As you probably have heard by now, HBO and screenwriter Jane Goldman are currently in production on the pilot episode for the Game of Thrones prequel, Blood Moon. The series is set to take place thousands of years before the main show’s timeline, in an era called the Age of Heroes and the Long Night — a winter that descended on Westeros that lasted a generation and saw the rise of the Night King and his army.
One of the show’s spectacular ensemble cast features Academy Award-nominated actress Naomi Watts in a lead role described as “a charismatic socialite hiding a dark secret.” Who might that be? We have some thoughts we’ll get to momentarily, but thanks to Twitter’s own Naomi Watts Source, we were pointed to an Instagram stories post from kiaruzz91_ that appears to give us our first look at Watts’ character. Check it out:
The hair and the clothing practically scream socialite, but why do we think this is Naomi Watts from the set of Blood Moon? Well, we know for sure that Jane Goldman is filming in Northern Ireland, as well as the Grotta del Turco near the town of Gaeta, Italy.
Filming at this location began last week, so seeing Watts in full costume being ushered somewhere by crew members with the “Grotta del Turco” sign behind her, all but confirms in my mind that this photo, is in fact, from the set of the Game of Thrones prequel.
So what does this tell us? We’ve seen a lion statue show up at Titanic Studios in Belfast, where some of the prequel is being filmed in a huge cave system set.
And, since George R.R. Martin recently dished some details on the prequel like the fact that “[t]he Lannisters aren’t there yet, but Castlery Rock is certainly there; it’s like the Rock of Gibraltar,” it would lead us to believe that Naomi Watts is likely playing the role of an important member of House Casterly (the noble house that ruled the Rock before the rise of House Lannister).
There’s also the possibility that Watts could be playing the role of Lann the Clever — the legendary figure who tricked the Casterlys out of the Rock and founded House Lannister. Of course, if this is the case, it would have to be a new twist on that legend, but that’s okay because we totally dig new takes on old stories.
Anyway, hit the comments with your thoughts on the photo, and if you think Watts is playing a Casterly, or Lann the Clever in a gender-flipped role.
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