It seems that just one shockingly beautiful, morally dubious religious fanatic will not be enough for the highly anticipated sixth season of Game of Thrones. Deadline is now reporting that Melanie Liburd, a British actress who has been seen on CSI and The Grinder will make her debut next year as a second Red Priestess.
The Red Women, as they are sometimes called, are followers of the Lord of Light, a fiery god who seems to react positively to burning sacrifices. Fans of the show will remember the gut wrenching scene from last season, where our primary Red Priestess, Melisandre, embodied perfectly by stunning Dutch actress Carice van Houten, burned the beloved Shireen Baratheon alive to please the Lord of Light and end a harsh snowstorm. The sacrifice ended up melting the snow, but at a great cost to Shireen’s father Stannis, whose fate on the show is still unknown after being sentenced to death.
Since the show Game of Thrones is now caught up with the book series on which it is based, fans can only speculate about the role Liburd will play as another Red Priestess. Book readers will know that followers of the Lord of Light have spread all over Essos, from the Shadowlands of Asshai to the Free Cities.
Liburd herself announced on Instagram that she would be heading to Spain to film scenes for the show, which means it is likely she’ll be seen in the fictional settings of Meereen or Dorne. When we last left Meereen, Tyrion, played by recent Emmy winner Peter Dinklage, was contemplating how to best hold the city together after their queen, Daenerys Targaryen, flew away on the back of one of her beloved dragons. It is possible that a beautiful and mysterious Red Priestess may try to influence his plans for the city.
Ever since the finale of last season, there has been endless speculation that Melisandre will have a hand in bringing Jon Snow back from the dead. In the very last scene of season five, Jon was repeatedly stabbed by his fellow brothers of the Night’s Watch. In previous seasons, we have witnessed followers of the Lord of Light bring people back from the dead, and photos from the set seem to indicate that Kit Harrington has been filming scenes as the very much alive Jon Snow. What role Melisandre plays in his revival, as well as how Liburd’s Red Priestess will influence the lands of Westeros and Essos, will remain speculation until the Game of Thrones premiere next Spring.
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