‘Game of Thrones’ season 3: Cirian Hinds talks being cast as Mance Rayder

There are so many new faces that “Game of Thrones” fans are going to see on the HBO show’s third season, but even still there is one name that rises to the top: Mance Rayder. He is the King Beyond the Wall, and he is going to play a pivotal role in the story featuring Jon Snow moving forward through the next ten episodes.

So with this in mind, would you be surprised to know that the actor responsible for the role in Cirian Hinds was not that familiar with the George R.R. Martin adaptation until taking the part? It should. Speaking to Irish Central in a new interview, the actor explained that he initially did not know just what the role or the commitment was going to entail:

“I was aware of the popularity of the show but I’ve got to catch up on the whole series … My English agent told me that it was based in Belfast and that they then go off for a couple of weeks to do location work. He knew a lot of people in it. He knew it was really good.

“… “They said it would literally be three or four days work in Belfast. I thought, ‘That’s great I can spend time with my sisters and return to work.’ He told me I wouldn’t have to do a follow up until November.”

Little did Hinds realize that this aforementioned “location work” was going to involve him shooting for a few days in a remote part of Iceland, where the cast and crew was deep into a blizzard. Ultimately, he admitted that the work did get done; but since he only saw his part of the script and not anyone else’s, he has no idea yet as to what to expect when the show airs.

What do you want to see from Mance Rayder this season? Just in case you have yet to see video footage of Hinds in the role, all you have to do is click here.

Photo: HBO