Now that Merlin is ending, how will we survive without the brilliant actors?! If we can’t have spinoffs, here’s Hypable to the rescue: cast them all on Game of Thrones!
In some ways, we feel like it’d be a natural progression for some of the Merlin actors to move on to Game of Thrones after their series finishes. A lot of actors have already crossed between the two series (including Charles Dance, Liam Cunningham, John Bradley and Joe Dempsie), and we sometimes like to pitch Merlin to new viewers as the G-rated version of Game of Thrones.
So as part of our A Month of Merlin celebration, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to find roles for all the major Merlin cast members, should they want to pursue roles in the HBO series and keep working in the medieval fantasy genre!
Please note that this column will contain references to characters coming up in future seasons of Game of Thrones (as we obviously can’t cast the actors in roles that are already filled – which is a shame, because we think Will would have made a brilliant Gendry – oh, wait…).
We won’t spoil anything about the characters’ lineages or what happens to them, though, so if you’re not a total spoilerphobe you should be able to read this without having read all of the A Song of Ice and Fire novels.
This article was written by Selina Wilken and Jessica Chapman.
COLIN MORGAN: Young Griff
This casting choice goes far beyond simple physical appearance, though. Young Griff is a boy living under the weight of a great secret, a secret that his very life depends on. He has the promise of destiny hovering over him, weighing him down. While he understands the seriousness of the situation he is in, he is also young enough that he finds a certain romanticism in it all and demonstrates the arrogance and petulance often found in youth because of that. It’s like the perfect combination of Merlin and Arthur!
There are so many layers and nuances to this character that we know Morgan can achieve. Not only does he know how to show the subtle effects of hiding one’s identity and living underneath the weight of destiny, he also knows how to show the lightheartedness of youth. And he does both brilliantly!
ANGEL COULBY: Arianne Martell
Arianne is not only cunning and regal, but also shares some very sexy scenes with Arys Oakheart in A Feast For Crows, and her character is really laid bare when she suffers a crushing defeat and has to deal with the consequences.
We already know that Coulby can portray a cool and collected, poised ruler, but we really want to see her embrace her wild side in this role! Guinevere has always been shy and reserved by nature, but we see the fierceness below the surface. If given a chance, we believe that Coulby could do something really powerful with this role, and firmly establish herself in the fantasy genre.
ALEXANDER VLAHOS: Edric Storm
The general consensus seems to be that Vlahos has done a magnificent job with the role of Mordred (we certainly feel that way). There is a subtlety to his acting that adds so much depth to the character he is playing. Even though we don’t know what Mordred has been up to in the years since we saw him as a little boy, we can tell that he has been through a lot.
Vlahos manages to give Mordred a vulnerability, probably born from a lifetime of hiding in fear for his life, while not losing the slight arrogance he had as a child. That ability in nuance would come in very handy with Edric. He had a comfortable upbringing with lavish gifts from his father, but was tucked away in the remote location of Storm’s End. He was an acknowledged son of the King, but he was still a bastard. Oh, and don’t forget that he has the black hair and blue eyes of the Baratheons. Seems to us that Vlahos is a perfect fit.
RUPERT YOUNG: Arys Oakheart
Ser Arys makes small appearances throughout the series, but it is in A Feast for Crows that he has his moment in the spotlight. His character has light-brown hair and a “comely” face, which fits perfectly with Young. He is a knight who has a strong sense of loyalty and chivalry, traits that he sometimes finds at war with each other.
Arys is the knight sent with Myrcella to Dorne as her protector. His loyalty to the Princess he is sworn to protect is put at odds against his loyalty to the crowned King when he has a steamy romance with one Arienne Martell (forget Lancelot, Guinevere, here comes Leon!). We already know that Young is fantastic in the role of the stoic knight and it would be great fun to see him take that familiar role and stretch it into new territory.
On to the next pages for Bradley James, Katie McGrath, Eoin Macken, Tom Hopper, Anthony Stewart Head, Santiago Cabrera, Adetomiwa Edun and Richard Wilson!
BRADLEY JAMES: Gerris Drinkwater
But while these likenesses to King Arthur might help James get the part, Gerris differs significantly from James’ Merlin character. Which is of course important for actors, who are usually fighting tooth-and-nail against typecasting. Gerris is a normal man, posing as a wine merchant with two servants to get Quentyn safely to Daenerys, and he is forced to join a band of Westerosi to get to her. Gerris is overconfident and headstrong, but ultimately loyal to his friend and prince.
James can portray a really deep sense of both entitlement and humility, and we would very much like to see him approach a role where he ultimately has no power other than what he tries to convince strangers of.
ANTHONY STEWART HEAD: Victarion Greyjoy
That’s why we believe he’d be perfect as Victarion Greyjoy, Theon’s most warthirsty uncle, and one of the brothers who will be vying for control of the Iron Isles. He is the Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet, both a powerful warrior and a very controlled, pious individual.
There is nothing Victarion values more than honour, and he is willing to do horrible things to maintain his own. We’d love to say Anthony Stewart Head in this stark, brutal role, because we think he could be exactly the right combination of awe-inspiring and terrifying.
TOM HOPPER: Hero
The Unsullied soldiers are going to take center stage in Daenerys’ story from this point on. They are slaves trained to battle from a very early age, and their common trait is, “unquestioning obedience and martial prowess.”
Hopper has the masculinity to pull off such a role, being a soldier first and foremost who comes to feel very loyal to Dany. He also has a likability and vulnerability which is perfect for this character, as he is one of the few prominent Unsullied soldiers whom Martin uses in the story to make us empathise with the group.
SANTIAGO CABRERA: Hizdahr zo Loraq
Hizdahr may be described as vain and weak, but this character is also cunning, and knows how to play to his strengths. We could see Cabrera charming the audience, making them hang on his every word, leaving them wondering about his true allegiances and intentions.
On to page 3 for Katie McGrath, Eoin Macken, Adetomiwa Edun and Richard Wilson!
KATIE MCGRATH: Mya Stone
Not only does Katie McGrath look the part of Mya with her blue/green eyes and dark hair, but she also has the fierceness and integrity to pull off this strong female character. Echoing Morgana, Mya is the illegitimate child of the King, and George R.R. Martin seems to keep dropping hints into his novels that Robert’s few remaining bastards will continue to be significant to the story in some way.
As Morgana, McGrath was stubborn and proud, but also passionate with a good heart. Watching such a good person crumble and be contorted with darkness has been very Game of Thrones-esque, and her transition from one show to the other would be almost seamless.
EOIN MACKEN: Duck
With his undeniable charm and swagger, we believe that Macken will be a perfect match for the confident sellsword. Not to mention the fact that we know he is adept at playing a skilled fighter (and looks great while doing it). We can only imagine the hilarity that would ensue from Macken’s Duck teaching Morgan’s Griff!
ADETOMIWA EDUN: Quentyn Martell
Despite being a powerful political presence, the actor chosen for Quentyn has to be able to play a certain humility and general uncertainty with the world. He is described with words such as “sober,” “sensible,” and “dutiful,” but is nonetheless an extremely important character, and we think that Edun would bring something really special to this role. Plus, it’d be neat to see Angel Coulby and Adetomiwa Edun play brother and sister again!
The more we thought about it, the more we realized that Edun would be great for this part. On Merlin he had the same lovable charm as all of the knights, but he also knew how to show the sensibility that is found in Quentyn. Edun would be able to bring heart and give life to a character that would have the potential to be a real fan favourite.
RICHARD WILSON: Septon Meribald
Meribald is a septon who wanders the Riverlands with only his dog for company, ministering to the people he meets on his travels. He lost all his brothers as a boy, and seems to have been broken by the horrors he experienced in battle, and the sins he committed as a young man.
In A Feast for Crows, the character has some very important interactions with Brienne of Tarth, and we can almost already see Wilson and Gwendoline Christie sharing scenes together.
What do you think?! We think we’ve pretty effectively settled the matter of what the actors will be doing next. Shall we just go ahead and call up the HBO casting folks right now?