User blog comment:Mesmermann/Ciarán Hinds playing Mance Rayder!!!!/@comment-26308-20120817195059

A superior actor, absolutely brilliant in ROME, IVANHOE, COLD LAZARUS and the other projects I've seen him in. He's a bit older than Mance in the books (although Mance in the TV series has already been mentioned as being older than in the books) but should bring a lot of presence to the role.

What will be interesting is to see how he plays him. Hinds is known for his stately, reserved performance as Caesar, but he's a very versatile actor and can play big, broad roles and much quieter, more intense ones as well.