Belfast-based DJ and actor Kristian Nairn has been cast in the Timmy-from-South-Park-esque role of Hodor in HBO's GAME OF THRONES. GRRM plighed fans with clues yesterday and the actor confirmed it by Twitter this morning.

Based on the similar situation with Finn Jones being cast as Loras, it appears that HBO will not be doing big, formal casting announcements for every 'minor' role in the series and aren't too concerned about the actors announcing it themselves. I do expect more formal casting announcements for bigger-name actors (I heavily suspect that Tywin Lannister will be played by a familiar, relatively big name).

Update

It has also been confirmed that 87-year-old veteran stage and screen actor Roy Dotrice will be playing Grand Maester Pycelle in the series. Dotrice will be familiar to genre fans from recurring roles in HERCULES AND THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (where he met GRRM), as well as guest-shots in shows such as ANGEL and BABYLON 5. He has a prior involvement with A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE as he read the audio books of the first three volumes in the series (and, depending on the TV series commitments, may return for the fifth):

http://thewertzone.blogspot.com/2010/06/casting-grand-maester.html