Walder Rivers

Walder Frey is a character debuting in the third season. He will be portrayed by Tim Plester. He is known as Black Walder for his temper and demeanor. He is the great-grandson of his namesake Lord Walder Frey, Lord of the Crossing and head of House Frey.

In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Black Walder is a stout and wiry man with a black beard, who inspires terror in those around him.

Black Walder's father, Ryman, is the eldest son of Ser Stevron Frey, who is himself the eldest son, and heir, of Lord Walder Frey. Thus Ryman's three sons - Edwyn, Black Walder, and Petyr - are the presumptive future heirs of House Frey (which includes over a hundred direct descendants of Lord Walder). At the beginning of the first novel, Black Walder is fourth in line to succeed Lord Walder, behind his grandfather Stevron, his father Ryman, and his older brother Edwyn. While Edwyn is ahead of Black Walder in the line of succession, he is not a fierce warrior like Black Walder is, and the two of them are constantly jockeying for power and favor within the family. As a result, Black Walder is one of the more prominent members of the current generation of House Frey.

Black Walder is known to be resolute and easy to anger, being feared by many among his own family. He is rumored to have maintained numerous affairs with several women, including cousins and the wives of his close relations. There is talk that he bedded both the wives of his brothers Edwyn and Petyr, his first cousin Fair Walda and his half-cousin Amerei Frey, among others. He was also rumored to have maintained a relationship with Lord Walder's seventh wife Annara Farring. All of those relations may cast doubt over the paternity of many of the newborn Freys including the young heiress Perra Frey, or even Lord Walder's six children with Annara. He refuses to marry according to Merrett Frey.