Let’s talk Tyrion
Probably the most important casting decision that the producers have to make is who to cast as Tyrion. He is a complex character and would represent the role of a lifetime for the actor chosen to play him. Let’s take a look at the possible actors that may wind up playing Martin’s favorite character.
Peter Dinklage – Probably everyone’s favorite choice to play the part. His turn as Finbar McBride in The Station Agent showed he has the acting talent. The big problem with Dinklage is probably going to be scheduling. IMDB lists three upcoming roles for him, including starring in the next Chronicles of Narnia movie. The time commitment this series would represent, if it were to be picked up, could be very large, especially for a major character like Tyrion. Also he may not be to keen on the idea of starring in another medieval fantasy story, for fear of getting typecast. I would say he is a great choice, but ultimately I don’t think it will work out.
Martin Klebba – Another very busy actor, IMDB lists 7 projects in production right now for Klebba. Although most are in post-production, so he might work scheduling-wise. Klebba is most known for his work in the three Pirates of the Caribbean movies. An advantage that Klebba has over some of the other actors is he does his own stunts. Tyrion has a few action scenes in this series and having an actor capable of pulling those off may be worthwhile. Obviously though, acting ability should come first and right now I don’t know if Klebba has the range necessary for this role.
Warwick Davis – The most experienced actor on this list, Davis has been in dozens of films, many of them well-known such as Return of the Jedi, Willow, Leprechaun and Harry Potter. He is also from the UK, which as we know is where Benioff and Weiss plan to shoot the pilot. He also does not look too booked right now, so scheduling conflicts would not be an issue. The one major disadvantage I can see is that at 3 1/2 feet tall, he is shorter than Tyrion is supposed to be. Also, despite his experience as an actor, he has never had a role as meaty as Tyrion so it is unknown if he could pull it off.
Jordan Prentice – Prentice has the least film experience of these actors, however he has considerable stage acting experience. HBO has shown in the past that they tend to cast stage actors in many of their projects, so that is a plus for Prentice. Also his recent turn as Jimmy in the critically acclaimed film In Bruges demonstrated his acting ability. A Canadian-born actor, he recently starred in a series of commercials for a British national radio station, which may help his chances of landing the role. Certainly, he is a dark horse candidate, but I think he might be a good fit.
Certainly Benioff, Weiss and whomever they choose as their casting director have a tough decision to make for the character of Tyrion. I think that in the end they will end up choosing an unknown for the part. It would be cheaper and there would be less of a chance of scheduling conflicts. Whomever they choose, I am hopeful that he does justice to the character, as I think that this role could make or break the series.
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