James Hibberd of InsideTV reports that Indira Varma has been cast as Ellaria Sand!
Ellaria Sand is the beloved paramour of Prince Oberyn Martell, and the mother of the four youngest "Sand Snakes," Oberyn's bastard daughters. Ellaria herself is the bastard daughter of Lord Harmen Uller, a nobleman of Dorne. Ellaria is referred to as worshiping a Lysene love goddess, and was also described by Oberyn as being sexually adventurous and potentially bisexual.
Although not accounted as a beautiful woman, she is regarded as attractive and eye-catching, with an exotic, sensuous flair. She has black hair.
Okay, the book role is rather minor, so much so that many expected the role to be cut entirely. However, casting a well-known actress of Indira Varma's caliber makes me think HBO will expand the role! She has been my personal favorite (although I epxected a less well known actress honestly) and many other people's favorite for the role for years now!
Awesome news!
ReplyDeleteMore Dornish!
I hope they really play out the character and maybe highlight a rivalry between Cersei and Ellaria. Perhaps they will keep Ellaria in Kings Landing for an extended period instead of sending Nymeria there next year.
That would make sense on two levels since the character Nymeria would require a name change since there is already a Nymeria Arya's DireWolf), and the fact that they used almost the exact same back story of Nymeria from the books for Talisa's character.
I don't really know anything about the character or the actress,but I'm glad some roles are starting to to be announced and cast. Thanks Darq. I will checking up your casting-rumor update t see what else you have to say about it!! :)
ReplyDeleteThere was some smaller news today before this, but mostly cast members spotted in Belfast and Iceland... This is REAL news! XD
ReplyDeleteOh this is more like it.
ReplyDeleteI basically cut and pasted it! XD
ReplyDeleteDecided I would add some background info to this post for people who are not familiar with the character.
If they expand the charcter, perhaps she won't be sent away when she gets back to Dorne in Season 5. I'd love seeing more interactions between her and the Sand Snakes, and her and Arianne/Doran.
ReplyDeleteI think she will be great as Ellaria :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome! Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteI think we can trust audiences to understand the difference between a human woman and a wolf that appeared in two episodes in season 1.
ReplyDeleteOne would hope, but....
ReplyDeleteI would think Robert Arryn the spoiled pre-teen and Robert Baratheon would have been easy to tell apart, but they changed that. I can see a little more difficulty for some discerning Asha the Greyjoy and Osha the Wildling, despite never having scenes together...
However, I guess I can understand why they changed Jeyne Westerling to Talisa being that they went an entirely different direction with the character.
Still, D&D thus far have changed any same or similar name to something different and I would not expect that pattern to stop honestly......
I would be happy if they did stop! XD
The people who would normally get the two confused likely don't remember what Arya's wolf was named anyway. And if Arya ever mentions her again, she can say "my wolf, Nymeria" to differentiate the two. If anyone is stupid enough to get the two confused then, this probably isn't the show for them.
ReplyDeleteI have no clue who these new characters are but their descriptions an the actors/actresses they cast for it get me excited! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks @DarqueMode!
This is AWESOME news! I LOVE this woman! She was fabulous as Detective Chief Inspector Lucy Britford on Hustle, and as Ilsa Pucci on Human Target, and Natalie Thorpe on Hunted. She's hot, classy, and a superb actress!
ReplyDeleteI'm certain she was cast to help add some drama leading up to Oberyn's duel....
ReplyDeleteI hope she lasts after the dual too!
ReplyDeleteIndira Varma has a pattern of playing characters who die in series! XD
I like her on tv show Rome.
ReplyDeleteShe was great on Rome, one of the best parts.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad they got a good actress to play her to possibly add meat to the role.
ReplyDeleteShe is PERFECT for the part... actually "perfect" doesn't begin to describe it....
ReplyDeleteYAY!!!!