Few Game of Thrones characters were as mysterious as Melisandre, the Red Priestess who bordered on faith and obsession. Dutch actress Carice van Houten brought the role to life, making her one of the show’s most unforgettable faces.
But she wasn’t even supposed to play Melisandre in the first place. Van Houten was actually first in talks for a completely different royal role in Westeros.
Carice van Houten was supposed to audition for another role in Game of Thrones
Before she became the fiery Red Woman, Carice van Houten was actually on the Game of Thrones creators’ radar for another powerful role: Queen Cersei Lannister.
In a 2012 interview with Vulture, Carice had revealed that David Benioff and D.B. Weiss had reached out to have her audition for the part, but timing got in the way. “I thought the queen would be a great part,” she said. “They asked me to audition, but I couldn’t do it because I was shooting something else.”
That role eventually went to Lena Headey, who owned it as Cersei Lannister. With her icy stare and ruthless charm, Lena brought the queen’s elegance and evil to life on screen. Her performance earned her five Emmy nominations and made Cersei one of the most unforgettable and feared villains in TV history.
Even though Carice van Houten missed out on playing Cersei, fate had another pivotal role waiting for her. Unlike Cersei, who ruled through power plays and manipulation, Melisandre’s strength came from her faith.
She was a woman who was fully convinced she was doing the work of the Lord of Light, even when it led her to do unforgettable things, including the charring of Shireen Baratheon. Her exit in “The Long Night” was well-received. After helping take down the White Walkers, she quietly walked into the snow, took off her magical necklace, and let herself age and fade away.
Originally reported by Rishabh Shandilya on ComingSoon.
