Casting Speculation Season 6: Euron Greyjoy 

Probably the most exciting piece of news to come out of the casting leak is that

is hunting for someone to play the role of an infamous pirate this year. Though the parts are unnamed for security reasons, the description leaves little mystery in our minds- it’s a perfect description of Theon’s uncle Euron Greyjoy from the

Pirate, man in his 40’s to late 50’s. He’s “an infamous pirate who has terrorized seas all around the world. Cunning, ruthless, with a touch of madness.”

He’s a dangerous-looking man. A very good part this season.

A source tells us the original casting breakdown also mentions the pirate has “huge charisma and power” which says Euron for sure to us, as opposed to other pirates from the novels such as Euron’s brother Victarion.

With that in mind, we’re going to focus on Euron for our casting speculation post this week.

Euron Greyjoy is as we mentioned Theon’s uncle, the younger brother of Balon Greyjoy. There are no physical requirements in the casting breakdown (leaving it very open for speculation) but in the novels, he is considered handsome, dark-haired with a matching beard. He wears an eyepatch over his left eye, and his lips are blue from drinking shade of the evening- the same substance that makes the lips of the Qarth warlocks blue. He’s dangerous and unpredictable, untrusted even by his family.

Let’s take a look at some fan favorites and frequent suggestions for the role:

James Purefoy – Let’s ignore that “Never gonna appear on

“ business from 2013 that might’ve been a joke. He’s a fan favorite for the role, and he is great at playing rogues and villainous sorts.

 has been cancelled, but he’s already been booked to star in SundanceTV’s series

Rufus Sewell – Sewell is well known for his turns in movies such as

. He’s not averse to television either, having appeared in many mini-series. Sewell is starring in Amazon’s new series,

. Filming on the series is happening now but might be finished up in time for him to take part in

Dominic West – West has worked with HBO, starring in the beloved series

(most likely Mance Rayder) before. Bonus- he’s just appeared in

with Kit Harington. He’s currently starring in the Showtime series

, however, and filming seems to be happening this summer. Would the actor be able to juggle both projects?

Mads Mikkelsen – I know people love him but with him currently starring in a network television show in its third season, it’s unlikely that Mikkelsen is going to take a supporting role on a show with a large cast. I also can’t say I’ve ever heard the Danish actor convincingly pull off an English accent.

with Mikkelsen, he’s unlikely to happen as well. He’s booked only for a six-episode arc as the Tooth Fairy this season on that show (a book-length villain), which could hint at another season for him if

l is renewed. If we’re wrong though, I’d be okay with that because Armitage is a hell of an actor and would knock Euron out of the park.

Euron is a popular character- one of the characters I’ve seen the most enthusiastic fancasting suggestions for, with a list that also includes names like Viggo Mortensen, Jason Isaacs, Michael Wincott, Christopher Eccleston, David Thewlis, Gary Oldman, Joseph Fiennes, Clive Owen, Rhys Ifans, Tommy Flanagan, Sharlto Copley– and many more.

Our Euron could be one of these men. Or he could be a total surprise, a brilliant pick by Nina Gold’s people and Benioff and Weiss. Who is your choice, readers?

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Jason Isaacs for me. I don’t know why, but he just has that mad and dangerous look on his eyes, exactly how I pictured Euron

I also can’t say I’ve ever heard the Danish actor convincingly pull off an English accent.

How about Nikolaj Coster-Waldau? Anyway, Mads is my choice but sadly it probably won’t happen, tho it was rummored that he might consider it since him and Nikolaj are good friends.

James Purefoy, Tommy Flanagan, Jason Isaacs. In Nina Gold We Trust.

Somehow I am hoping they can get Alan Rickman to do this. Would be absolutely awesome!

Damn ‘The Affair’! I wanted McNulty on GOT, and he would have been great as Euron. I have a feeling they will find a relatively unknown actor for the role now, as many of these actors have projects lined up.

Divljakse: How about Nikolaj Coster-Waldau? Anyway, Mads is my choice but sadly it probably won’t happen, tho it was rummored that he might consider it since him and Nikolaj are good friends.

I think you misunderstood. I didn’t say I’ve never heard *a* Danish actor pull off an English accent, I said *the* Danish actor. I meant Mads Mikkelsen. His English is always spoken with a very flat tone that doesn’t sound native. That doesn’t mean he can’t pull it off, but I think he’d need to a vocal coach, he’d have to really work on it to be believable as someone with a native English accent.

They already have their man. It’s Michiel Huisman, because everyone knows Euron is Daario. 😀

I’ve liked all of those picks at one time or another and would be happy with any of them I think… That said, I have been thinking of some “lesser” known actors lately..

Jason Flemyng, Hans Matheson, Scott Handy and Sean Harris.

I think Flemyng has a great combination of look and ability to show quiet menace and/ or psychopathic actions.

I had not seen Matheson in much since Nina Gold cast him in The Tudors, but his character in 300: Rise of an Empire made me think of him as Euron!

I’ve seen both Sean Harris and Scott Handy play a variety of roles, but I think both can do menace well even if they may not have the exact stature or look many associate with Euron.

Honestly though I would love to see Armitage , Purefoy or Sewell as the Crow’s Eye!

There is one true Euron, and his name is Christopher Eccleston. He’s the right age, the right look (maybe not the right look for his book counterpart, but he realistically looks like he could be Balon’s brother and Theon’s uncle), can be charming and creepy. It sounds like his role in the Leftovers, if he’s even in the next season, shouldn’t be too time consuming.

I really think Jeffrey Donovan could pull it off even though he’s on the younger side. I would love Rufus Sewell or Dominic West. If they were to end up casting West and he didn’t have a scene where someone accuses him of something and his response was, “The f*** did I do???” I would cry.

I cannot see him in any role without thinking “What the f*** did I do?” XD

*sigh… How many times do I have to say Michael Wincott before people start realizing that this has always been his role?

Considering Hannibal’s ratings, Mads may not be booked much longer.

Damn I was hoping for Dominic West too. Didn’t know he was on the Affair.

Wincott should have been Coldhands. It is known.

Mads said sometime last year, and perhaps blithely, that he’d like to appear sometime since his friend Nikolaj was on the show. But y’know, he’s very busy.

If they cast Mads I would be over the moon, but I’d happily accept Sewell or Dominic West! The casting for this show is always on point for me, so no matter who they get there’s no doubt it’ll surpise and impress.

Since Euron has been all over the world for years (decades?) I don’t think the English accent will be too important. They regional dialects and accents are all over the place anyway (more noticeable if you’re British, I think?)

Anyone who’s seen the first 5-10 minutes of Solomon Kane can’t argue that James Purefoy would make an excellent Euron!

Failing that I’d go for Gary Stretch. Although I’m fully aware that would be a massive long shot!

Bit of a typecasting, but I’d love Toby Stephens (from Black Sails) or Clive Standen (from Vikings) as Euron. Wouldn’t say no to Sewell, West or Armitage though.

(This is tricky, I’ve been forcing myself to avoid all comment sections on GoT sites until after the finale, to avoid any leaks or foreknowledge on the episode. So I’m just chucking in my own comment without looking at anyone else’s and just hoping it slots into the conversation.)

Maybe he’s busy, but I don’t think Mads Mikkelsen’s Danish accent would be an issue. I think most people would agree that Euron’s probably the most well-travelled of any (important) character in the book, at least in terms of back story. They could name-drop any number of places we haven’t seen in the world yet, and it’d still be very believable (or at least, impossible to disprove) that those travels produced the Danish accent that Mikkelsen has.

Factor in his madness, too, and I’d say there probably aren’t any rules when it comes to the Crow’s Eye’s accent.

Anyways, if Mikkelsen doesn’t get it, I’d say out of the other guys – purely in terms of looks ‘cos I don’t know enough about everyone’s acting – Dominic West’s probably the best pick, followed by James Purefoy. Sewell and Armitage, meanwhile, are a little too “standard Westeros” in my opinion. I’d like Euron Greyjoy to stand out a little more.

Not sure on Standen for Euron, but he’d make a fantastic Victarion if HBO had wanted to keep the character around.

Dennai, Right!!! Mixing up all the Helen of Troy adaptations.

I agree, Jason Isaacs has that dangerous quality to him, he’d be my pick for Euron.

(Oops, others beat me to the Sewell in ‘Troy’ correction, so I edited it out.)

Out of the usual suspects rounded up, Purefoy’s the closest match to my conception of Euron, but my preference is to be totally surprised. Nina has been very good at turning relative unknowns into GoT icons, and I hope that tradition continues.

Swagger, stature, physicality, intelligence, sex appeal, dominance. A tall order!

I hope they will cast James Purefoy if Euron have to be included. I wished Balon to fulfil his role, that actor is briliant and i would like to see more of him.

Dominic West is great as a selfserving cheating prick on The Affair, but he is not right for such campy role. Unless they rework Euron for the show, which sure is quite possible.

James Purefoy is great. He has the perfect look and the acting chops (he was great in The Following) to nail this role like no other. My top pick by far.

Mads would also be good if he could do at least a mild English accent. I’ve never heard him try one (or any other accent actually) before though so I don’t know how capable he is or not.

Either way this will be the casting choice to watch for. I know some people disliked the Greyjoy uncle chapters in the books but I loved them and I always found Euron to just be a badass character, so I’m really excited to see who gets this part.

Since we probably can’t get Mads, I think his brother Lars Mikkelsen would be another good option. He was recently on BBC’s Sherlock and House of Cards. I wouldn’t mind Purefoy either.

I would love James Purefoy for this role but if he isn’t avaiable then I would love Mark Ryder aswell. He was a brilliant Cesare Borgia in Canal Plus’ Borgia and he would certainly look very well in Euron’s part :

The only downside is, he is very young, 15 years younger then Euron is in the books. Although it could work because it is said Euron never aged since he left.. Overall I think he would be an utterly briliant Euron Greyjoy especially if he can play it aswell as Cesare.

Daniel day Lewis would be the greatest , I also like Gary Oldman and madds

She’s raided Rome for talent more than a few times though ( Mance, Edmure, Ellaria) so Purefoy could be in with a shot. Plus, I remember him playing Blackbeard in a BBC drama series so his pirate swagger is no doubt down to a tee!

anyone knows when they will announce who got the roles?

Ray Stevenson signed on for season 3 of Black Sails. He should fire his agent.

If ratings were the only factor in NBC’s decision-making,

wouldn’t have made it past a month, much less two full seasons. The only reasons why that show is still on the air are that it gets a rapturous amount of critical praise (and rightfully so; it’s probably my favorite show at the moment- and, yes, that includes

) and that it’s largely financed by a third-party studio. There’s a lot of talk about it going to Netflix or Amazon if NBC were to cancel it, so Mads might not be free even if this were to happen. Regardless, I don’t really like him for this part anyway- as others have pointed out, his accent is WAY too thick (much more so than Nikolaj’s natural voice when speaking English) to believably pass as being related to the other Greyjoys. Plus, you’d have to think that the guy would be bored with yet another psycho villain role at this point- he’s starting to get into Gary Oldman/Christopher Walken territory.

Whoever mentioned Christopher Eccleston is so spot-on it that isn’t even funny. He would be PERFECT…if only he wasn’t already playing a role on another HBO show at the moment. If not him, then I’d go for Dominic West or Damien Lewis (if HBO can afford him).

Nah, that’s about right plus what they’ve advertised for. Some selections people are putting forward are really too young for a the role. You need an older but good-looking chap for it. He’s older than both Victarion and Damphair.

Nah, that’s about right plus what they’ve advertised for. Some selections people are putting forward are really too young for a the role. You need an older but good-looking chap for it. He’s older than both Victarion and Damphair.

Well it is said Euron did not age much since his departure on Pyke. I think someone of 30 would certainly work. All in all, I would just love it if Mark Ryder got the part. 😛

Books are one thing Tv show another. If you are going for a “pirate” with above qualities making him in his late 30s early 40s would be the way to go.

Depends on the actor I guess but I hope they don’t look too young. They need a ruggedly handsome guy with authority but also a dangerous look about him. Some of the people being suggested just look far too soft for a infamous pirate/viking who rips his own crews tongues out and carries out blood riuals on his ship!

I had the same thought: that Euron needn’t be that old. Book canon, I believe, has him as a half-brother to Balon, correct? That is, he is Balon’s brother by another mother and is thus possibly much younger. The show simplifying the Greyjoy genealogy and making Euron a credibly age-appropriate sibling to Balon makes sense.

Well, take it up with the show as they’ve put the call out for a guy in his 40s-50s! 😛

Just hope they get some of his better quotes worked into the show.

“ Godless? Why, Aeron, I am the godliest man ever to raise sail! You serve one god, Damphair, but I have served ten thousand. From Ib to Asshai, when men see my sails, they pray.”

“ We are the ironborn, and once we were conquerors. Our writ ran everywhere the sound of the waves was heard. My brother would have be content with the cold and dismal north, my niece with even less … but I shall give you Lannisport. Highgarden. The Arbor. Oldtown. The riverlands and the Reach, the kingswood and the rainwood, Dorne and the marches, the Mountains of the Moon and the Vale of Arryn, Tarth and the Stepstones. I say we take it all! I say, we take Westeros.”

“ Perhaps we can fly. All of us. How will we ever know unless we leap from some tall tower? No man ever truly knows what he can do unless he dares to leap.”

I expect anybody who had played a pirate or the like would not be seriously considered.

I had the same thought: that Euron needn’t be that old. Book canon, I believe, has him as a half-brother to Balon, correct? That is, he is Balon’s brother by another mother and is thus possibly much younger. The show simplifying the Greyjoy genealogy and making Euron a credibly age-appropriate sibling to Balon makes sense.

They could make Euron. Balons nephew instead of brother. That would allow him to be younger.

Depends on the actor I guess but I hope they don’t look too young. They need a ruggedly handsome guy with authority but also a dangerous look about him.Some of the people being suggested just look far too soft for a infamous pirate/viking who rips his own crews tongues out and carries out blood riuals on his ship!

Well tbh, you can be extremely handsome ánd ruthless though. How someone looks does not always reveal who someone is, Euron is certainly someone that looks very handsome but is extremely evil.

That’s why I would rather go for someone that fit’s that description, like mark ryder :P.

I had never thought of Christopher Eccleston. Now that I have, i’m totally rooting for him!

Jason Isaacs definitely has the crazy quality in him, and well, i am and always will be a Mads Mikkelsen fangirl so would love that choice also.

Plus, Purefoy has that disrespectful, upset-the-apple cart, loose cannon vibe that some of the other choices, fine actors all, can’t quite match. At his best, as in ‘Rome,’ you never knew what he’d do next, and he was totally mesmerizing.

But: it’s ten years past ‘Rome.’ Purefoy would be great, but time marches on, and it really takes some acting chops to sell the swagger and heat that is Euron when one is well into middle-age. That’s why I would prefer someone on the lower end of the age range called for.

The painting at the top of the post defines who Euron is, and whoever can step off that painting and onto the screen has my vote.

Wednesday Addams: I had never thought of Christopher Eccleston. Now that I have, i’m totally rooting for him!

Only if Euron is really a disguised character who will be unmasked to be a character played by David Tennant…..

You know what’s funny? I think the guy who currently plays Daario would make a good Euron. Haha.

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