Comic-Con 2014: Game of Thrones Announces New Cast Members

With a video presentation at Comic-Con, HBO confirmed some of the new cast members for the fifth season of their mega-series “Game of Thrones.” There are a few notable names, including a past Oscar-nominee, a “Star Trek” doctor and a respected British thespian. Many of their character bios relate to a death from previous seasons. Next man/woman up!

(character bios courtesy of CraveOnline‘s sister-site ComingSoon; italic actor additions are from CraveOnline)

Keisha Castle-Hughes as Obara Sand: A fearsome warrior, Obara Sand is the eldest bastard daughter of the late Prince Oberyn Martell. Her mother was a Dornish peasant girl who caught the eye of the late Prince. (Castle-Hughes is the youngest Best Actress Oscar nominee of all time, she was 13 when nominated for Whale Rider but 10-11 when they filmed. Castle-Hughes also had a small role in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith as Queen Naboo.)

Jonathan Pryce as the High Sparrow: A devout and pious man, the High Sparrow came to King’s Landing to serve those forgotten by much of the world – the poor, the downtrodden and the infirm – and quickly amassed a large following. His fellow believers have swarmed over the city, ministering to the lowest and decrying the corruption of the highest. (Pryce was the main character in Terry Gilliam’s dystopic masterpiece Brazil; the British thespian has also had a recurring role in the Pirates of the Caribbean series, as Governor Weatherby Swann and played Juan Peron in Evita, a Bond villain in Tomorrow Never Dies and King James in Terrence Malick’s The New World).

Alexander Siddig as Doran Martell: Doran Martell is the ruling lord of Dorne and older brother to the late Prince Oberyn Martell. Unlike his brother, Doran is even- tempered and deliberate. Now, all of Dorne waits to see how their lord will react to his brother’s death. (Siddig played Doctor Bashir on “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and played a former terrorist-turned-Jack Bauer aid in the sixth season of “24.”)

Other confirmed cast additions and characters include:

Toby Sebastian as Trystane Martell: Trystane Martell is Prince Doran’s son and heir to Dorne. His father betrothed him to Myrcella Baratheon as part of the alliance offered by Tywin Lannister, then Hand of the King.

Nell Tiger Free as Myrcella Baratheon: Myrcella Baratheon is officially the eldest child of Cersei Lannister and the late King Robert Baratheon, though in truth her father is Cersei’s own brother, Jaime Lannister. For years, she has been a guest and ward of Prince Doran, betrothed to his son, but her position has become tenuous with the death of Oberyn Martell, the Prince’s brother.

DeObia Oparei as Areo Hotah: Areo Hotah is the long-serving captain of Doran Martell’s palace guard, renowned for his loyalty and his longaxe.

Enzo Cilenti as Yezzan: Yezzan was an extremely wealthy slave trader before Daenerys Targaryen outlawed the slave trade.

Jessica Henwick as Nymeria (“Nym”) Sand: Nym Sand is the second eldest of the late Prince Oberyn’s bastard daughters. Her mother was an Eastern noblewoman who brought Nym up to be cultured, graceful and deadly with a whip.

Rosabell Laurenti Sellers as Tyene Sand: Tyene Sand is the daughter of the late Prince Oberyn Martell by Ellaria Sand, his final paramour. Tyene is fiercer than she looks, especially with her twin daggers.

Based on the bestselling fantasy book series by George R.R. Martin, “Game of Thrones” is an epic drama set in the world of Westeros, where battles are ever-occurring and power-shifts are ever-changing. The Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning fantasy series concluded its fourth season this past June and the fifth season of “Game of Thrones” will begin in 2015. HBO did not announce an airing date.

Brian Formo is a featured contributor on the CraveOnline Film Channel. You can follow him on Twitter at @BrianEmilFormo.