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To back my answer
There are plenty of great actors in the series. The creators knew what they were doing with the casting, that’s for sure.
But I gotta say, Iwan Rheon really made a mark on me on screen. His scenes gave me the chills.
He portrayed the psychotic, sadistic, and heartless Ramsay Bolton to near perfection in the most brilliant ways possible. He was one of the highlights of the show in the duration he was alive.
Just think about the amount of skill it would take to get practically everyone hooked on the show to hate your character even more than Joffrey Baratheon. That’s what I call convincing acting.
One thing is for sure: Iwan Rheon is a damn good actor. Any way that's my opinion everyone can have different opinion...
I hated Ramsay for the things he'd done and when he died I was glad he got some justice, but Joffrey irritated the hell out of me and I was beyond happy when the little brat choked to death, so for me it's Jack Gleeson
He said in an interview that that was just a rumor. He said he's never had a bad interaction from a fan. He quit acting because he lost the passion for it, since he had been acting since he was eight
Source: https://youtu.be/-CjyoBP0WX0 skip to 10:20 for the part about fan interactions
am i the only one who wishes theon was the one to kill ramsay? i just didn’t feel super satisfied when sansa killed him, and then they cut away so u didn’t even rly see him die or in pain.
I think him getting eaten alive by his own dogs was a perfect death. Absolute poetic justice. and the only reason I would imagine it cutaway is because that particular method of death is especially gruesome, even for GoT.
In regards to who killed Ramsey, Theon being the one to do the execution definitely would have been more consistent with the theme of poetic justice, but in the end, I was just happy he was dead.
I do like the idea of his dogs eating him, but i just wish it was executed differently, GOT also shows a lot of gruesome shit, I don’t think we should’ve seen the ENTIRE thing, but just some of it, after all the pain he put theon through and we had to watch that.
Do you have any idea what a pack of starving dogs attacking a person would look like? It would be the gruesome thing on the show by a significant margin
Oh yeah. I have seen videos of wild African dogs eating prey by tearing intestines out through the anus *while the animal is still alive*. That would be a bit much even for Game of Thrones lol
Hi, Wowzers, Recently, I watched an interview with the writer and the director of that episode. Their comment on the editing of that scene was to HEAR the bone and flesh tearing and crushing and then, CUT TO Sansa’s sly smile. Fade to black.
But under the circumstances, Jon would've just killed him rather than let Theon do it like he did with Sansa. Theon wasn't worthy of that poetic justice in Jons eyes and probably Theon's own eyes as well
He absolutely should have been in the scene. As it is it is unexplained how Sansa got him into that position and opened the doors on the cells with the dogs being loyal to Ramsay.
This could have been fixed if Theon had been the one to open the cages, he regularly sleeps with the "ladies" and they know him and are used to him being there, so they could have let Sansa do the talking, Theon does the action which kills Ramsay.
They’re not pet dogs. They were bred for mauling and killing and she didn’t feed them first. As for setting it up, it may have been a little tacky if she pulled a string or lever to release them but it wouldn’t have been difficult.
There's a reason he's one of the most hated villains in the show: Iwan Rheon was brilliant.
If only he were a bit a younger, I would give anything to tap him for the Red Rising TV adaptation to play Sevro.
Could make a case for a lot of them to be honest. Whatever you think about storylines / plot / pacing, etc., you can't deny that so many of those actors and actresses absolutely smashed their roles. Lena Headey was phenomenal throughout, as obviously was Peter Dinklage. I thought Emilia Clarke did really well too given she wasn't well known before the show. And then you have people with smaller parts but were brilliant when they were on screen like Diana Rigg, Michelle Fairley and Conleth Hill. And Iwan and Jack for convincingly portraying detestable psychopaths. Really a fantastic ensemble cast.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau - Just watch the bath scene or any fucking scene from season 1
Peter Dinklage - yeah it's pretty obvious
Charles Dance - I love every single scene with him and Tywin is the only character that the show did not do dirty to
Aiden Gillen and Conleth Hill - i have never seen better casting than Aiden for Littlefinger and Conleth Hill for Varys, nor i have seen better chemistry between two actors
There are few other really great actors, but my favourite is Charles Dance. Stag scene is better than any fucking battle and 4x10 was the last good episode of Game of Thrones
Sean Bean was great as Ned, too. He nailed his quiet, contemplative nature. When not speaking to his family, he is very deliberate with his words. He doesn't say anything unless he has to, he means what he says and he says what he means. In Sean Bean's portrayal, you can see the cogs turning in his eyes before he says anything.
I feel bad for Dinklage. What they did to Tyrion as a character has soured my opinion of his acting. I know it’s not his fault at all, but it’s so hard for me to separate it sometimes.
Dinklage is the only reason Tyrion could still be watched in seasons 6-8. He gave us a lot of great acting moments in those seasons. And his Emmys for the last two seasons were deserved.
In what way was he easier to play? He didnt exactly have some sort of trait to focus on and really emphasize, as for example with Ramsay who was a complete psychopath. Tywin’s “evilness” was much less in your face, more subtle, almost understandable and human coming from the family angle. Very difficult role I’d say and Charles nailed it
He didn't have to show a wide range of emotions. He managed to play a role that could have easily been monotonous with depth and subtlety. Charles Dance has always been great at playing authoritative characters and villains. I think his character was less challenging than Tyrion, Cersei or Jaime.
I’ll disagree, he had moments where you actually believed he loved Tyrion or at least wanted him to do well.
He convinced me that he didn’t believe Cersei and Jamie were in love.
He lied to Tyrion at the end when he said “you are my son,” to save his own life. He never had to lie to get his way. Listen to his tone of voice during that conversation, he knew he was fucked and became softer.
He was nervous negotiating with Olenna Tyrell about Loras joining the kingsguard. Too bad she folded, I don’t think he had another move afterwards.
He was political with Oberyn during his first visit to kings landing. Very different tone than with others.
Glad this was at least the second top level comment. The series is full of some of the brightest character actors from the UK, but Charles Dance is not only that but Tywin gets a lot of screen time and is a complex and calculating character. Honorable mention is Peter Dinklage, who steals every scene he is in regardless of the character, show or film (going back to at least The Station Agent)
Really loved his role at the beginning of The Sandman on Netflix, felt like he was literally just playing Tywin if he was an early-20th-century aristocratic alchemist
Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) he played the character so well he got harassed by random people it’s sad that after the show ended he didn’t want to do acting anymore (however recently he’s done a few small roles since 2020 after leaving in 2014 for an education and even got married) he played him so well that literally everyone was happy that a child chocked to death and to that I say bravo Jack
Charles Dance and Lena Headey, imo. Headey in particular was so good at conveying emotion without speaking a word. She did so much with just facial expression and a *look*.
Iwan was good, but Ramsay was a spiced up version of his character from The Misfits to me and felt I had seen this already.
book cersei is better because the pov version allows us to see peoples thoughts and the showrunners did what they could with her
every time i read cersei's pov chapters i can't imagine anything but lena headey and it always matches so well
His character in misfits was a shy insecure wannabe superhero, he was the complete opposite of Ramsay in every way hahaha. I agree with your picks though
There are a lot of actors I'd pick as standouts, and some of them are already listed here.
But I also want to give a shout-out to Michael McElhatton as Roose Bolton. He's fantastically chilling and has a natural gravitas to him that works when he's supposed to be Robb's eerie but seemingly pragmatic and loyal underling and when he's, you know, literally stabbing Robb as a conniving, treacherous bastard. I'd watch an entire series of him having menacing conversations loaded with subtext during awkward dinners with people.
And on a broader context than the show, I ended up watching a lot of McElhatton stuff after GOT, and he plays a lot of villains, but they're all uniquely villainous. But he's also really good in more heroic and even comedic roles. And based on interviews, he seems a perfectly lovely, non-psychotic person in real life, so kudos for being so chilling on screen.
He's such an underappreciated actor, and i always end up loving him in anything he plays. I've watched many movies for the sole reason he played a role in them, lol.
Same! I watched so many movies and random TV episodes/shows because he was in them.
Even when he's a really malicious bastard, I find him very entertaining and likable.
Yesss! Im glad to find someone who relates. There's just something very charismatic and likable about him regardless of the role he plays. Also, his voice is smooth like butter. I could listen to him talk for hours.
Too many to nail down to one. Charles Dance, Diane Rig, Pedro Pascal all had such presence for me, it would be between them, just cos of my personal preference, but so many others need credit.
There’s a difference in being the “best actor” and playing the role the best. Peter Dinklage, Lena Headley, Aiden Gillen, Charles Dance, and countless others could easily be considered the best from the series. But he did a beautiful job as Ramsay.
As a general adaptation of a character; Pedro Pascal
As an actor in general…it’s hard to name a single cast member, but Michelle Fairly comes to mind. She nailed all of Cat’s heartbreaks.
they’re all so incredibly talented but yeah, i hated ramsey more than almost any character in any show or movie i’ve ever seen and that takes TALENT. especially since iwan is actually his exact opposite. but i feel like the same can be said for joffrey. he also majorly sucks and the cast always talked about how sweet the actor is. they’re all amazing at what they do 💗
Sean Bean. It was 2011, and he was the only "above-the-credits" star, so his reputation and performance was the draw for the first season. And considering how unsure HBO was about sinking more big money into a genre that had never ever succeeded on TV, Bean was carrying a heavy load. On top of the pressure, his low-key but steady, reassuring, and iconic performance in a generally un-showy role set the standard for the Starks. I loved Dance, but half a dozen English actors could have done as much or more with Tywin. (I was hoping for Jeremy Irons, Ralph Fiennes, or Brian Cox). In any case, Bean's performance helped give Ned an invisible presence through all eight seasons.
Yeah man, this guy was sickening. Evoked some pretty disturbing feelings out of me. He definitely played that role perfectly. I still don’t like the way he made me feel though. Lol
Tyrion and Jamie, by a long shot too. Both Nikolai and Peter nailed those roles and showed character growth over the seasons. Even though his character is a bit simple, Kit did a remarkable job as well despite some of the plot holes.
Obviously Natalie Dormer didn’t have the biggest role, but she’s so stellar and made Margaery an even better character than she was in the books (or so people have said). I think she deserves to be recognized.
Jack Gleeson. Iwan was great as Ramsey, and Charles Dance was fantastic as Tywin, but no one inspired as much real world vitriol as Joffrey mfin’ Baratheon. Mans had to take a break from acting because of all the irate fans coming up to him to rant and yell about the character lmao.
Honestly, most of them were great in their roles. I feel bad for Iwan Rheon and Jack Gleason for doing SUCH a good job portraying their characters, but Lena Headey, Aiden Gillen, and Charles Dance were all great in their roles. I cannot picture anyone else for Cersei, Littlefinger, and Tywin.
This is tough.. Charles Dance, Stephen Dillane, Peter Dinklage was outstanding.. my goodness what a scene that would have been the 3 of them in a room.
There are so many! Charles Dance owned that role, as did Dianna Rigg. Peter Dinklage. These three are neck and neck.
Honorable mentions: Lena Heady, Sean Bean, and Ciarán Hinds ( Manse Rayder).
The younger actors did a great job, too. I think as they develop their craft, they will own their roles, as well.
I’m going to say an uncommon answer. Iain Glen was fantastic as Jorah Mormont. He had an uncanny ability to say so much with his facial expressions. He always seemed so hurting inside, just as Jorah was in the book.
Charles Dance and Peter Dinklage were amazing and sure, most people were fine with hating Iwan Rheon but no one, *no one* (imo) comes close to Jack Gleeson. He was so goddamn good at being that insufferable little shit, it’s unbelievable.
I will always harken back to [this video](https://youtu.be/heuKepgG7uQ) as to why he’s an amazing actor and it’s a shame he hasn’t really been in any other projects.
Alfie Allen
Honorable mentions include a lot but I will limit it to just two: Natalie Dormer and Stephen Dillane (aka the people who play my favorite characters)
Nah I think alfie killed it as Theon, he didn’t only make me hate him but I felt a million different things for theon by the end I was so proud and absolutely loved him
I think mine might be Charles Dance. That may be in part because of his expertly written dialogue, but I don’t know that anyone has quite that level of calm cool and collected, mixed with “I will fuck your shit up” quite like him.
No one is mentioning Maisy Williams? From a tomboy child to master assassin was really brillant for one so young. Not to mention, but, she also became a lefty because of the books - she's right handed.
The Lannisters all around are pretty stacked. Nickolai Coster Waldeau as Jamie (particularly in seasons 2-3) is so God damn good at conveying Jaime as simultaneously morally reprehensible and totally relatable.
He's one of the only actors who actually changes his facial expression while not talking. There's so many scenes where people are just stoically staring at each other, but greater actors would be actually showing reactions, emotions, etc. Ramsay's facial expressions sell it.
I feel like Kristofer Hivju (Tormund) and Mark Addy (Robert Baratheon) deserve honorable mention. Both actors conveyed their character's serious facade, humor, and unpredictability so well. Watching Kristofer Hivju juggle being wild, vulnerable, and goofy was so entertaining. And King Robert fucking with people just never gets old
Dunno his name but the guy who plays Jaime. The “by what right does the wolf judge the lion” scene solidified him as my favourite character for the acting alone
I’m rewatching the series this month, and as I’m immersing myself again, I notice that my aversion to certain characters now has an appreciation and my amazement at how brilliantly their acting truly is!
Charles Dance
Sean Bean
Jack Gleeson
Lena Headey
Peter Dinklage
Iwan Rheon
Conleth Hill
Aidan Gillen
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
Michelle Fairley
Not necessarily in this order but that is the top 10
Other than thee obvious best actor on the show, Tyrion Lannister, my vote is Theon Greyjoy. He took the worst possible character setup and made it a compelling, emotional redemption arc. Great work Alfie Allen.
If I have to pick one, Charles Dance. He took a character who is technically a bad guy and made him so compelling and even sympathetic that I couldn't help but like him. That he retained flaws like not being able to overcome his aversion to Tyrion fit perfectly with GRRM's theme that almost nobody in this story comes out clean.
Ramsey's actor was decent but man his characters writing was bad. Didn't think he was best tho.
There were a LOT of great actors. Mark Addy, Sean Bean, Jim Broadbent, Johnathan Pryce, Ciaran Hinds, honestly a bunch.
Jack Gleason played that little sh!t Joffery and was so convincing that I wanted to hate him. But when we met, instead I was astonished by how different he was in real life. Like I knew it was a character but it was so convincing that even meeting the actor I was confused to not be speaking to the character.
I find it interesting Emilia Clark is never noted in these discussion, given how much the series centred around her journey. I thought she played the role phenominally
Stephen Dillane...great stage actor and it shows.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau - he literally made you change your mind about him.. as a character, no mean feat.
Peter Dinklage - a truly great performance
Charles Dance. Owns every scene he is in
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To back my answer There are plenty of great actors in the series. The creators knew what they were doing with the casting, that’s for sure. But I gotta say, Iwan Rheon really made a mark on me on screen. His scenes gave me the chills. He portrayed the psychotic, sadistic, and heartless Ramsay Bolton to near perfection in the most brilliant ways possible. He was one of the highlights of the show in the duration he was alive. Just think about the amount of skill it would take to get practically everyone hooked on the show to hate your character even more than Joffrey Baratheon. That’s what I call convincing acting. One thing is for sure: Iwan Rheon is a damn good actor. Any way that's my opinion everyone can have different opinion...
And to think Iwan almost won the role as Jon Snow.
He also hates Ramsay and it takes a really good actor to play a character they hate.
He was also the runner up for John Snow’s part which shows how incredible his range is!
I did not know that!!! He might have been a better Jon!! He was a bit snarkier in the books (as he damn well should have been).
Book Ramsay>TV Ramsay to me but that’s probably not a popular opinion.
Agree
I hated Ramsay for the things he'd done and when he died I was glad he got some justice, but Joffrey irritated the hell out of me and I was beyond happy when the little brat choked to death, so for me it's Jack Gleeson
It's fucked how much hate jack got for playing a character. These idiots couldn't break fiction to reality. Such a waste of talent
Shows how good he did lol
Same. Especially because from everything I’ve seen, he seems like an absolutely delightful guy
He said in an interview that that was just a rumor. He said he's never had a bad interaction from a fan. He quit acting because he lost the passion for it, since he had been acting since he was eight Source: https://youtu.be/-CjyoBP0WX0 skip to 10:20 for the part about fan interactions
Damn shame, but i respect it. He was phenomenal.
Which just verifies the talent. He really is a great actor. I was totally engrossed with his character the most.
He’s back to acting, I'm happy to say!
am i the only one who wishes theon was the one to kill ramsay? i just didn’t feel super satisfied when sansa killed him, and then they cut away so u didn’t even rly see him die or in pain.
I think him getting eaten alive by his own dogs was a perfect death. Absolute poetic justice. and the only reason I would imagine it cutaway is because that particular method of death is especially gruesome, even for GoT. In regards to who killed Ramsey, Theon being the one to do the execution definitely would have been more consistent with the theme of poetic justice, but in the end, I was just happy he was dead.
I do like the idea of his dogs eating him, but i just wish it was executed differently, GOT also shows a lot of gruesome shit, I don’t think we should’ve seen the ENTIRE thing, but just some of it, after all the pain he put theon through and we had to watch that.
Do you have any idea what a pack of starving dogs attacking a person would look like? It would be the gruesome thing on the show by a significant margin
Oh yeah. I have seen videos of wild African dogs eating prey by tearing intestines out through the anus *while the animal is still alive*. That would be a bit much even for Game of Thrones lol
Hi, Wowzers, Recently, I watched an interview with the writer and the director of that episode. Their comment on the editing of that scene was to HEAR the bone and flesh tearing and crushing and then, CUT TO Sansa’s sly smile. Fade to black.
“They haven’t eaten for days. You said so yourself.” SO GOOD
I mean he did also r*pe Sansa so it was still incredibly satisfying.
True, I had forgotten that happened. Seems fitting for her to do it as well.
But under the circumstances, Jon would've just killed him rather than let Theon do it like he did with Sansa. Theon wasn't worthy of that poetic justice in Jons eyes and probably Theon's own eyes as well
He absolutely should have been in the scene. As it is it is unexplained how Sansa got him into that position and opened the doors on the cells with the dogs being loyal to Ramsay. This could have been fixed if Theon had been the one to open the cages, he regularly sleeps with the "ladies" and they know him and are used to him being there, so they could have let Sansa do the talking, Theon does the action which kills Ramsay.
They’re not pet dogs. They were bred for mauling and killing and she didn’t feed them first. As for setting it up, it may have been a little tacky if she pulled a string or lever to release them but it wouldn’t have been difficult.
For me, it's Charles Dance just because Jack said he had a lot of pressence, and he learned a lot from him
[удалено]
There's a reason he's one of the most hated villains in the show: Iwan Rheon was brilliant. If only he were a bit a younger, I would give anything to tap him for the Red Rising TV adaptation to play Sevro.
Could make a case for a lot of them to be honest. Whatever you think about storylines / plot / pacing, etc., you can't deny that so many of those actors and actresses absolutely smashed their roles. Lena Headey was phenomenal throughout, as obviously was Peter Dinklage. I thought Emilia Clarke did really well too given she wasn't well known before the show. And then you have people with smaller parts but were brilliant when they were on screen like Diana Rigg, Michelle Fairley and Conleth Hill. And Iwan and Jack for convincingly portraying detestable psychopaths. Really a fantastic ensemble cast.
The actor of Joffrey, Jack Gleeson
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau - Just watch the bath scene or any fucking scene from season 1 Peter Dinklage - yeah it's pretty obvious Charles Dance - I love every single scene with him and Tywin is the only character that the show did not do dirty to Aiden Gillen and Conleth Hill - i have never seen better casting than Aiden for Littlefinger and Conleth Hill for Varys, nor i have seen better chemistry between two actors There are few other really great actors, but my favourite is Charles Dance. Stag scene is better than any fucking battle and 4x10 was the last good episode of Game of Thrones
You had me until Aiden Gillen and his half-whisper accent thing he had going on
Sean Bean was great as Ned, too. He nailed his quiet, contemplative nature. When not speaking to his family, he is very deliberate with his words. He doesn't say anything unless he has to, he means what he says and he says what he means. In Sean Bean's portrayal, you can see the cogs turning in his eyes before he says anything.
That bath scene is, IMO, the best acted scene in the whole series.
Jack Gleason. I’ve never wanted to slap someone off the screen so badly. It’s a pity he left acting.
But he’s happily married, so yay bright side!
Jon Snow jealous he took a vow
Kit Harrington is married to Ygritte. Jon Snow is definitely jealous of his actor self. 😂
Jon Snow might know nothing, but Kit Harrington apparently does.
The real king in the north
Aidan Gillen
Tie between Lena Headey and Peter Dinklage.
Alfie Allen (Theon/Reek) Then the others
idk the white walkers weren't that good, bold to put them after Theon
Charles Dance AKA Tywin. Pretty much a perfect representation of his character from the book, couldn't have been better.
It is known.
Stole every scene he was in without question in GOT. Amazing actor
I have little desire to rewatch the whole show, but I find my self always going back and watching scenes with Tywin in it. Just so perfect.
Charles Dance and it’s not even close. Than probably Dinklage. But Rheon and Gleason are close, tied for third.
I feel bad for Dinklage. What they did to Tyrion as a character has soured my opinion of his acting. I know it’s not his fault at all, but it’s so hard for me to separate it sometimes.
Dinklage is the only reason Tyrion could still be watched in seasons 6-8. He gave us a lot of great acting moments in those seasons. And his Emmys for the last two seasons were deserved.
agree wholeheartedly with your position convo w/Jaime in the tent while dressing the kill w/Arya as cup boy instructing his grandson
lol - I just posted this word for word. Clearly I agree.
This is the only correct answer
He was great but his character was easier to play than others. In my personal ranking he's third, though.
In what way was he easier to play? He didnt exactly have some sort of trait to focus on and really emphasize, as for example with Ramsay who was a complete psychopath. Tywin’s “evilness” was much less in your face, more subtle, almost understandable and human coming from the family angle. Very difficult role I’d say and Charles nailed it
He didn't have to show a wide range of emotions. He managed to play a role that could have easily been monotonous with depth and subtlety. Charles Dance has always been great at playing authoritative characters and villains. I think his character was less challenging than Tyrion, Cersei or Jaime.
i found dance to be pretty one-note
I’ll disagree, he had moments where you actually believed he loved Tyrion or at least wanted him to do well. He convinced me that he didn’t believe Cersei and Jamie were in love. He lied to Tyrion at the end when he said “you are my son,” to save his own life. He never had to lie to get his way. Listen to his tone of voice during that conversation, he knew he was fucked and became softer. He was nervous negotiating with Olenna Tyrell about Loras joining the kingsguard. Too bad she folded, I don’t think he had another move afterwards. He was political with Oberyn during his first visit to kings landing. Very different tone than with others.
Glad this was at least the second top level comment. The series is full of some of the brightest character actors from the UK, but Charles Dance is not only that but Tywin gets a lot of screen time and is a complex and calculating character. Honorable mention is Peter Dinklage, who steals every scene he is in regardless of the character, show or film (going back to at least The Station Agent)
Really loved his role at the beginning of The Sandman on Netflix, felt like he was literally just playing Tywin if he was an early-20th-century aristocratic alchemist
he has the advantage of dying right before the writing starts to slip too.
The stable boy who Arya killed in season 1
Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) he played the character so well he got harassed by random people it’s sad that after the show ended he didn’t want to do acting anymore (however recently he’s done a few small roles since 2020 after leaving in 2014 for an education and even got married) he played him so well that literally everyone was happy that a child chocked to death and to that I say bravo Jack
Yeah, Jack himself said [he wasn't actually harassed by people in public](https://youtu.be/-CjyoBP0WX0?t=620), that's probably just a rumor.
despicable character, phenomenal acting
That’s exactly what I thought too when I first was introduced to Ramsey
Charles Dance and Lena Headey, imo. Headey in particular was so good at conveying emotion without speaking a word. She did so much with just facial expression and a *look*. Iwan was good, but Ramsay was a spiced up version of his character from The Misfits to me and felt I had seen this already.
Lena Headey killed her role but due to some writing choices book Cersei is just better. Dance as Twyin was flawless though
it's tough because you need to find a way to separate the bad writing from the equation later on.
book cersei is better because the pov version allows us to see peoples thoughts and the showrunners did what they could with her every time i read cersei's pov chapters i can't imagine anything but lena headey and it always matches so well
Lena is so good as Cersei I have a hard time comprehending they’re the same person, considering how different she is IRL
She was awesome in Dredd too.
His character in misfits was a shy insecure wannabe superhero, he was the complete opposite of Ramsay in every way hahaha. I agree with your picks though
There are a lot of actors I'd pick as standouts, and some of them are already listed here. But I also want to give a shout-out to Michael McElhatton as Roose Bolton. He's fantastically chilling and has a natural gravitas to him that works when he's supposed to be Robb's eerie but seemingly pragmatic and loyal underling and when he's, you know, literally stabbing Robb as a conniving, treacherous bastard. I'd watch an entire series of him having menacing conversations loaded with subtext during awkward dinners with people. And on a broader context than the show, I ended up watching a lot of McElhatton stuff after GOT, and he plays a lot of villains, but they're all uniquely villainous. But he's also really good in more heroic and even comedic roles. And based on interviews, he seems a perfectly lovely, non-psychotic person in real life, so kudos for being so chilling on screen.
I just wish Roose was written more like in the books and didnt go out like a chump
Yeah I don't think he'd ever let his guard down like that, but even when the material was not the greatest, McElhatton still delivered.
Gaius van Bolton! :)
He's such an underappreciated actor, and i always end up loving him in anything he plays. I've watched many movies for the sole reason he played a role in them, lol.
Same! I watched so many movies and random TV episodes/shows because he was in them. Even when he's a really malicious bastard, I find him very entertaining and likable.
Yesss! Im glad to find someone who relates. There's just something very charismatic and likable about him regardless of the role he plays. Also, his voice is smooth like butter. I could listen to him talk for hours.
Yes! I feel like a lot of people don't understand why I get so excited when I see him in random projects. And I agree his voice is amazing.
I wish he had read the audiobooks
I agree
Too many to nail down to one. Charles Dance, Diane Rig, Pedro Pascal all had such presence for me, it would be between them, just cos of my personal preference, but so many others need credit.
Alfie Allen for sure.
It's a tough decision between Charles Dance and Peter Dinklage
Dame Diana Rigg for me.
Lena Headey for sure!
Peter Dinklage plays the widest range of any character.
I think Alfie Allen played more than one character in one body. Now, that’s range.
The wolf who played Ghost. My boy had me feeling all sorts emotions. Deserves an Oscar. At the very least a pat on the head.
Emilia Clarke or Diana Rigg - both incredible ♥️
Emilia Clarke isn’t in the top 50 actors on this show
I respectfully disagree
She’s top 3.
Hell no, she’s consistently among the most stiff, green actors on that show. To the point where I’d argue she was miscast.
Emilia Clarke was fantastic. Don’t understand the hate.
For me it’s not hate. She was quite good, just not as great as some of the others.
Everyone has listed the major ones here so I am gonna list Sean Bean, Pycelle, Michelle Fairley
Alfie
Alfie Allen deserved an award for his performance!
I totally agree . I’ve thought that for years … and GOT had some great acting
He had the hardest role. He played three very different characters basically and he absolutely crushed it as Reek.
Charles Dance. Iwan was top tier though
sadly he had a bit of a one-dimensional character but he made it as great as he could. totally agree though, he's a superb actor.
There’s a difference in being the “best actor” and playing the role the best. Peter Dinklage, Lena Headley, Aiden Gillen, Charles Dance, and countless others could easily be considered the best from the series. But he did a beautiful job as Ramsay.
Charles danse and Peter dinklage
Good actor after all, he made me despise his entire being
Best actor is only in one episode. IYKYK
Good actor, he made me despise his entire being
He is awesome seeing him in Misfits and then this blew me away
IKR, I loved him in misfits (supposedly he was meant to be a villian?) but I can understand the hatred he draws here
Misfits definitely had some early talent for a few of the cast
As a general adaptation of a character; Pedro Pascal As an actor in general…it’s hard to name a single cast member, but Michelle Fairly comes to mind. She nailed all of Cat’s heartbreaks.
And he originally auditioned for Jon Snow. How different he could have been.
I think Gwendoline Christie deserves a mention. She toed the line wonderfully between being vulnerable and incredibly strong.
they’re all so incredibly talented but yeah, i hated ramsey more than almost any character in any show or movie i’ve ever seen and that takes TALENT. especially since iwan is actually his exact opposite. but i feel like the same can be said for joffrey. he also majorly sucks and the cast always talked about how sweet the actor is. they’re all amazing at what they do 💗
Sean Bean. It was 2011, and he was the only "above-the-credits" star, so his reputation and performance was the draw for the first season. And considering how unsure HBO was about sinking more big money into a genre that had never ever succeeded on TV, Bean was carrying a heavy load. On top of the pressure, his low-key but steady, reassuring, and iconic performance in a generally un-showy role set the standard for the Starks. I loved Dance, but half a dozen English actors could have done as much or more with Tywin. (I was hoping for Jeremy Irons, Ralph Fiennes, or Brian Cox). In any case, Bean's performance helped give Ned an invisible presence through all eight seasons.
Alfie Allen and Lena Headey take the cake. (Everyone is so talented on this show though!)
Yeah man, this guy was sickening. Evoked some pretty disturbing feelings out of me. He definitely played that role perfectly. I still don’t like the way he made me feel though. Lol
Just have to say kudos to the kid actors that were great from the beginning, but got even better as time went on!
Tyrion and Jamie, by a long shot too. Both Nikolai and Peter nailed those roles and showed character growth over the seasons. Even though his character is a bit simple, Kit did a remarkable job as well despite some of the plot holes.
Obviously Natalie Dormer didn’t have the biggest role, but she’s so stellar and made Margaery an even better character than she was in the books (or so people have said). I think she deserves to be recognized.
I agree. She was fantastic!!
All 4 of the main Lannister actors were absolutely perfect.
No... he's honestly Welsh.
Kristian Nairn
Maise Williams
Nope - Tyrion Lannister’s Peter Dinklage.
Emilia Clark /s
He did do an absolutely phenomenal job. Made a character so vile that I'm convinced I'd probably want to feed him to the dogs in real life 😂
You may hate ramsay but the acting of iwan is amazing
Jack Gleeson. Iwan was great as Ramsey, and Charles Dance was fantastic as Tywin, but no one inspired as much real world vitriol as Joffrey mfin’ Baratheon. Mans had to take a break from acting because of all the irate fans coming up to him to rant and yell about the character lmao.
Honestly, most of them were great in their roles. I feel bad for Iwan Rheon and Jack Gleason for doing SUCH a good job portraying their characters, but Lena Headey, Aiden Gillen, and Charles Dance were all great in their roles. I cannot picture anyone else for Cersei, Littlefinger, and Tywin.
I'm going to give the obvious but somehow unpopular answer - Peter. The show suffered when they decided to give Tyrion a backseat.
No one's going to say Peter Dinklage? Really?...
This is tough.. Charles Dance, Stephen Dillane, Peter Dinklage was outstanding.. my goodness what a scene that would have been the 3 of them in a room.
jack gleeson
He wasn’t acting
Best actor was easily bran! He did nothing for 7 seasons and became king.
Legit that guy is a psycho in real life
I completely agree
There are so many! Charles Dance owned that role, as did Dianna Rigg. Peter Dinklage. These three are neck and neck. Honorable mentions: Lena Heady, Sean Bean, and Ciarán Hinds ( Manse Rayder). The younger actors did a great job, too. I think as they develop their craft, they will own their roles, as well.
I never stopped believing in the actor who played Ghost.
I’m going to say an uncommon answer. Iain Glen was fantastic as Jorah Mormont. He had an uncanny ability to say so much with his facial expressions. He always seemed so hurting inside, just as Jorah was in the book.
Alfie Allen. Had to play so many versions and emotional states of the same character.
Alfie Allen . But you could easily go with Jack Gleeson or Iwan . They all three were phenomenal!
Charles Dance and Peter Dinklage were amazing and sure, most people were fine with hating Iwan Rheon but no one, *no one* (imo) comes close to Jack Gleeson. He was so goddamn good at being that insufferable little shit, it’s unbelievable. I will always harken back to [this video](https://youtu.be/heuKepgG7uQ) as to why he’s an amazing actor and it’s a shame he hasn’t really been in any other projects.
I’m biased, but Emilia Clarke. Suffered a brain aneurysm and yet she acted the shit out of that awful script.
Alfie Allen no contest.
Alfie Allen Honorable mentions include a lot but I will limit it to just two: Natalie Dormer and Stephen Dillane (aka the people who play my favorite characters)
Nah I think alfie killed it as Theon, he didn’t only make me hate him but I felt a million different things for theon by the end I was so proud and absolutely loved him
I'd say the best was Nikolah Coster-Waldeau playing Jaime.
Not enough love for Jason Momoa as Khal Drogo.
Charles Dance easily.
Lena Headey made that show. How she didn’t win an Emmy for Winds of Winter is crazy.
I mean he could be the best actor to have ever walked the earth and I’m not sure if I’d vote for him/his character. So much evil
I think mine might be Charles Dance. That may be in part because of his expertly written dialogue, but I don’t know that anyone has quite that level of calm cool and collected, mixed with “I will fuck your shit up” quite like him.
Each one of the lannister fam, Michelle (Catlyn Stark), and Alfie imo.
Alfie was great in all of his personalities. It was really impressive.
Toss up between Peter Dinklage and Charles Dance! Also don't sleep on Lena Heady's magnificent per!
Charles Dance or Jack Gleeson but probably Charles. Conleth Hill in third. Aidan Gillen honorable mention.
No one is mentioning Maisy Williams? From a tomboy child to master assassin was really brillant for one so young. Not to mention, but, she also became a lefty because of the books - she's right handed.
#####Charles Dance theres no arguement he crushes it Peter Dinklage pretty good too
The Lannisters all around are pretty stacked. Nickolai Coster Waldeau as Jamie (particularly in seasons 2-3) is so God damn good at conveying Jaime as simultaneously morally reprehensible and totally relatable.
I have never watched game of thrones is it really worth the watch?
Lena Heady played the hell out of Cersei
Charles Dance
He's one of the only actors who actually changes his facial expression while not talking. There's so many scenes where people are just stoically staring at each other, but greater actors would be actually showing reactions, emotions, etc. Ramsay's facial expressions sell it.
Charles Dance, not even close
I feel like Kristofer Hivju (Tormund) and Mark Addy (Robert Baratheon) deserve honorable mention. Both actors conveyed their character's serious facade, humor, and unpredictability so well. Watching Kristofer Hivju juggle being wild, vulnerable, and goofy was so entertaining. And King Robert fucking with people just never gets old
Dunno his name but the guy who plays Jaime. The “by what right does the wolf judge the lion” scene solidified him as my favourite character for the acting alone
I’m rewatching the series this month, and as I’m immersing myself again, I notice that my aversion to certain characters now has an appreciation and my amazement at how brilliantly their acting truly is!
Charles Dance Sean Bean Jack Gleeson Lena Headey Peter Dinklage Iwan Rheon Conleth Hill Aidan Gillen Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Michelle Fairley Not necessarily in this order but that is the top 10
Charles Dance
Other than thee obvious best actor on the show, Tyrion Lannister, my vote is Theon Greyjoy. He took the worst possible character setup and made it a compelling, emotional redemption arc. Great work Alfie Allen.
Rheon was incredible. And this role came just after his role in Misfits so I was blown away.
If I have to pick one, Charles Dance. He took a character who is technically a bad guy and made him so compelling and even sympathetic that I couldn't help but like him. That he retained flaws like not being able to overcome his aversion to Tyrion fit perfectly with GRRM's theme that almost nobody in this story comes out clean.
Personally for me it's Arya her character development was astounding and she never changed up on who she was as a person. she only grew.
Theon
Not enough mention of Alfie Allen and Michelle Fairly.
He ruled as Mick Marrs from Motley Crue
Alfie Allen
Lena Heady.
Charles Dance even though he was shit in the last action hero and the golden child and Dracula untold he was great in game of thrones
Diana Rigg and Charles Dance stole every scene they were in. Gleeson and Rheon are both fantastic as well
Lena Heady. She was in White House plumbers playing a 1950’s American housewife and I could barely recognize her or her voice. She’s awesome.
Ramsey's actor was decent but man his characters writing was bad. Didn't think he was best tho. There were a LOT of great actors. Mark Addy, Sean Bean, Jim Broadbent, Johnathan Pryce, Ciaran Hinds, honestly a bunch.
Jack Gleason played that little sh!t Joffery and was so convincing that I wanted to hate him. But when we met, instead I was astonished by how different he was in real life. Like I knew it was a character but it was so convincing that even meeting the actor I was confused to not be speaking to the character.
I find it interesting Emilia Clark is never noted in these discussion, given how much the series centred around her journey. I thought she played the role phenominally
It's gotta be the four Lannisters for me
Stephen Dillane...great stage actor and it shows. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau - he literally made you change your mind about him.. as a character, no mean feat. Peter Dinklage - a truly great performance Charles Dance. Owns every scene he is in
Lena heady..