Game Of Thrones Season 6: We Finally Know Who Will Play Sam's Family

Game of Thrones didn’t make a huge casting announcement at San Diego Comic-Con this year, but we’ve been privy to some big casting, anyway. Following the news that an actor had been found to play Samwell Tarly’s brother on the HBO drama, the rest of Sam’s family has been cast, including his father, mother and sister. They will be played by James Faulkner, Samantha Spiro and Rebecca Benson, respectively.



Faulkner’s been around the block in recent years, popping up on British shows like Downton Abbey and US-produced programs like Da Vinci’s Demons. On Game of Thrones he’s set to play Randyll Tarly, a father who sent his eldest son Sam to the Wall so that his younger son could inherit. Early casting descriptions called the man as a “humorless martinet.” He’s a soldier and thus a militant kind of guy, and we’ll have to wait and see how that plays out on the show.



Watchers on the Wall also reports that Spiro will be playing Sam’s mother, Melissa Florent. We don’t know as much about his mother, but an early casting report called her a “decent” lady, so we’re guessing she will lack the severity of her husband.

Benson is signed on to Game of Thrones playing one of Sam’s sisters. Only one, Talla, is named in the books, so if I had to guess, that’s who Benson will be. (Although, Game of Thrones is known for occasionally changing up names, so perhaps not, as well.) Rebecca Benson’s a relative newcomer on the scene, having appeared in Tonight You’re Mine and other smaller projects.



A couple of weeks ago, we also learned that Freddie Stroma will play Sam’s brother, Dickon Tarly. We don’t know much about Dickon except that he is fit and is Sam’s younger sibling.

Obviously, Game of Thrones’ expansive universe means a ton of new cast members join the show each season. In addition to the Tarly family, we’ve also learned that members of the Greyjoy family will be added to the series, including Pilou Asbæk, who will play Euron Greyjoy. Back in August, Ian McShane also joined the cast. It takes a while for Game of Thrones to come together each season, but if you are curious about all of the moving parts in Season 6, check out everything we know.