Swords And Horses And Lots Of Waiting

9 days since my last update on the Game Of Thrones set, what has been happening?

Well I am safely back in Ireland after riding horses with the Devils Horsemen and have been hitting the gym really hard, muscle memory is wonderful, unless you are in the costume department that is...

Riding With Finn Jones

A quick photo from Finn Jones , who will play Ser Loras "The Knight Of Flowers" in HBO's upcoming series A Game Of Thrones.

Here we are riding down a country laneway in the English countryside:

"The Mountain That Rides"

Thanks to Finn for uploading the photo and allowing me to steal it, saves me from bluetoothing it on Friday, and thanks to Winter Is Coming for alerting me that he'd already put the photo online. 

Conan Stevens Action Figures!

Well, almost, but not quite. In fact there are Ser Gregor Clegane Action Pewter Miniatures, but being pewter and about 32mm (1 & 1/ 5 inch) tall there isn't too much action either.

Ser Gregor Clegane Fighting The Red Viper (Book 3) 

So OK, it's not Conan Stevens and it's not action and it's a miniature - but since when did truth get in the way of a good fantasy story?

Why am I talking about these in the first place? This is the interesting bit George R.R. Martin, the author of the Game Of Throne book series that HBO has license personally wrote me an email today....

Oh yes, and a little about my horse riding training... 

The Training Of Gregor Clegane

I have now been in Belfast for 4 days, most of the time sitting in my hotel room, trying to work on my new book (yes I know I was supposed to finish it already, but there were some other issues that took priority ).

The incredible life of an actor includes me going to the gym and then sitting in front of my laptop eating a can of baked beans and a tin of sardines ( combined 40g protein, 38g carbs and some good fish oils), or chicken sandwiches or instant noodles with a tin of tuna mixed in, or fruit and low fat natural yoghurt, or oatmeal and skim milk, you get the picture.

I'm in a nice hotel, I've got a daily food allowance, I'm getting paid - why the heck am I eating like a self supporting University student? 

For more on meeting Jason Momoa and Rory McCann and Gregors armour read on...

Flying To Belfast Today

I fly to Belfast, Ireland tonight to start work with HBO's new TV series Game Of Thrones as Ser Gregor Clegane.

I have some armour fittings, sword training and horse riding lessons (it's been a long time since I rode last) to do before my filming starts.

Better go and pack my bag, lucky I am rather experienced at International travel now and it'll take me about 30 minutes, then to go get all my paperwork in order and try to relax a little. 

Bangkok Adrenaline Gets USA Release 12 Oct 2010

Bangkok Adrenaline the movie I wrote the script for and co-starred in gets US DVD/BlueRay release on the 12th October 2010, just a few weeks away.

For me this will be interesting to see how much interest is generated within the US, obviously because this is the primary film market in the world..... 

Ser Gregor Clegane I Am

(*** I have not yet signed the contract so nothing is 100% certain until then but we have a good relationship with the Casting and Production houses I am happy to be working with professionals on a professional Western shoot again. Production has been rather accomodating and flexible which has been an added bonus and makes me happy to be working with them ***) Now signed!

Ser Gregor Clegane, "The Mountain That Rides" - the character for the upcoming HBO TV series that I originally wrote about waayyyy back in March 2007 has  now been cast.

And it's me! I am to play Ser Gregor Clegane, "the baddest knight in a realm full of bad asses".

This is BIG news for my career, and next time some 2 bit Australian agent or casting agency looks at me with disdain and says that my CV contains "only" Asian movie credits and apparently not worth as much as a no pay, no budget Australian period piece that might show on regional TV networks to a huge Australia  audience of 19 million potential (compared to the "only" 2.5 Billion people in the Asian market)

Anyway I digress. This credit as will validate my acting career in a major US TV series as Gregor Clegane is a major character. No walk on big angry bad guy role here. Thank God... and my preparations... and the fans.

The credit of working as Gregor Clegane with a big reputable company like HBO on a TV series that has such a promising production crew line up that it is as guaranteed as it is possible to get in becoming a hit TV show.....

Bangkok Adrenaline Now In Australia

Bangkok Adrenaline, the movie my mates and I made ourselves, and I wrote, that had a successful 7 week run in Thai cinemas is now available in Australia. Video Ezy has the DVD to rent, it'd be nice if I got some media coverage for this.

Nice short post.

Why I Don't Work In Thai Movies Anymore

There are several good reasons why I don't work in Thai produced or co-produced movies anymore, this is a recent example I can publish that isn't defamatory (even if it is the truth) to anyone....