There are times when the epic journey that his character, Robb Stark, has embarked on in Game of Thrones
has felt a little similar to Richard Madden’s own experience working on
the acclaimed HBO show. You might say that they’ve grown up together.
On screen, Madden plays Robb Stark who, when still a very young man, is
chosen to lead his people after his father Ned (played by Sean Bean) is
murdered at the hands of the Starks’ bitter enemies, The Lannisters.
The warring clans are at the heart of a brutal battle for control of
Westeros, the fictional land created by George R. R. Martin in his
brilliantly imagined series of best selling fantasy novels, A Song of Ice and Fire. Martin has now completed five volumes and a further two are planned.
Madden was just 21 when he landed the much sought after role in the
show, which is based on Martin’s books, and he recently completed the
third season. He has, he says, come of age as an actor during that time,
mirroring his character, Robb, who develops into an assured,
charismatic leader as the story unfolds.
Read more at Gulf News
Richard Madden could be Prince Charming in 'Cinderella'
Richard Madden might be transitioning from playing the King of the North, Robb Stark, on "Game of Thrones" to playing Prince Charming in Kenneth Branagh's upcoming live action "Cinderella" movie. /Film is reporting that Madden is one of the names Branagh is considering for the Prince Charming role.
Read more at Zap2it
Also reported by The Mary Sue and others.
Original report by Slash Film
Q&A with Game of Thrones and Labyrinth star Emun Elliott, 29, who talks cruise ships, John Lennon and comfort food
Tell us about your role in Labyrinth... I play a 12th-century French chevalier, a sword-wielding, horse-riding knight. It’s more enjoyable when I’m disguised in some way; stepping into someone else’s shoes is part of the reason why I became an actor. Had you read Kate Mosse’s novel before accepting the role? I’ve
been in a few things based on books but I never read them until I’m
offered the job – I think it would be torture to read it and not get the
part. But when I got this part I did read Labyrinth and I really
enjoyed it – it’s epic and sprawling. Ever had a career back-up plan? I had to wait a month to find out if I’d got into drama school, and I started to look into cruise ships. So if they had taken me I would have ended up on some enormous liner singing to bored passengers. I’m glad that acting worked out. So you’re musical? I’ve played the violin since I was seven but stopped because there was a stage when it became ‘uncool’. I was listening to Nirvana and wanted to play the guitar, so I
ditched the violin. I play guitar to this day – and piano. If there was
a way to combine music with acting for a role it would be amazing. Read more (and watch a Labyrinth trailer) at Daily Mail
Janice Forsyth presents a very special conversation with one of Scotland's best loved film actors. James
Cosmo has been a larger than life presence on our big screens since his
movie debut in The Battle Of Britain in 1969 alongside Michael Caine
and Christopher Plummer. Since then he's played a hairy clansmen in
Highlander, a drug addict's father in Trainspotting, William Wallace's
right hand man in Braveheart and is currently dominating screens as part
of the Game Of Thrones TV series.
In this in-depth interview he
discusses how he was considered for the role of James Bond, his
involvement in plans for a Scottish Film Studio and how Mel Gibson
interrupted a Saturday night at home with news that would change his
life.
Listen to the interview at BBC Radio Scotland
Game of Thrones James Cosmo On Playing Mormont
James Cosmo reveals where 'Game of Thrones' Season 3 picks back up for Mormont! MTV
Game of Thrones has proved to be a huge success and has catapulted its Scots stars to the attention of audiences worldwide.
Here are the Scottish actors making it big on the fantasy TV show, and
to get you back into the world of Westeros, here's the season 3 trailer.
Richard Madden (Robb Stark)
26 year old Richard Madden, from Elderslie in Renfrewshire, graduated
from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 2007. He began his
career with theatre roles at the Arches and the Citizens Theatre, and
in London he played Romeo at the Globe’s production of Romeo and Juliet.
He’s had parts in TV series Hope Springs and last year’s BBC adaptation
of Birdsong. He’s currently dating the new Doctor Who assistant
Jenna-Louise Coleman, he has been named Most Stylish Male at the
Scottish Style Awards and in 2010 made the cut for Esquire’s Hottest
Stars.
Rose Leslie (Ygritte)
Aberdeen-born Rose Leslie has some strong ancestral blood: she is the
daughter of the chieftain of Clan Leslie, Sebastian Arbuthnot-Leslie,
and grew up in the 15th century Lickleyhead Castle. Rose won a Scottish
BAFTA for Best New Talent for her debut role in the Scottish film New
Town in 2009. The 26 year old will also be recognisable to Downton Abbey
fans, playing Gwen in series 1 – the maid with ambitions to become a
secretary.
Emun Elliott (Marillion)
Emun Elliott was born and raised by Edinburgh’s seaside, Portobello,
and has Iranian ancestry on his father’s side. The 29 year old toured
the world as Squaddie Private Fraser on stage in Black Watch, and had
parts in Scottish TV series’ Monarch of the Glen and Lip Service. In
2009 film magazine Screen International named him as ‘one to watch’ – a
prestigious platform for an up and coming actor. He played flight
engineer Chance in Ridley Scott’s Prometheus and last year he also had
roles in successful shows including sitcom Threesome, and the BBC drama
The Paradise.
Kate Dickie (Lady Lysa Arryn)
The East Kilbride native is most known for her part in the film Red
Road, winning a Scottish BAFTA and a British Independent film award.
Making her TV debut playing ‘young girl’ in an episode of Rab C Nesbitt,
Kate Dickie has gone on to appear in Prometheus, along with Emun
Elliot, as well as having parts in Taggart, Tinseltown and Still Game.
She lives in Kelvinbridge with partner Kenny and daughter Molly.
Iain Glen (Jorah Mormont)
51 year old Iain Glen, from Edinburgh, is a former Edinburgh Academy
pupil and he honed his craft at RADA. He is brother to Hamish Glen, once
the artistic director of the Dundee Repertory Theatre. Iain has had a
wide-ranging career that has included the Resident Evil series, the
BBC’s Ripper Street, Spooks and Doctor Who. He also played Sir Richard
Carlisle in Downton Abbey – the newspaper tycoon who tries to woo Lady
Mary.
Ron Donachie (Ser Rodrik Cassel)
Ron Donachie is originally from Dundee and studied at Glasgow
University. The 56 year old has had supporting roles in Titanic and The
Jungle Book, as well as parts many major british TV series over the
years, including Heartbeat, Doctor Who, Rebus, The Bill and Waterloo
Road.
Rory McCann (Sandor Clegane))
Rory McCann is probably most recognised as the Porridge man in a vest
and kilt in the advert for Scott’s Porage Oats. The 43 year old actor,
who is 6ft 6, was a painter on the Forth Road Bridge before winning
acclaim for his role in the 2002 Scottish TV series the Book Club. He
made his film debut in Oliver Stone’s Alexander and has also had parts
in Hot Fuzz and Clash of the Titans.
James Cosmo (Jeor Mormont)
The 64 year old actor from Clydebank is son of actor James Copeland. He
has been a mainstay of British TV since the 1970s, as well as a stint
on Take the High Road, and is recognisable in grizzly roles in films
including Highlander, Braveheart, Trainspotting and Troy, and a softer
role as Father Christmas in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch
and the Wardrobe.
James Cosmo talks Citadel, Game of Thrones, his career and Scottish film
From STV:
James Cosmo has appeared in some of the country’s best known films including Braveheart, Trainspotting and Highlander, and received considerable acclaim throughout his career including a recent Scottish Bafta for Donkeys.
Speaking at the Glasgow Film Festival, where he had appeared to talk
about his career, the 64-year-old Scottish actor revealed to STV about
what he thinks set those films apart.
He said that Highlander director Russell Mulcahy had “brought something new to the business”, while having worked with Trainspotting director Danny Boyle on TV before he knew “the quality that Danny would bring to the game”.
Meanwhile Cosmo explained how Braveheart had come at exactly
the right time for him, while he was going through a rough patch
getting enough work to look after his wife and baby.
Of new film Citadel, an Irish/Scottish co-production by
Bl!nder Films and Scotland’s Sigma Films, he spoke effusively about
writer-director Ciaran Foy.
After revealing that he chose to work on Citadel because of
its “terrific script”, of its claustrophobic nature he added: “It was
great fun to do, really good – and by goodness it makes you jump.”
He has also appeared in two of the most acclaimed US TV shows of recent years – Sons of Anarchy and most recently in Game of Thrones, and explained to us how it was to work on those much loved series.
The British Independent Film Awards announced its nominees and jury members earlier today and Jamie Sives is among the jury members of the thirteenth annual awards. The awards ceremony takes place in London on December 5. You can go to the British Independent Film Awards website for a full list of jury members and nominees.
HBO released a fact sheet for its upcoming series Game of Thrones complete with casting details. Sweet on Sigma Films parsed through the cast list and reports that Jamie Sives (who plays Jory Cassel) will begin working on the show this week in Belfast. Other Scottish cast members include James Cosmo, who was recently cast as Jeor Mormont, Emun Elliot who will make a guest appearance as Marillion, and Rory McCann (as Sandor Clegane), Richard Madden (as Rob Stark), and Iain Glen (as Ser Jorah Mormont) have all been cast as series regulars.
Game of Thrones is based on George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book series. The first season will be made up of 10 episodes with principal photography set to start on July 26 in Belfast, Northern Ireland and Malta. A synopsis is below:
“Game of Thrones” is a new original HBO series based on George R.R. Martin’s best-selling novels. In a world where summers span decades and winters can last a lifetime, the Westeros crown comes with a price. Betrayal, lust, intrigue and supernatural forces shake the four corners of the Kingdom, from the scheming south and the savage eastern lands, to the frozen north and the ancient Wall that protects the realm from the darkness beyond. Kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars and noble men vie for power in the bloody struggle for the Iron Throne.
You can head on over to ONTD! for a look at photos of the entire cast.