2. Pedro Pascal Oberyn Martell
Onto the other side of Dorne's most adorable couple now, with Oberyn Martell. Pedro Pascal's casting as the Red Viper has left Thrones fans divided, with some pleased that show has cast an actor in the role with a background in stage and screen, and others displeased by the man's appearance, among other things. Simply put, they feel as if the showrunners missed an opportunity to ethnically diversify the cast, believing Pascal who's of Chilean descent doesn't have the olive skin needed to properly pull off being a Dornishman. There are also others who believe he's too unknown to take up the role of a book fan favourite, and would've preferred someone more recognisable. I'm not of that view I think the casting directors have been far too right, too often, for us to dismiss their judgement now, and they (and George R. R. Martin) seem utterly convinced by Pascal in a way that appears to be beyond toe-ing the party line. Plus, while he isn't too famous on television he's had supporting roles in The Good Wife, Graceland and Buffy The Vampire Slayer his upcoming appearance on the similarly lauded Homeland as well as Thrones means he's starting to make a bigger name for himself, and there must be a reason for that. Frankly, I don't think the showrunners of two excellent series would make the same mistake, so he's got to have something about him. Yet even though he's got less TV experience than some might've hoped, Pascal makes up for it with an award-winning stage career he's won the LA Drama Critics Circle Award and the Garland Award, which stands him in good stead with the often theatre-oriented actors who populate the King's Landing political thunderdome. Remember, Varys' Conleth Hill didn't exactly have the most sparkling TV resume either, but he continues to knock it out the park as the Spider with every passing episode. If Pascal can be even half as successful, we'll definitely have something interesting on our hands. After all, it's an extremely interesting role of an utterly charming man consumed by hate for the Lannisters he's the brother of the Queen who was raped and murdered by Gregor Clegane during the sack of King's Landing, and if that's not enough motivation for an acclaimed theatre actor to sink his teeth into, I don't know what is.