Game of Thrones casting director regrets turning down Mahershala Ali

The Oscar-winning Moonlight actor auditioned for a role in the HBO series' second season

(AFP/Getty)

Game of Thrones has never been short of acting talent with each new season securing bigger names than the last, if even for small cameo roles.

There is one name casting director Nina Gold regrets passing up though - Oscar-winning Moonlight actor Mahershala Ali.

Earlier this year, the Best Supporting Actor winner revealed he once auditioned for a role in the HBO fantasy series describing it as “one of the worst” of his life.

Gold naturally passed up the opportunity to have the actor play Qarth king Xaro Xhoan Daxos in favour of Nonso Anozie.

Now, she can't help feeling a little regret considering Ali is one of the most in-demand actors around, telling Vanity Fair: “Wow, how could I have ever turned down Mahershala Ali?” (in fairness to Anozie, she deemed him “bloody great”).

In the interview, Gold revealed it's her love of Scandinavian dramas, like The Killing and The Bridge, which led to the casting of both Birgitte Hjort Sørensen in standout season five episode “Hardhome” and Pilou Asbaek as new villain Euron Greyjoy (he's "worse than Ramsay," apparently).

The forthcoming season - the series' penultimate - sees the inclusion of Jim Broadbent following recent appearances from the likes of Ian McShane, Max Von Sydow and Jonathan Pryce.

Game of Thrones returns to HBO on 16 July and will be simulcast at 2am on Sky Atlantic. It will air the following evening (17 July) on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV.