"Game of Thrones" has reportedly cast a young Ned Stark. Watchers on the Wall reports that 13-year-old English actor Sebastian Croft will step into the role, which was portrayed by Sean Bean in the first season of the hit HBO series.
Croft is a theater actor who has appeared in London West End productions of "Matilda" and "Les Miserables". He also starred as young Martius in "Coriolanus" at the Donmar Warehouse and as Oliver in a U.K. national tour of "Oliver!".
The casting of young Ned Stark was first noticed when the casting breakdowns for "Game of Thrones" season 6 surfaced in May. The show was looking for a 7-year-old boy and a 12-year-old boy with brown hair, blue eyes and a Northern accent. Both of them have scenes where they have to spar with a wooden sword. The third boy looking to be cast is aged 10-12 who will play a large 7-or-8-year-old boy.
While Croft fits the description of the 12-year-old boy with brown hair and blue eyes, the 7-year-old boy is presumed to be Benjen Stark, and the other boy could be Hodor or Robert Baratheon. The casting breakdowns also led to speculation that the character would be brought back to the show in a flashback.