Casting Season 5: Griff

After this week’s episode, season four will officially be halfway over. With that in mind and season five (and six!) renewal already in place, it’s time to start speculating about the casting of characters we’ll likely see next year. And to kick things off, we’ll start with Griff.

Griff is a tough Westerosi sellsword and attentive father of a young man that readers first encounter in A Dance with Dragons. He’s described as clean-shaven and leathery with wrinkles at the corners of his ice-blue eyes. Father and son both dye their hair blue in the Tyroshi fashion, though Griff’s roots and eyebrows show as red. His age is not specifically stated, but given the events of the books we can estimate he’s at least forty. In ADWD, Griff accompanies a major character on an eventful journey, and we learn there’s more to the gruff soldier than meets the eye.

Let’s take a look at some possibilities and fan favorites for the part:

Kevin McKidd – The Scottish actor, best known for starring on Grey’s Anatomy and HBO’s Rome, is a longtime fan favorite for the role. He’s appeared in films such as Hannibal Rising, Trainspotting, Topsy-Turvy, and Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, and lent his voice to Brave. He seems like a great match for part, but with his significant commitment to Grey’s Anatomy, it’s unlikely McKidd will have the time for GoT. Though GA hasn’t been officially renewed yet for season 11, it’s expected any day now, and the filming would overlap with GOT‘s, taking McKidd out of the running.

Ben Daniels – Daniels is a familiar face on British television, and has amassed an impressive body of work with regular roles on Law and Order UK, The Paradise, Cutting It, and The Virgin Queen. He played Fumm in last year’s Jack the Giant Slayer, so there’s a Nina Gold casting connection. Recently he’s made his presence more known in the US with a turn on House of Cards as Adam Galloway. He’s joined Starz’s new ballet drama Flesh and Bone, which is currently shooting and unlikely to interfere with GoT‘s filming schedule. Beyond that, it looks like Daniels is available and would be a good fit for Griff.

Tony Curran – Another Scot and fan favorite, recently he’s been co-starring in the Syfy channel series Defiance. Curran is no stranger to science fiction and fantasy in general, having acted in movies and programs such as Doctor Who, Thor: The Dark World, Underworld: Evolution, The 13th Warrior, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and Blade II.  He’s got the right look and the experience for the role, and he’s had guest shots on two HBO shows, Boardwalk Empire and Luck. Perhaps it’s time for a more long-running part on an HBO show?

Jason Isaacs – Isaacs is most famous for his role in the Harry Potter franchise as the nasty Lucius Malfoy, and for playing other villainous parts such as Colonel Tavington in The Patriot and Captain Hook in Peter Pan. He also starred in a variety of TV shows, including Case Histories, Awake, The State Within, and Brotherhood and he’ll be portraying Roman Castevet in the new miniseries remake of Rosemary’s Baby. Isaacs is fantastic at playing tough guys with intelligence and complexity. With several projects in production this year, however, his plate may be too full for him to consider taking on GoT.

Sean Harris – The English actor is best known for playing the assassin Micheletto on the Showtime series, The Borgias. He’s made a name for himself in the UK with his performances in the Red Riding trilogy, as Ian Curtis in 24 Hour Party People, and with his currently BAFTA-nominated part in Southcliffe. He’ll be playing Macduff in the new film version of Macbeth opposite Michael Fassbender in the title role. Harris certainly has the skill to bring Griff to life, and his intensity would work very well with the cagey character.

What do you think of these choices? Do you have any favorites or fantasy picks of your own? Who do you think the focus of our next casting speculation post should be? Sound off in the comments below!

NOTE: Please cover all your spoiler discussion in comments, including using the spoilerish names of characters that have not yet been introduced. Thanks!

• Published on 05/03/2014 at 7:26 PM CDT
• Last updated on 10/21/2016 at 12:42 PM CDT