Yesterday we brought you news from San Diego Comic-Con about the large number of new cast members being added for the 3rd season of Game of Thrones (Game of Thrones – New Cast Members for Season 3). The article included a video that featured several of the actors joining the series in 2013. Some of the faces you may recognize, others you may not, so to help jog your memory here’s a brief biography/filmography for all fourteen new faces to Game of Thrones.
Diana Rigg (Lady Olenna Tyrell) Dame Diana Rigg was born on July 20, 1938 in Doncaster, Yorkshire, England. She has had a long and successful career in television, film and theatre, but is probably best known for playing Mrs. Emma Peel in the 1960s British television series The Avengers from 1965-1967. She was also a “Bond girl” in 1969 when she had the unique honor of playing Tracy Bond, James Bond’s only wife in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. In 2013 she is scheduled to appear in an episode of Doctor Who alongside her daughter Rachael Stirling, where they will be playing mother and daughter. The episode was written specifically for the pair by Mark Gatiss and marks the first time the two have worked together on screen.
Mackenzie Crook (Orell) Paul Mackenzie Crook came into this world on September 29, 1971 in Maidstone, Kent, England and originally wanted to be a graphic artist, but his application to the Kent Institute of Art & Design was turned down no less than three times. He is likely best known for two roles, one in television and one in film. He played Gareth Keenan in the original British version of The Office on television and was featured in three installments of Pirates of the Caribbean as Ragetti, the pirate with the wooden eye that never seemed to stay in place. Crook is also an accomplished stand-up comedian, having spent the better part of a decade making audiences laugh.
Clive Russell (Brynden Tully) Born December 07, 1945 in Hampshire, England and raised in Fife, Scotland, Mr. Russell stands nearly six and a half feet tall. He is very familiar to the British television audience having appeared in many television series. Some of the many shows he’s appeared in are Waking the Dead, Spaced, Coronation Street, Merlin and Hotel Babylon to name a few. He also played Captain Tanner in both Sherlock Holmes films and had a part in The Wolfman as MacQueen.
Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei) Ms. Emmanuel was born on March 2, 1989 in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England. While she may not be well known in the United States (yet) she is a familiar face to fans of the British soap Hollyoaks where she played Sasha Valentine. She also had a short, but memorable, part in the outrageously funny sci-fi series Misfits where she played the part of Charlie in the first episode of season three.
Kerry Ingram (Shireen Baratheon) The diminutive Miss Ingram, born in 1999, may only stand 4’ 7” tall, but her talent shines. Even at such a young age she has already done a great deal of stage work in several West End productions and will be playing a role in the upcoming motion picture Les Miserables. More than just an actor, the young lady is apparently an accomplished dancer and singer as well.
Paul Kaye (Thoros of Myr) Born in Clapton, London on December 15, 1964, Paul has been a singer, magazine illustrator, graphic designer and actor, among other things. He has appeared in a myriad of shows with Spaced, Waking the Dead, Hustle, and EastEnders being just a few examples. Mr. Kaye is also known for creating the comedic characters Dennis Pennis, a celebrity interviewer, and Mike Strutter, a lawyer who ends up “killing” his Pennis character for being too rude. He was also an uncredited zombie in Shaun of the Dead.
Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Jojen Reed) Cousin of Hugh Grant, Thomas started his journey through life on May 16, 1990 in London, England. Likely a familiar face with audiences, the young Mr. Brodie-Sangster is probably best known for his role as Sam in Love Actually and as the voice of Ferb Fletcher from the television series Phineas and Ferb. You may also recognize him from the Doctor Who episodes Human Nature and The Family of Blood.
Ellie Kendrick (Meera Reed) Born in London, England on June 6, 1990 and a former member of the National Youth Theatre, Ellie was considered one of the “55 faces of the future” by Nylon Magazine’s Young Hollywood Issue. She has appeared in a number of British television series such as Waking the Dead, the 2010 revival of Upstairs Downstairs, and Being Human. She also played the title role in the 2009 miniseries The Diary of Anne Frank for which she received much acclaim.
Richard Dormer (Beric Dondarrion) Mr. Dormer hails from Armagh, Northern Ireland and was born on November 11, 1969. He will be replacing actor David Michael Scott as the character Beric Dondarrion. Scott briefly appeared in the first season of Game of Thrones as Dondarrion. Dormer has appeared in various television and film projects such as Casualty, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, My Boy Jack, and Five Minutes of Heaven.
Kristofer Hivju (Tormund Giantsbane) Hivju was born on December 7, 1978 and is a Norwegian actor, producer and screenwriter. Probably best known for playing the part of Jonas in the 2011 motion picture The Thing, he will also be appearing in the upcoming Will Smith science fiction film After Earth.
Philip McGinley (Anguy) Born on June 6, 1981 in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. McGinley has appeared in numerous British television series, most notably Casualty, The Bill, and Coronation Street. He was most recently seen by international audiences in the Ridley Scott film Prometheus where he had a small part as an archaeological assistant.
Tara Fitzgerald (Selyse Baratheon) Tara was born in Cuckfield, Sussex, England on September 18, 1967 and is a multiple award winner for performances on both stage and screen. She has appeared in over twenty television series including thirty two episodes of Waking the Dead, a series that seems to be a common thread amongst many on this list. She has appeared in sixteen films, amongst them The Englishmen Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain.
Tobias Menzies (Edmure Tully) Born on March 7, 1974 in London, England and a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Menzies has acted on stage, television and film. He is best known for his portrayal of Brutus in the award-winning HBO series Rome. In addition to Rome, his television credits include Casualty, Spooks and The Shadow Line.
Anton Lesser (Qyburn) Lesser was born on February 14, 1952 and is also a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He has portrayed many important Shakespearian roles for the Royal Shakespeare Company and does extensive work in radio for the BBC. He has what appears to be an almost endless list of television appearances dating back to 1979. Some of his more recent television projects include Waking the Dead (naturally), Silent Witness, Casualty, and Primeval.
Official Game of Thrones Website
Game of Thrones Official Production Diary
Game of Thrones Facebook Page
Editor for Three If By Space. Tom first became interested in science fiction & science as a very young child thanks to his parents. His earliest memories of enjoying scifi were sitting with his dad watching first-run episodes of the original Star Trek. Although a rabid fan of nearly all forms of scripted television, some of Tom’s favorite shows are Firefly, Falling Skies, Doctor Who, Red Dwarf, the X-Files and all versions of both Star Trek and Stargate. He also has a particular love for British television and dearly hopes to one day visit the UK.
