'Game of Thrones' casts 'Downton Abbey's Rose Leslie

Published Oct 10 2011, 22:40 BST  |  By Tom Eames

Rose Leslie has joined the cast of HBO's Game of Thrones.

The actress, who played Gwen in Downton Abbey, will appear in the drama's second season as Ygritte, a Wilding woman who meets Jon Snow (Kit Harington) beyond the wall, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Ygritte is described as "strong-willed, witty, skilled in battle and survival in the wilderness".

She is also called "an unconventional beauty, skinny but strong with red hair (which the Wildlings consider 'kissed by fire')".

Many other stars have signed for roles in season two, including Fintan McKeown, Ian Whyte, Natalie Dormer, Carice van Houten, Stephen Dillane, Liam Cunningham, Hannah Murray, Robert Pugh, Michael McElhatton and Patrick Malahide.

Game of Thrones is expected to return in April 2012 on HBO in the US and on Sky Atlantic in the UK.

> Game of Thrones season two: The cast on set - Pictures