The HBO series Game of Thrones has taken on cult status, and its characters have come to be identified largely for their roles in this fantasy landscape. Lest we forget their real-life identities, here are a few reminders as to who these actors really are and a few other facts about them which may shock you even more than their on-screen dramas.
The Tattooed Life Of Cersei
Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister) is perhaps as wacky in real life as her character is on-screen. Lena supposedly is covered in flower and bird tattoos and says that having them done brings her sense of peace. Right. The tattoos have to often be digitally removed for her scenes in Game of Thrones .
Lady’s Adoption
All fans were saddened when Queen Cersei ordered Sansa Stark’s direwolf Lady to be killed. The good news is that the actress who plays Sansa, Sophie Turner, adopted the dog when its role on the show was no longer needed. The dog’s real name is Zunni.
Talisa’s Cinematic Heritage
Talisa Maegyr is played by Oona Chaplin who has a very familiar last name. Sure enough, famed silent comedy star, Charlie Chaplin, was her grandfather. She is also great-granddaughter to American playwright Eugene O’Neill by way of Chaplin’s marriage in 1943.
Vega-Tyrion
Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister) has been a vegetarian since 16 and works for Farm Sanctuary, an animal protection organization in the US. Clearly that evil stare is for all ya meat-eaters out there.
Bronn The Pop Star
Jerome Flynn, who plays Bronn, used to be one half of the pop duo, Robson & Jerome. The other half was Robson Green with whom Jerome starred in the British series Soldier Soldier. Their cover of “Unchained Melody” reached number 1 in Britain back in 1995.
Ygritte The Castle Dweller
Rose Leslie (Ygritte) was born at Lickleyhead Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. This castle comes complete with seven bedrooms, a great hall, a drawing room, and a wood-paneled dining room. It has been her family’s ancestral seat since the 15th century. So Rose had plenty of practice on the whole throne thing, kind of.
Tywin’s Double Villainy
Charles Dance had experience playing ruthless men before taking on the role of Tywin Lannister. In 1981 he went up against Roger Moore’s James Bond as the assassin Claus in For Your Eye’s Only.
Brienne The Faithful Model
Though her character as Brienne of Tarth is considered flat-out ugly by her fellow characters, real-life Gwendoline Christie is actually a model. Gwendoline was featured in Polly Borland’s portraiture photo series Bunny . At 6’3″ we’re still sure she could make one awesome and pretty warrior.
Sansa The Scarecrow
Sophie Turner’s role as Sansa Stark is not her first time playing in a fantasy world. Having been acting since the age of three, one of her childhood productions cast her as the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz .
Viserys Copperfield
Harry Lloyd plays Viserys Targaryen in the series but should perhaps be more famous as the great-great-grandson of legendary author Charles Dickens. Fittingly, Harry took part in the BBC’s 2011 adaptations of Great Expectations as well the 1999 rendition of David Copperfield .
