George R.R. Martin has never been one to shy away from sharing his thoughts on adaptations, casting, and the world of Westeros he’s built. In a 2016 interview, Martin opened up about his connection to the characters, how Game of Thrones casting choices matched his vision, and why he’s always had a slightly complicated relationship with adaptations—especially those of his own work. In this interview, Martin reflects on his iconic characters, the actors who brought them to life, and why his epic series, A Song of Ice and Fire, will always be his greatest achievement. So, let’s dive into his insights.
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Martin on the casting of Tyrion Lannister
You can watch the interview excerpt here:
When it comes to casting, George R.R. Martin is clear: it’s about finding the right person who truly embodies the character, even if they don’t fit the exact description in the book. He was asked about the actor who most resembled the character as he originally envisioned it, and his answer was immediate—Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister. Martin said:
“Probably Peter Dinklage as Tyrion. Not that there aren’t differences. If you carefully read the descriptions in the book, Tyrion in the books is actually shorter than Peter Dinklage. So, it’s probably the first time Peter has been told he’s too tall for a role. But yes, he is taller than Tyrion in the books, and he’s considerably better looking. The books make a certain amount of comment on the fact that Tyrion is not attractive by conventional standards, and has that cross to bear in addition to his height. But Peter is quite a good-looking man.”
In the books, Tyrion Lannister is described as a dwarf with stunted legs, stubby fingers, and a jutting forehead. His mismatched eyes, one green and one black, lead to rumors that he possesses an “evil eye.” Tyrion’s thin hair is fair and flaxen, so blond that it can appear almost white, though some strands of black hair also appear throughout. If he grows a beard, it becomes a mix of yellow, white, and black. Tyrion’s unique stare makes people uncomfortable, a characteristic he often uses to his advantage. Despite the differences to book Tyrion, Martin said that Dinklage inhabited the role remarkably well:
“Nonetheless, with these small exceptions, he is Tyrion. He has thoroughly inhabited that role. He was really the only person we considered. At the very first meeting I had with David (Benioff) and Dan (Weiss), after we discussed the story, we got into playing the casting game—who we like, who would be good, could we get this person, should we look at that person. When we got to Tyrion, it was Peter Dinklage. That was it. We never read anyone else for that role, we never had meetings with anyone else for that role. When we got the green light, we just went out and made an offer to Peter Dinklage and thankfully, he accepted. And here we are—an Emmy and a Golden Globe later.”
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Martin on whether the show’s casting informs his writing
But when it comes to adaptations, Martin isn’t exactly on the same page as viewers who may start to see the actors as the definitive versions of the characters. In fact, he says he doesn’t let the on-screen portrayals influence the way he sees his characters at all.
“Nope. I understand that process, and I know that that has probably already happened for many, many millions of viewers and fans. But I don’t think it happens if you really know a book. Then you have your own images in your head. Seeing a movie or TV show doesn’t displace them.”
To illustrate this, Martin compared his experience with J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. Even though he loves Peter Jackson’s films, his own mental images of the characters haven’t changed. For Martin, the characters are simply too deeply rooted in his mind to be altered by the film adaptations.
“A book like Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, which I first read when I was thirteen years old, and I’ve read many, many times. I love Peter Jackson’s movies—make no mistake, those are terrific movies. But when I sit down to read Fellowship of the Ring, as I still do every few years, because I love the book so much, Strider does not look like Viggo Mortensen to me. He looks like the image I’ve had in my head of Strider since I was thirteen. And the hobbits don’t look like Elijah Wood and Sean Astin. And they were great, mind you, they did a wonderful job, but my own images are too firmly rooted.”
“If that’s true for Tolkien, it’s certainly true for my own book. The roots go very deep there. But for someone who isn’t me, I can easily see that happening. The actors’ likenesses becoming what you think of when you think of this particular character.”
Martin on the central character of A Song of Ice and Fire
So, is there one central character in A Song of Ice and Fire that defines the entire story? Martin says no—there’s no single character that the series revolves around. When asked which character he most identifies with, Martin explained that all of the viewpoint characters have elements of him.
“All of the viewpoint characters have elements of me in them. I think that’s the only way you can write a viewpoint character —you have to get inside someone’s skin.”
Martin also shared that he has a special fondness for Tyrion, the character he’d love to be. But, in reality, he said Samwell Tarly is probably closer to who he actually is.
“I’ve always had a great deal of affection for Tyrion. I think Tyrion is probably who I would like to be. Sam is probably closer to who I actually am. I’m not nearly as witty as Tyrion. Well, actually, I am as witty as Tyrion since I invent all of his witty things. But it takes me ages to invent all of those witty things. Three days later, I’ll realize, Oh, I should have said that! That would’ve been really funny. Tyrion, of course, would think of it right away.”
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