBO’s Game Of Thrones now well into the back half of its fourth season, fans must prepare to stop celebrating the fact that the show is back on the air and get ready for the long period of anticipation before it comes back on the air again. To help whet fans’ appetites, WinterIsComing.net has posted a list of characters producers are looking to cast for the show’s fifth season. Book readers may look over the list and nod knowingly, while non-book readers are welcome to read it and wonder how they can be expected remember that many new names. Those who wish to avoid spoilers should stop reading now. Here’s the list:
- Prince Doran Martell – Doran is described as the major new player this year, appearing in multiple episodes. The fiftysomething prince uses a wheelchair, is reclusive, and rules wisely. It appears the show is looking to continue the trend it started with Pedro Pascal, and cast Latino actors for the Martell clan.
- Prince Trystane Martell – Trystane, the handsome fiance of Princess Myrcella, is being aged up to 18.
- Areo Hotah - Doran’s personal bodyguard will appear throughout the season, assisting the prince with his duties. The show is particularly looking for a black actor to fill the role.
- Obara Sand – The eldest and most athletic Sand Snake will be having a major fight scene with a series regular character—not one who crosses her path in the books. This is an interesting change.
- Nymeria Sand – Nymeria is described as “mixed race,” with her father being the fairer Oberyn and her mother being darker skinned. The second oldest of these Sand Snakes, she’s beautiful, emotional, and very strong.
- Tyene Sand - The youngest of the Sand Snakes that we meet uses her wits and seductive powers, and is less of a physical fighter than the other Sand Snakes. She is just as deadly as her sisters, however, but her weapon is poison.
- High Sparrow - The books’ pious head of a religious movement will be appearing in several episodes in season five.
- Septa Unella – The show is looking for a character actress to play the imposing and unrelenting Septa who spends a lot of time with a major series character next year.
- Maggy the Frog- A fortune teller in A Feast For Crows, she’ll be in one episode next year.
- Lollys Stokeworth – Just last week in “Mockingbird,” Bronn announced his intention to marry Lollys, whom Tyrion considers “dimwitted.” It looks like the sellsword will still be around next year.
- Yezzan - A sleazy Meereenese slave owner.
- The Waif – The strange child from the books that Arya encounters will likely be played by an older actress, one in her later teens, and we understand the show is specifically looking for a woman of East Asian descent for the part.
WinterIsComing.net cautions that the leaked list may be incomplete—some characters from the books who do not appear on the list may have already been cast, others may have been cut, and still others pushed back until later. Book readers may note that many of the new characters hail from Dorne, the homeland of Oberyn Martell, the show’s resident bisexual badass. When coupled with the recent news that HBO is scouting locations in Spain, this may indicate that the show will spend a lot of time in Dorne next year. Production on season five will start this summer.