It looks like the primary character casting for season two of Game of Thrones is all but done. We already have ‘Brienne of Tarth’ and ‘Margaery Tyrell’ cast, but now the big three that everyone has been waiting for: Stannis Baratheon, one of the self-proclaimed ‘Five Kings’ set to face off in Westeros. Melisandre, a Red Priestess of the Fire God R’hllor and chief advisor to Stannis. And lastly Davos Seaworth, a former smuggler dubbed ‘The Onion Knight’ for his heroics at Storm’s End during Robert’s Rebellion, he is also Stannis’s Hand of the King. The actors and actresses are relative unknowns, even though they are recognizable from different movies.

Check out the news of who which actors/actress will be playing some of our favorite characters from IGN:

Brit actor Stephen Dillane, who played Merlin in Antoine Fuqua’s King Arthur (starring Clive Owen) has been cast as Stannis Baratheon – younger brother to Robert, older brother to Renly. Stannis, believing that Robert has no natural-born heirs, is ready to go to war to prove that he is the rightful successor to Robert’s throne. Dillane must be who actor Clive Standon (Camelot) was talking about when Standon tweeted that two “Camelot” alums were joining Game of Thrones – only one of which was from the actual Starz Camelot series.

Dutch actress Carice van Houten (Valkyrie, Black Book) has been cast as Melisandre. Lady Melisandre’s powers of prophecy may be the key to Stannis’ conquest, or the seed of his destruction.

EW.com reported later on in the day that Liam Cunningham, who played a father on trial on Starz’ recently cancelled Camelot, has been cast as Ser Davos Seaworth, the lowborn “Onion Knight” – a promoted smuggler that Stannis depends on for honest council.

I have to say I’m glad they didn’t go with any big name actors for any of these roles. At the end of season 1, there was plenty of talk about Gerard Butler portraying Stannis and that just didn’t feel right. Stannis is supposed to be a brooding, stern man, and not some spaz who kicks people into bottomless pits and does a chick flick after three action movies. Stephen Dillane is very unknown to me. I remember there being a Merlin in the Clive Owen ‘King Arthur‘ but I honestly couldn’t recall what he looked like except that he had a beard. That wasn’t his fault though, it was on account of that entire movie being completely forgettable.

Carice Van Houten was an interesting choice for Melisandre. In the movie Black Death she played the leader of a sect of Pagans who sacrificed Christians and oversaw the death of a character played by Sean Bean, another Game of Thrones alum who is sadly no longer with the show.

So she basically killed a Stark before she was even cast on the show! As the Pagan matriarch-whatever the hell she was, Carice Van Houten looks like she can play the part well of a woman who has a penchant for burning men alive to her fire god R’hllor, so great casting choice!

And last but not least is the man playing Davos Seaworth, the Lord of the Rainwood. Liam Cunnigham bodes a well choice for the role of the Onion Knight. He’s no stranger to anything involving swords having played a knight of the round table in First Knight, a member of Perseus’ band of Medusa killers in Clash of the Titans, a protective father on Camelot, and a loyal Roman in Centurion. This was probably my favorite bit of casting yet, as Cunningham has a track record of playing honorable and humble men on film. Can’t wait to see him in action!

Even though the characters with main parts aside from those who survived season 1, there are still plenty more secondary roles to cast. There is Mace Tyrell, the father to Loras and Margaery. The Greyjoys have a boatload of characters coming into the story including Theon’s father Balon and sister Asha. Balon’s brothers Aeron Damphair and Victarion also make an appearance.

On the Wall side of things there are wildling characters aplenty to be cast including Ygritte and Mance Rayder ‘The King Beyond the Wall’. I’m really looking forward who they cast for Mance.

Any thoughts on the casting of these three characters? Yay, Nay or wait until Spring to see? Either way I’m sure we’ll be seeing plenty more castings taking place in the next few weeks.