Amazon Prime’s Alex Rider features a number of well-known actors in the cast. However, two both appeared in the hit HBO fantasy drama Game of Thrones. Find out more about this reunion.
The Alex Rider television series premiered in early June and has already received praise from fans and critics alike. The new show, which stars Otto Farrant (Mrs Wilson) in the title role, is based on Anthony Horowitz’s hit teen spy novels. In particular, this series is based on Point Blanc, the second book. The first, Stormbreaker, was already adapted as a feature film in 2006.
Alongside Farrant, the cast includes Vicky McClure (Line of Duty) as Mrs Jones, Alex’s MI6 handler and Ronke Adekoluejo (Christopher Robin) as Jack Starbright, the teen’s American housekeeper, who becomes his guardian after Uncle Ian Rider (Andrew Buchan, Broadchurch) is killed under mysterious circumstances.
Also starring are Stephen Dillane as ice-cold spymaster Alan Blunt as well as Brenock O’Connor as Tom Harris, Alex’s eccentric, fun-loving best friend. These two characters are, in the context of this story, completely unrelated. Their actors, however, share a connection. Dillane and O’Connor both starred in the HBO series Game of Thrones.
Dillane played Stannis Baratheon from the second through to the fifth season. The brother of Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy) and Renly Baratheon (Gethin Anthony), Stannis was one of many during the series to lay claim to the Iron Throne in King’s Landing. He had a wife, Selyse Florent (Tara Fitzgerald) and daughter Shireen (Kerry Ingram). Furthermore, Stannis was advised by Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham) and Melisandre (Carice van Houten).
On the other hand, O’Connor portrayed Olly. His character was originally from The Gift, until his family and neighbours were slaughtered. Thus, as the sole survivor, young Olly fled to the Night’s Watch where he became the protegé of Jon Snow (Kit Harington). As fans of Game of Thrones will know, this ended in a shocking betrayal that resulted in one of the characters being killed off.
It goes without saying that the duo’s new Alex Rider characters are very different to their Westeros counterparts. Nonetheless, it’s a nice surprise for Game of Thrones fans to see both Dillane and O’Connor inhabit this whole new world.
As of writing, it is unknown whether Alex Rider will return for a second season.
All eight episodes of Alex Rider can be streamed on Amazon Prime.
Follow writer Conor O’Brien on Twitter – @CourageousConor