{"id":109257,"date":"2020-12-05T10:00:04","date_gmt":"2020-12-05T15:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/?p=109257"},"modified":"2020-12-06T12:29:14","modified_gmt":"2020-12-06T17:29:14","slug":"amazon-casting-trystan-gravelle-thusitha-jayasundera-simon-merrells","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/2020\/12\/05\/109257-amazon-casting-trystan-gravelle-thusitha-jayasundera-simon-merrells\/","title":{"rendered":"Amazon Casting: Trystan Gravelle, Thusitha Jayasundera, &#038; Simon Merrells"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"intro\">In today&#8217;s cast spotlight, we focus on 3 actors with a strong theatre  background, as well as prominent roles in some genre favorites. The staff of TheOneRing.net is proud to welcome them to the Middle-earth family!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/trystan-Thusitha-Simon-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-109275 no-lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/trystan-Thusitha-Simon-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/trystan-Thusitha-Simon-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/trystan-Thusitha-Simon-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/trystan-Thusitha-Simon-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/trystan-Thusitha-Simon-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/trystan-Thusitha-Simon-255x143.jpg 255w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/trystan-Thusitha-Simon.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Trystan Gravelle | Thusitha Jayasundera | Simon Merrells<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Trystan Gravelle<\/strong> is a Welsh actor who studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Just weeks after graduating, he accepted a position with the Royal Shakespeare Company, appearing in productions for &#8216;Romeo and Juliet&#8217;, &#8216;Hamlet&#8217;, &#8216;Love&#8217;s Labour&#8217;s Lost&#8217; and &#8216;King Lear&#8217;, as well as several more of the Bard&#8217;s works. In 2006 he appeared in the Harold Pinter play &#8216;The Birthday Party&#8217;, and in 2011 co-starred in the Mike Bartlett play &#8217;13&#8217; for the National Theatre. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/f6_qgAMv.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-109259 no-lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/f6_qgAMv.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/f6_qgAMv-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/f6_qgAMv-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/f6_qgAMv-160x160.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption>Trystan Gravelle<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2011 he appeared as Christopher Marlowe alongside Vanessa Redgrave, David Thewlis, and Ryan Ifans in the film &#8216;Anonymous&#8217;, a fictionalized version of the life of Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, which theorizes that he was the actual author of William Shakespeare&#8217;s plays. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>TV roles include the excellent period drama &#8216;Mr. Selfridge&#8217;, &#8216;The Terror&#8217;, &#8216;A Discovery of Witches&#8217;, &#8216;Exile&#8217;, and &#8216;The Aliens&#8217;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Thusitha Jayasundera<\/strong> is a Sri Lankan actress based in the UK, and also a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She appeared in the National Theatre adaptation of &#8216;War Horse&#8217;, as well as &#8216;Dreams of Violence&#8217; for the Soho Theatre. Last summer Thusitha received great reviews playing Mrs. Webb in the Thornton Wilder classic &#8216;Our Town&#8217; at the Open Air Theatre, Regent&#8217;s Park, London. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BMjY1MjliMDUtNjFjOC00N2U4LWJhYmItZGRiOWQxMDQ0YzU5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjQwMDg0Ng@@._V1_UY1200_CR16606301200_AL_-538x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-109260 no-lazyload\" width=\"422\" height=\"803\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BMjY1MjliMDUtNjFjOC00N2U4LWJhYmItZGRiOWQxMDQ0YzU5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjQwMDg0Ng@@._V1_UY1200_CR16606301200_AL_-538x1024.jpg 538w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BMjY1MjliMDUtNjFjOC00N2U4LWJhYmItZGRiOWQxMDQ0YzU5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjQwMDg0Ng@@._V1_UY1200_CR16606301200_AL_-158x300.jpg 158w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BMjY1MjliMDUtNjFjOC00N2U4LWJhYmItZGRiOWQxMDQ0YzU5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjQwMDg0Ng@@._V1_UY1200_CR16606301200_AL_-600x1143.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BMjY1MjliMDUtNjFjOC00N2U4LWJhYmItZGRiOWQxMDQ0YzU5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjQwMDg0Ng@@._V1_UY1200_CR16606301200_AL_-84x160.jpg 84w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BMjY1MjliMDUtNjFjOC00N2U4LWJhYmItZGRiOWQxMDQ0YzU5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjQwMDg0Ng@@._V1_UY1200_CR16606301200_AL_.jpg 630w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 422px) 100vw, 422px\" \/><figcaption>Thusitha Jayasundera<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Thusitha has also appeared on several British television shows including &#8216;The Bill&#8217;, the BBC hospital drama &#8216;Holby City&#8217;, &#8216;Broadchurch&#8217;, &#8216;Silent Witness&#8217;, &#8216;Doctor Foster&#8217;, and most recently, as Neha on &#8216;Humans&#8217;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Simon Merrells<\/strong>&nbsp;is an English film, television and stage actor best known for his portrayal of&nbsp;Marcus Licinius Crassus alongside new cast member <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/2020\/12\/03\/109203-amazon-casting-cynthia-addai-robinson\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cynthia Addai-Robinson<\/a><\/strong>, Manu Bennett (Azog in &#8216;The Hobbit&#8217; trilogy), and Craig Parker (Haldir in &#8216;The Lord of the Rings&#8217; trilogy) in&nbsp;&#8216;Spartacus: War of the Dammed&#8217;. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/simon-2-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-109261 no-lazyload\" width=\"581\" height=\"386\"\/><figcaption>Simon Merrells as Crassus in &#8216;Spartacus: War of the Dammed&#8217;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Simon has appeared in several productions for the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company, including &#8216;Much Ado About Nothing&#8217;, &#8216;Coriolanus&#8217;, and &#8216;The Comedy of Errors&#8217; (alongside his brother Jason). In addition to his role in &#8216;Spartacus&#8217;, he has also appeared in &#8216;Good Omens&#8217;, &#8216;DC&#8217;s Legends of Tomorrow&#8217;, &#8216;The Tomorrow People&#8217;, and the British mini-series &#8216;Knightfall&#8217;. Film credits include the 2010 remake of &#8216;The Wolfman&#8217;, &#8216;Judas Ghost&#8217;, &#8216;Billionaire Ransom&#8217;, and &#8216;The Rise of the Krays&#8217;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><sub><strong>Editor Note:<\/strong>&nbsp;Join TheOneRing.net as we focus on the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/?p=109157\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recent cast member announcements<\/a>&nbsp;for Amazon TV\u2019s The Lord of the Rings inspired TV series. Throughout the month, and as part of our&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/2020\/12\/02\/109183-holiday-fun-with-torns-own-advent-calendar\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tolkien Advent Calendar celebration<\/a>, we will be taking a deep-dive into their previous work, relating that to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien. Today&#8217;s calendar is below!<\/sub> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"742\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/TORn-advent-2020-dec5-2-742x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-109316 no-lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/TORn-advent-2020-dec5-2-742x1024.jpg 742w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/TORn-advent-2020-dec5-2-217x300.jpg 217w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/TORn-advent-2020-dec5-2-768x1060.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/TORn-advent-2020-dec5-2-600x828.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/TORn-advent-2020-dec5-2-1113x1536.jpg 1113w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/TORn-advent-2020-dec5-2-1484x2048.jpg 1484w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/TORn-advent-2020-dec5-2-116x160.jpg 116w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/TORn-advent-2020-dec5-2-scaled.jpg 1855w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 742px) 100vw, 742px\" \/><figcaption>Day 5 of TheOneRing.net&#8217;s Tolkien Holiday Advent Calendar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In today&#8217;s cast spotlight, we focus on 3 actors with a strong theatre background, as well as prominent&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":109275,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3119,3394,43,3395,1840,3397,3398,3399],"tags":[3123,3206,3208,913,1826,3378,3376,3374],"class_list":["post-109257","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-amazon-tv-series","category-casting-news","category-parker","category-cynthia-addai-robinson","category-manu-bennett-hobbit-cast-news","category-simon-merrells","category-thusitha-jayasundera","category-trystan-gravelle","tag-amazon-middle-earth-tv-series-amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series","tag-amazon-studios","tag-amazon-tv-series","tag-craig-parker","tag-manu-bennett","tag-simon-merrells","tag-thusitha-jayasundera","tag-trystan-gravelle"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/trystan-Thusitha-Simon.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1tLoH-sqd","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109257","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=109257"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109257\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":109317,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109257\/revisions\/109317"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/109275"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=109257"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=109257"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=109257"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}