Game of Thrones didn’t have the easiest path to the small screen. Back in the early 2000s, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were interested in developing a live-action adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire, George R. R. Martin’s popular fantasy book series. They weren’t the first to come to Martin with a pitch, but they shared the author’s belief that the property would work better as a show than a movie. The idea came across HBO’s desk, and the network decided to order a pilot for the series. Unfortunately, the episode wasn’t very well received. The powers that be requested that Benioff and Weiss go back to the drawing board, which meant overhauling the story and recasting a few roles.
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Taking a second crack at it worked out in Game of Thrones‘ favor, as the second pilot was exactly what HBO was looking for. Of course, the show went on to have great success over eight seasons, and its cast played a big part in that. It’s just a shame that the bad couldn’t stay together forever. Here’s what every Game of Thrones star has done since the series ended.
15) Iwan Rheon (Ramsay Bolton)
Ramsay Bolton was the most terrifying man in Westeros, being willing to kill anyone, even his own father, to gain power. Iwan Rheon portrayed the twisted man for six seasons, until his death at the hands of his own dogs. Since leaving Game of Thrones behind, Rheon has appeared in many movies and shows, including Starz’s American Gods and Barbarians. His most recent gig is voicing Remus Lupin in the audiobook series Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions.
14) Charles Dance (Tywin Lannister)
The head of House Lannister, Tywin Lannister, didn’t show up until the end of Game of Thrones Season 1. However, missing out on a few episodes didn’t stop him from making an impact, as he gave the Starks fits during the War of the Five Kings. Once Tywin was no longer around, Charles Dance turned his attention to another franchise, Godzilla, appearing in the sequel Godzilla: King of the Monsters. He also just helped Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein take Netflix by storm.
13) Aidan Gillen (Peter Baelish)
There wasn’t an event in Westeros that went down without Peter Baelish hearing about it. Whether he was in King’s Landing or the Eyrie, he was always pulling the strings from the shadows. All the backstapping got Littlefinger killed, though, forcing his actor, Aidan Gillen, to look for work elsewhere. Gillen recently appeared alongside Jeremy Renner in Mayor of Kingstown, and he has a movie in the works called Panic Carefully, also starring Julia Roberts, Elizabeth Olsen, and Eddie Redmayne.
12) Kit Harrington (Jon Snow)
Jon Snow was content to become a member of the Night’s Watch when Game of Thrones began. But he eventually found himself in the middle of the action and was forced to make a very tough choice that led to his exile. Despite trying to get a Jon Snow show off the ground, Kit Harrington has mostly moved on from the character that made him famous, showing up in Marvel Studios’ Eternals and The Family Plan 2.
11) Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark)
There wasn’t anywhere in the world that Sansa Stark wanted to be more than King’s Landing, as that’s where all the movers and shakers lived. However, that feeling quickly went away once she got there, as she fought to survive in a cruel world. Sophie Turner hasn’t shied away from intense roles since moving on from Sansa, playing the complicated Jean Grey in the X-Men movies and a cutthroat socialite in Do Revenge. Her next major role will be bringing Lara Croft to life in Prime Video’s Tomb Raider series.
10) Maisie Williams (Arya Stark)
Arya followed her sister to Westeros’ capital and just had the worst time. However, she made the most of her situation, picking up skills that allowed her to become the key to taking down the Night King. Appearing in all eight seasons of Game of Thrones was a lot for Maisie Williams, so she’s been taking it easy since the show ended. Her recent credits include The New Mutants, The Luckiest Man in America, and Apple TV+’s The New Look.
9) Isaac Hempstead Wright (Bran Stark)
Bran Stark had it pretty bad in Game of Thrones, getting pushed out of a window at the start of the show and being forced from his home. He persevered, though, becoming the Three-Eyed Raven and eventually taking over as king of Westeros. Playing a character with such an amazing arc must’ve made every other role seem like small potatoes to Isaac Hempstead Wright, as he only has one credit to his name since Game of Thrones ended, the science fiction film Voyagers.
8) Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen)
Unlike most of the characters in Game of Thrones, Daenerys Targaryen didn’t call Westeros home at the start of the series. Her journey began in Essos, where she built an army strong enough to take back her father’s throne. Despite Daenerys’ story ending controversially, Emilia Clarke has found plenty of success in Hollywood. She starred in the Marvel Studios series Secret Invasion and lent her voice to a couple of animated movies.
7) Iain Glen (Jorah Mormont)
Daenerys wouldn’t have gotten very far without her friend Jorah Mormont by her side. Even though the two went their separate ways for a while, they reunited when the world was in danger and strengthened their bond. But Iain Glen can do more than play second fiddle, appearing as Batman in the DC series Titans and Dr. Pete Nichols in the hit Apple TV+ series Silo.
6) Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister)
Game of Thrones may have given off the vibe that the Night King was its biggest villain, but that title actually went to Cersei Lannister, who terrorized anyone who disagreed with her. Lena Headey did an excellent job portraying Cersei throughout all eight seasons of the show, and she’s taken all she learned to her following roles. Her latest gig is leading the Netflix series The Abandons, about a woman who fights to protect her land in Oregon.
5) Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jamie Lannister)
Cersei did everything she did to protect her secret relationship with her brother, Jamie Lannister. One of the best knights in Westeros, Jamie eventually left Cersei’s side, only to return at the worst possible moment. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau clearly enjoyed being around swords and horses because he just played William the Conqueror in the BBC One historical drama King & Conqueror.
4) Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister)
Tyrion Lannister didn’t like his family, and his family certainly didn’t like him. All the head-butting forced Tyrion to take his services elsewhere, becoming Hand of the Queen to Daenerys. Peter Dinklage played all the sides of Tyrion to perfection, and the rest of the industry took notice. His résumé includes major projects such as The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and Wicked.
3) Gwendoline Christie (Brienne of Tarth)
Everyone underestimated Brienne of Tarth because she was a woman in a man’s profession. However, she proved all the doubters wrong by beating everyone who got in her way. Gwendoline Christie follows in her character’s footsteps by beating out the competition for roles in prestige TV shows. She’s currently starring as Lorne in Apple TV+’s Severance.
2) Richard Madden (Robb Stark)
The Red Wedding was the most heartbreaking moment in Game of Thrones, mainly because Robb Stark, an all-around good guy, lost his life. Only getting three seasons to show off his skills didn’t hurt Richard Madden at all, as he’s gone on to have plenty of success. His most prominent roles post-Thrones have been Ikaris in Eternals and Mason Kane in Citadel.
1) Sean Bean (Eddard Stark)
Eddard Stark was the main character in Game of Thrones’ first few episodes. That changed by the end of Season 1, when Ned died at the hands of an executioner in King’s Landing. Of course, Sean Bean was famous long before HBO’s fantasy series came around, so moving on hasn’t hurt him. His recent credits include the Snowpiercer TV series and MGM+’s Robin Hood.
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