HBO appoints subjects to 'Thrones'
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau joins Sean Bean in pilot
By James Hibberd
Aug 20, 2009, 11:00 PM ET
Corrected: Aug 21, 2009, 04:42 PM ET
HBO is filling out the cast of its fantasy pilot "Game of Thrones" with the addition of former "New Amsterdam" star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and several others.
The group joins the previously cast lead Sean Bean as battle-weary Ned Stark, who leaves his home to serve the king. Mark Addy, Kit Harington, Jennifer Ehle, Jack Gleeson, Peter Dinklage and Harry Lloyd also star.
In the adaptation of the George R.R. Martin fantasy-book series, Coster-Waldau will play Jaime Lannister, one of the king's guards and a ruthless usurper of the previous king. The actor, most recently seen in Ron Moore's Fox pilot "Virtuality," is repped by WME, Impression and Independent Talent Group.
Another addition is Tamzin Merchant (Showtime's "The Tudors"), who'll play Daenerys, an exiled teenage princess.
Also new to the cast: Richard Madden ("Hope Springs") as Stark's eldest son, Robb; Iain Glen ("Into the Storm") as Ser Jorah Mormont, a disgraced knight; Alfie Allen ("The Other Boleyn Girl") as Theon, Stark's young ward; Sophie Turner, as Stark's eldest daughter, Sansa; Maisie Williams as Stark's young tomboy daughter, Arya.
HBO still has a few more roles to fill in the large ensemble cast of "Thrones," one of the more buzzed-about titles on the premium network's development slate. The pilot shoots in Ireland in October.
David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Guymon Casady, Carolyn Strauss, Vincent Gerardis and Martin are executive producing.