# In 2011, Mahershala Ali auditioned for ‘Game of Thrones’. A lack of chairs and “power moves” cost him dearly

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-2011-mahershala-ali-auditioned-for-game-of-thrones-a-lack-of-chairs-and-power-moves-cost-him-dearly/
- Published: 2026-11-03T01:30:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-03T02:13:08+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/2011-mahershala-ali-auditioned-for-game-of-thrones/
- Topics: Music

## Key points

- Backless stools contributed to Ali’s “terrible” *Game of Thrones* audition.
- He missed the role of Xaro Xhoan Daxos.
- Casting director Nina Gold later regretted turning him down.

## Summary

Mahershala Ali recalled that a poor audition for the second season of *Game of Thrones* cost him the role of merchant Xaro Xhoan Daxos. He had prepared his lines and planned physical “power moves”, but the room’s backless stools left him feeling stiff, and casting director Nina Gold criticised the performance.

Ali later won two Academy Awards, and Gold said passing him over was one of her few regrets from the series. The article also notes that Marvel’s repeatedly delayed *Blade* project was eventually scrapped after years of preparation by Ali, who is now due to voice a character in *Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse*.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.