Is Conor McGregor coming to Westeros?
Reports surfaced the boastful UFC Lightweight Champion was being coveted for a role on HBO’s Game of Thrones. According to the report, GoT directors were enamored with the UFC star and wanted him to appear in one of the next two seasons.
“It’s been agreed that McGregor will appear in one of the remaining two seasons of Game Of Thrones.”
“‘He was headhunted as it were by HBO, as one of the Game Of Thrones directors is a huge UFC fan. They believed that he would be a perfect fit for the show.’”
The reports were dismissed by MMA reporter Chamatkar Sandhu, who claimed a deal hadn’t been completed.
I reached out to McGregor's manager who tells me HBO have been courting the UFC lightweight champion for a while but it's not a done deal.
— Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) December 4, 2016
For those clamoring to see McGregor play a key, or even minor, role in Game of Thrones, you’re probably setting your expectations too high. Producers haven’t been shy about casting celebrities in small, unrecognizable bit parts. The band Mastodon appeared on the show earlier last season. Sigur Ros appeared in season four, getting tomatoes thrown at them by King Joffrey. What, you didn’t recognize them? Well, there’s a reason for that. There’s been plenty of other cameos within the show, they’re just done subtly so it doesn’t distract from the bigger picture.
So, yes, it’s possible McGregor will appear in an upcoming season of Game of Thrones, but, don’t expect him to challenge for the Throne or even have any dialogue. McGregor isn’t an actor. Having him make a grand debut during GoT most crucial storytelling seasons would be distracting and kind of insinuate they were “jumping the shark.” All the reports claiming he’s going to have a “starring role” on the show, are reaching.
The best case scenario for fans wanting to see McGregor on Thrones is a faceoff against The Mountain. He’s done it before. A fight scene, where McGregor gets brutally murdered by the hulking legend would be great – although, I’m not sure whether the Irish boxer’s inflated ego could take losing. Maybe that’s the hold up in negotiations.
[Metro]
