HBO is building up its lineup for the prequel to its hit show ‘Game of Thrones,’ and has chosen Naomi Watts to star in the new series, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
In a time of tough competition with big hitters such as Netflix, HBO has found its most popular series ever in Game of Thrones, gaining tens of millions of viewers and smashing ratings records throughout the series’ run. The show has even spurred its own mini-economy, which include the sales of Westeros-inspired ales and drink ware.
The show’s ninth and final season finished filming in July and is set to air sometime in 2019.
With the signing of Watts, HBO appears poised to bring star power to the new series that takes place set thousands of years before John Snow and the goings-on in Westeros. The British actress will play a “charismatic socialite” in the show that will chronicle the world’s descent from the Age of Heroes into its darkest hour, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
In 2009, Forbes named Watts among Hollywood’s best values, pointing out that she for every dollar she was paid on her three most recent major films, the movies earned an average of $44 back. Known for her breakout role in Mulholland Dr., Watts was nominated for best actress Oscars in 2004 for 21 Grams and in 2013 for Lo imposible.
