The Hollywood Reporter, via Winter is Coming, is reporting on several majors roles being cast for the upcoming HBO adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire:

In the adaptation of the George R.R. Martin fantasy-book series, Coster-Waldau will play Jaime Lannister, one of the king’s guards and a ruthless usurper of the previous king. The actor, most recently seen in Ron Moore’s Fox pilot “Virtuality,” is repped by WME, Impression and Independent Talent Group.

Another addition is Tamzin Merchant (Showtime’s “The Tudors”), who’ll play Daenerys, an exiled teenage princess.

Also new to the cast: Richard Madden (“Hope Springs”) as Stark’s eldest son, Robb; Iain Glen (“Into the Storm”) as Ser Jorah Mormont, a disgraced knight; Alfie Allen (“The Other Boleyn Girl”) as Theon, Stark’s young ward; Sophie Turner (“Doctor Who”), as Stark’s eldest daughter, Sansa; Maisie Williams as Stark’s young tomboy daughter, Arya.

Martin has been dropping hints about these castings for a while now, and members of the Winter is Coming community manage to figure out the identity of each actor beforehand. Still, it’s nice to have it all confirmed.

Martin had a bit to say about each of the actors cast:

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime Lannister
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau - Jaime Lannister in A Song of Ice and Fire

he’ll make a terrific Jaime.

Tamzin Merchant as Daenerys Targaryen
Tamzin Merchant as Daenerys Targaryen

Dany is very difficult role. She starts out vulnerable and scared, but blooms on the Dothraki sea, and becomes a powerful leader by book’s end. It’s no secret that HBO’s Dany will start out older than Dany does in the book; that was a change that had to be made, if we wanted to keep the sex scenes, and David and Dan and I were all agreed that the sex scenes were essential. Tamzin can play much younger than her actual age (as she does when playing Katheryn) and her sex scenes on THE TUDORS were as hot as anything I’ve ever seen on TV. In her readings, she showed Dany’s other side as well, commanding and charismatic after Drogo’s death. I think she’ll be marvelous.

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