Irish actor Ciaran Hinds has been cast as Mance Rayder in the third season of GAME OF THRONES. Hinds is best-known for playing the role of Julius Caesar in HBO's ROME, as well as Dumbledore's brother in the final HARRY POTTER movie. He has a lengthy career in stage and on TV and film, including roles in the BBC mini-series IVANHOE and in Dennis Potter's final TV project, COLD LAZARUS.

An interesting decision. Hinds was not the first choice, with HBO having previously offered the role to Dominic West (of THE WIRE/300/THE HOUR fame) who turned them down due to a reluctance to film in Iceland. Hinds is somewhat older than Mance in the books (Hinds is 59, Mance was in his forties or so), although the TV series had already revealed that Mance was older than in the books (in Season 1 he's mentioned as having been King-beyond-the-Wall for more than a decade).

Overall, I think he'll be great in the role. It's also notable that a fellow ROME actor, Tobias Menzies, was recently cast in the role of Edmure Tully.