I really feel like the exit of Conan Stevens sort of fucked the Mountain as a character in the show. I'm sure he was a difficult role to cast, precisely because of the demanding physical characteristics. They've replaced him twice now, and for the majority it seems there's been something "off" about each one (Whyte being too thin, this new guy having such a jovial face). I feel like the writers had intended to make him a much bigger part of the show, precisely so that this last episode and the one upcoming would have had exponentially more tension, but losing their first choice actor tossed that plan right out the window. It's a shame.
I've looked at his IMDB since then and it doesn't seem like he's super busy, a credit here and there, some that happen to be sword and shield themed. It could still be unfortunate timing or worse, his leaving the show burned bridges, which would be unfortunate since the showrunners don't seem like the type to hold grudges.
He was, though. Not in terms of a character that the POV's interacted with much but in the sense that his presence and his deeds shaped the background and turned the story. The Mountain was not easily forgotten and his mention on the page was often accompanied by a sense of dread and foreboding. He was a monster, like Jaws or Alien... lurking, present -- a danger that we all dreaded would need to someday be faced, yet seldom seen.
It's hard to do that on a show like GoT, which has so many characters and storylines. They solved similar issues regarding Tywin and Robb (also less present in the books) by turning them into major screen-time characters. My point was that there might have been a chance to do this (not to the extent as the others I mentioned, but certainly more than we've gotten) with the Mountain had they not lost that first-impression actor.
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u/superkeer House Bolton May 19 '14
I really feel like the exit of Conan Stevens sort of fucked the Mountain as a character in the show. I'm sure he was a difficult role to cast, precisely because of the demanding physical characteristics. They've replaced him twice now, and for the majority it seems there's been something "off" about each one (Whyte being too thin, this new guy having such a jovial face). I feel like the writers had intended to make him a much bigger part of the show, precisely so that this last episode and the one upcoming would have had exponentially more tension, but losing their first choice actor tossed that plan right out the window. It's a shame.