J.J. Murphy, an 88-year-old Irish actor, died on Friday just four days into shooting scenes for the upcoming season of Game of Thrones.

Murphy, who is said to have collapsed suddenly, had been cast as Ser Denys Mallister, the oldest member of the Night's Watch. Murphy's agent Phillip Young told The Guardian that his client was "absolutely delighted" to have been asked to play a role "in one of the biggest productions in the world at this stage in his career."

Murphy was a veteran theatre actor who spent a sizable portion of his career performing at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast, which is the playhouse where Liam Neeson acted early in his career. Along with being cast in Game of Thrones, Murphy had will appear in the upcoming Universal Pictures film Dracula Untold.

It's currently unclear whether the producers on Game of Thrones intend to recast his role or re-shoot the scenes in which Murphy appeared.

[image via Getty]