HBO and author George R.R. Martin have cast Gwendoline Christie as Brienne, the Maid of Tarth in the second season of Game of Thrones. She joins Natalie Dormer as the second major new character to join the cast ahead of the new episodes.
The fan-favorite character is a brutish woman who stands abnormally tall and carries the strength of a man. Her nickname is “Brienne the Beauty” which implies quite the opposite. Those who cross her path will learn the hard way that she’s not to be taken lightly.
Brienne’s role in the series will apparently prove pivotal so any additional details would be considered spoilers for those – such as myself – who have not yet read George R.R. Martin’s books. That said, the author himself was more than pleased with Christie’s audition, stating on his blog that the actress stood out from 12 hopefuls and that she “WAS Brienne” and her “look was just perfect.”
Christie, a model with limited acting experience, stands 6-foot-3 and will tower over several male members of the cast. She previously appeared in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus for director Terry Gilliam.
Also yesterday, The Wall Street Journal’s Speakeasy caught up with Martin to talk about his newest book in the fantasy series, A Dance with Dragons, due in stores next week on July 12, as well as Game of Thrones on HBO. He confirms that the first draft for a famous pivotal battle in episode 9 of season 2 has been written and that it’s going to be “enormously expensive.” Hopefully HBO fronts the cash to fully realize Martin’s vision for the episode with little to no compromise.
Production on the second season of Game of Thrones will commence later this month in the United Kingdom.
Source: George R.R. Martin’s Blog and WSJ
