19 Things That Almost Completely Changed Game Of Thrones

10. Dominic West Was First Choice To Play Mance Rayder

Case and point: McNulty himself. The British actor best known as the dogged, alcoholic cop on The Wire was apparently first choice for the role of Mance Rayder, leader of the Wildling forces and self-styled King Beyond the Wall, for Season Three. West apparently turned the role down due to family commitments - shooting would have required relocating to Iceland - though it's hard to believe that three-episode bit part would have kept him away from home for too long. Even so, Ciaran Hinds was able to step in, bringing with him a crustier, less civil version of the authority he displayed as Caesar in HBO's Rome. Given the important role that Mance presumably has left to play in the affairs of Westeros, it's intriguing to consider what a younger, slightly more virile take on the character might have been like. Was It A Good Change? There's no denying that West is a good actor - The Wire is a triumph of modern show-making - but he's a little too clean around the edges to pull off the leader of the wildlings army. The decision to cast older and larger in Ciaran Hinds gives the character more of a regal presence as well.