Entertainment
22 Things You Didn't Know About the 'Game of Thrones' Cast, Because Westeros Is Full Of Secrets
Ever wondered what you didn't know about the cast of Game of Thrones? There's a lot out there to be discovered, especially with all the new characters this season. Which two have won Olivier Awards for starring in popular musicals? Which one almost toppled a port-a-potty during filming? Which one has released several EPs under the stage name Raleigh Ritchie? Read on to find out!
Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen)
Clarke recently made headlines when she joked about having a threesome with Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan-Tatum.
Image: HBO
Kit Harington (Jon Snow)
Harington’s great-great grandfather invented the toilet. BAM.
Also, he once was the subject of this headline: ”Jon Snow Wants More Male Nudity in Game of Thrones: ‘It’s Only Right’” which IMHO, is kind of the best headline ever.
Image: Helen Sloan/HBO
Maisie Williams (Arya Stark)
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Williams said that fans will often request her to put their name on her infamous kill list — and then record it. “It’s quite creepy. It’ll be like ‘Joffrey, Cersei, Alan…’ Just, like, a strange suburban dad’s name in the middle.”
Image: Helen Sloan/HBO
Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark)
According to her mother, pre-Thrones, one of her best roles was as the Scarecrow in a school production of The Wizard of Oz.
Image: Helen Sloan/HBO
Carice van Houten (Melisandre)
van Houten was originally approached to play Cersei Lannister, but she couldn’t take the role due to scheduling conflicts. Luckily, Game of Thrones found a new home for her as Melisandre!
Image: Helen Sloan/HBO
Michiel Huisman (Daario Naharis)
Daario Naharis hasn’t made his way across the Narrow Sea to Dragonstone yet, but Michiel Huisman and Carice van Houten actually appeared in a film together back in 2006.
Image: Black Book/AVRO Television
John Bradley-West (Samwell Tarly)
According to Bradley-West, his house motto would be “Oh, for God’s sake,” and the accompanying sigil would be a popsicle melting off the stick. I think Sam would approve.
Image: Helen Sloan/HBO
Kristian Nairn (Hodor)
Nairn moonlights as an extremely popular DJ when he’s not Hodor-ing — last year, he even embarked on an Australian tour aptly named “Rave of Thrones.”
Image: HBO
Finn Jones (Loras Tyrell)
You know how Kristian Nairn has a huge following as a DJ? Well, it turns out, he also helped Jones get his feet wet in the music industry. In a recent interview with Vulture, Jones said that Nairn offered to put him in contact with his promoter — and next thing he knew, he was on “a 20-date tour around the U.K.!”
Image: Macall B. Polay/HBO
Natalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell)
Some stars talk about how they bought a new convertible or a fancy handbag after getting their first big paycheck. Well, Dormer paid off her student loans (and used her second big paycheck to buy a sports car).
Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei)
Emmanuel’s first job was as at a bank, where she had to call people who hadn’t paid their bills yet. Yikes.
Image: Macall B. Polay/HBO
Jacob Anderson (Grey Worm)
Like Finn Jones and Kristian Nairn, Anderson happens to have a music career — as a singer. He performs under the stage name Raleigh Ritchie, and has released several singles, one of which was on the U.K.’s top 40 list.
Image: HBO
Gwendoline Christie (Brienne of Tarth)
Christie may look totally unflappable as Brienne, but, if you’re ever having a bad day, just remember that she once almost tipped over a port-a-potty while texting in full armor.
Also, if you haven’t seen her new look as Captain Phasma in Star Wars: The Force Awakens , you’re really missing out.
Image: Helen Sloan/HBO
Daniel Portman (Podrick Payne)
Portman’s father, Ron Donachie, also appeared in Game of Thrones as Ser Rodrik Cassel. (The one with the fancy braided beard.)
Image: Helen Sloan/HBO
Kerry Ingram (Shireen Baratheon)
Before Thrones, Ingram had quite the successful theater career: She even picked up an Olivier award for the title role in Matilda back in 2012.
Iwan Rheon (Ramsay Bolton)
Like Ingram, Rheon nabbed a prestigious Olivier award for his turn as Moritz Stiefel in the London tour of Spring Awakening.
Indira Varma (Ellaria Sand)
Varma starred in the popular Bollywood take on Pride and Prejudice, Bride and Prejudice. She played Kiran — AKA Miss Bingley!
Image: Helen Sloan/HBO
Keisha Castle-Hughes (Obara Sand)
Before Quvenzhené Wallis came along, Castle-Hughes was the youngest Academy Award Best Actress nominee.
Image: Helen Sloan/HBO
Jessica Henwick (Nymeria Sand)
Early in her career, the half-British, half-Singaporean-Chinese actress considered moving to Singapore to pursue acting. She reasoned, “I think I would be judged on my skills and not whether I’m Asian enough or white enough.”
Image: Helen Sloan/HBO
Rosabell Laurenti Sellers (Tyene Sand)
Sellers starred in various projects in her native Italy, but she might be most famous starring as the title character in a Nickelodeon show called Mia and Me, about a young girl who has to save unicorns.
Image: Helen Sloan/HBO
Nell Tiger Free (Myrcella Baratheon)
Free filmed one of her kisses with Toby Sebastian on her birthday, and she joked that it was one of her presents: She quipped to Vulture, “Here’s a boy. Here’s a cake.”
Image: Macall B. Polay/HBO
Toby Sebastian (Trystane Martell)
He costarred in Barely Lethal with Sophie Turner, and the two have been friends ever since. Too bad we’re unlikely to see Sansa and Trystane meet up anytime soon!
Image: sophie_789/Instagram
