The time has come to give lip service to the faithful and to honor the Seven once more.
Most of the bottom-supporters here at House Gatewatch were fans of the books before they were fans of HBO’s Game of Thrones, and we all had certain expectations, many of which were met. When you get Peter Dinklage for Tyrion, you sort of expect him to be great. (And voila! Emmy nom.) Others we heard a constant buzz about (Maisie, Sophie, Emilia, Aiden, Natalia), so in a way we sort of expected them to be great too.
So this one’s about the ones that made us blink, sit up, and probably take notice for the first time. They may not win any awards (this season) but they certainly won my respect. These are all actors I will most certainly seek out in any future projects; they’ve earned a lifetime fan in me.
(Warning: there will be SPOILERS from the first season and the first book, A Game of Thrones. Though if you haven’t seen the first season by now, well… I don’t know if there’s much hope for you.)
Here are my Top 7: Best Season One Surprises:
1. Michelle Fairley. Few were under the intense scrutiny she was; after replacing Jennifer Ehle (an extremely talented woman and one of the first widely praised “slam dunks” in casting) Michelle had what was perhaps the largest number of vocal detractors I can remember. Even Tamzin Merchant (the initial Daenerys), while criticized by many, was never accused of being “an entire generation too old” for the role. Michelle made believers out of just about everyone, taking the role of Catelyn and putting her indelible stamp on it. Whether it was in a tender look shared with Ned, or in sorrowful tears that, at times, seemed close to ripping her frail frame apart, Fairley seemed to put her entire soul into this role, and for me it paid off in spades. She made Catelyn’s story one of the most gripping ones of the entire first season.
2. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. I’m not listing Nikolaj because I ever doubted him (or his nose) personally, however Jaime was an extremely tricky role that could have gone horribly wrong in the hands of a lesser actor. And it did not. After seeing Nikolaj’s magnetic and tragic turn in the lead role as Frank Pike in Virtuality, I was very eager to see how he would transform that sort of quiet confidence into a more strutting arrogance, and he did not disappoint. When we were allowed to see past Jaime’s cocky veneer, we saw him in turn obsessed (with his sister), terrified (of his father), and wracked with guilt and secret doubts (that final scene with Catelyn was brilliant). Those of you who have read all the books and are familiar with the Kingslayer’s story arc already pretty much know, now, that Nikolaj is well suited for the challenge of taking Jaime through his journey. I can’t wait for even the small amounts we may get of him in season two—and I can’t wait for him to meet Brienne. “There are no men like me. Only me.” Indeed!
3. Isaac Hempstead-Wright. George talked about “the kids,” Dave and Dan talked about “the kids,” but when names were mentioned, the ones we seemed to hear the most were Maisie and Sophie. And at first glance, it’s hard to really expect any real greatness from Isaac; he’s the youngest kid (next to Art, who got almost zero screen time), and he’s a good-looking dude (which can work against you when it comes to being taken seriously). But acting is all about nuance, it’s about putting yourself into the character and becoming that person, and Isaac was Bran. When he was given an opportunity to shine, he shined bright. Whether it was his restrained wince at Will’s beheading, or his back-and-forth with Old Nan, or his sullen exchange with Maester Luwin (the damage he was doing to that table as he spoke to Luwin was just one small example of how real this performance felt), Isaac always seemed to add that little extra dose of realism that made you believe he was truly Bran Stark, not just some kid who looked cute and memorized a few lines. He’s so much better than so many other young actors already, I’m chomping at the bit to see what he does in the future.
4. Alfie Allen. Theon Greyjoy is one of my favorite ASoIaF characters, so it stands to reason I would be particularly critical of his casting. Theon needed to be just so. For some, casting a Brit tabloid rogue like Allen—son of lauded actor Keith Allen, brother of popstar Lily Allen—seemed a little risky. Me, I was quietly optimistic, because I saw flashes of dramatic swagger in clips of Allen playing Nobby in Casualty 1907. But it wasn’t until that first darkly-amused sneer, whipping a dagger out with the intent to end a wolf pup’s life, that I knew Nina Gold had cast brilliantly. In a sense, Alfie has Theon’s hunger; if he can’t make his own mark, he’s relegated to “that kid who got that song written about him by his daffy sis.” There seems to be an embedded desire for respect beyond the scope of his own family—very much like Theon. Allen delivered the goods this season, stealing many of the scenes he was in, and it only sets the table for Theon’s visceral story arc in season two. I can’t bloody wait.
5. Jack Gleeson. We didn’t know crap about this kid, let’s be honest. He was in Batman Begins as a tot, appearing in perhaps a minute-and-a-half of film. The only other real footage we had of him was from a lauded lead role in the film All Good Children, and he seemed like he had potential… but really, who was he? Well he’s King Joffrey bleeping Baratheon, first of his name, that’s who. Gleeson plays, with verve, what could be the most hated character on television in the 21st century. Twitter explodes with hate when he appears onscreen, and more people wish to see his bloody end than I care to count—both hallmarks of a more seasoned actor than anyone his age. And Gleeson isn’t afraid to display every repugnant emotion in the book; Joffrey is vain, cruel, cowardly, covetous… you name it, if it’s bad, it’s Joffrey. And Gleeson does it all.
6. Jerome Flynn. “Wait,” we said, “Jerome Flynn the pop star? Jerome of Robson and Jerome? Playing Bronn the mercenary? That’s bloody mad!” Or maybe crazy like a fox. That wacky Nina Gold—throwing us for a complete loop when this casting was announced. But Gold has proven to be the foxy one, and Jerome Flynn proves to be the Gold standard. Other than Dinklage—whose comedic timing was also greatly enhanced whenever paired with Flynn—no other Game of Thrones character had better one-liners. (You could argue Sam, maybe, but Sam had less screen time.) And he killed with more than swords or with words; Flynn’s Bronn could make us laugh with just a glance. (Who can forget his “Crazy, sure,” shrug after his “I’ll stand for the dwarf” line?) It’s not a stretch to say Flynn was beloved in this first season, possibly the least-criticized actor or actress on the show. We love Bronn—and we love Flynn’s Bronn maybe even more than the original. Now that’s a compliment.
7. Susan Brown. They say there are no small roles, only small actors, and to a point that’s true; how else would Dame Judi Densch receive an Oscar for appearing in approximately two minutes of Shakespeare in Love? Such is the case with Brown, an actress who made us care for a character we barely knew at all. Septa Mordane’s heroic death—saving Sansa’s life with a stern word and a stiff back—was a change from the book, but one well-played and—dare I say—better. In that one moment, as she goes to meet what is an almost certain death, it’s like a cloud is lifted from our eyes and we get to see this woman, glimpsed so briefly before, for who she really is: a Stark in all but name. Brown’s Septa was an oddly complimentary mix of austere simplicity, and I miss the character already. Septa Mordane’s death was meaningful, perfectly poignant for the story (Sansa’s growth especially), but that doesn’t mean I won’t miss the actress. Kudos, Susan!
That’s my FaBulous list. And what would one of my “Top 7″ posts be without honorable mentions? “Making the eight?” Trust me, there were more than a few I agonized over.
There are a few people I may have left undeservedly on the cutting room floor. But who?
(Amrita is just expressing her personal opinion at my choices, and this opinion does not reflect the opinions of the rest of the cast of Game of Thrones. I might argue most of them agree with me!)
Amrita Acharia: The character of Irri is little more than a parrot in ASoIaF, but Acharia gives her a smart sass all her own. (I would certainly give more than a moment’s consideration if given the chance to “Make the Eight” with Acharia.) It’s hard to take your eyes off her when she fearfully translates Viserys’s drunken threats to Drogo; there’s dread writ large all over her face and in her body. She probably should have been top 7, but then it would be hard to include her and not include…
Elyes Gabel: I totally loved how the television series has developed this odd little attraction/annoyance chemistry between Rakharo and Irri, and really hope they develop it further as the series progresses. Gabel’s Rakharo has an almost naive swagger that I just love. Additionally, Gabel had a fantastic scene with…
Iain Glen: If anything threw me for a loop reading A Dance with Dragons, it was the near-constant reminder of how different GRRM’s Jorah Mormont is from the one they give us in the television show. And I have to say, I think I prefer Glen’s version.
Donald Sumpter: Another practically invisible character in the books, Luwin is given life by Sumpter’s sublime—some might say “endearingly dreary”—performance. Sumpter gave Luwin a weary gravitas that seemed on the edge of depression, yet sparked to driven purpose at times. And it was all with the eyes; his body certainly didn’t move any faster. Sumpter basically gave an excellently nuanced clinic on subtlety.
Harry Lloyd: This omission will likely have people screaming from the rafters, but the thought that kept coming back to me was, “We knew he would be great.” Okay, possibly not as great as he turned out to be—my god, we felt sympathy for Viserys of all people—but we still had an inkling. Viserys’s death was a tragedy of triumphant scale, but my favorite scene with him still remains the bathtub scene with Doreah. Damn all you critics, I still love that scene!
Lastly, for me, Sean Bean. I know to many of you this is akin to blaspheme, but I really did have concerns. I’m glad my doubts were proven to be so wrong. Bean was robbed by not garnering an Emmy nomination.
I gave my opinions (which may or may not precisely coincide with WiC or HmR’s opinions), and now I want you to do the same. Join in on the fun! Which seven surprised you the most? If you can’t come up with seven, come up with whatever you can. Agree with me or disagree if you want! Give me your own list. Are you on the Ros bandwagon? Give the girl some love. Or maybe you really found yourself rooting for Ilyn Payne. Well why not?
All opinions are valid—to a man with a full purse.
~FaB~
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118 Comments
How about Mord? I agree 100% with NCW, Jaime is my favourite character and he nailed it.
Edit: First again? I need a life lol.
John-Michael LelievreQuote Reply
Very hard to decide…
For me it is a close call between Harry Lloyd and Jack Gleeson. Harry surprised me by making a utterly despisable character human, whereas Gleeson made a espiseable character even more despiseable.
My vote goes to Gleeson, because in the end I think it is the harder role for such a young and unknown actor to play and I am so looking forward to the next season (s).
I also think he deserves every reward he can get, because I fear he will be typecast for the rest of his life :)
Chris77Quote Reply
MORD.
See, I almost completely forgot. Thank you, John-Michael.
Honorable mention goes to Ciaran Bermingham. “No gold! Fuck off!”
Fire And BloodQuote Reply
I would add Conleth Hill, his Varys is excellent. and of course Mark Addy, he was my biggest surprise this season.
I must disagree about Iain Glen’s Jorah, I prefer GRRM’s Jorah, he is more complicated and a brute and not the noble knight Glen portray, which, as we know, is contradictory to GRRM perception of knighthood.
olisgoodQuote Reply
John Bradley didn’t even get an honourable mention? Harsh! Just too many good actors in the show I s’pose.
SauronsbeagleQuote Reply
Well yeah, awesome votes, but … . You had left out so many! How about Walder Frey?! Of f-yng course, I hate him and his bloody guts after the f-yng Red Wedding, but we can’t doubt he played the b….h good. And Yoren from The Wall ? I so loved his lines, can’t wait for season 2 to see all his parts. And Maegi Mirri Maz Duur?! She was more than awesome. And , and , and ?! My opinion is you should’ve made a decision ; either you comment about the main characters, either about the … well, the less-main characters, which are great and should be “evaluated” much more further and closer. “A wise man told me that what comes after but doesen’t matter” – BUT, except what I said above, I agree with you.
KaterinaQuote Reply
Shagga blew me away. So little screen time, but he just made my smile freeze when I saw the scene with tyrion and Bronn with his aspergerish way of talking. Shagga’s not a very deep character in the books, but Mark Lewis Jones really took what there was and added alot.
VaariQuote Reply
As a Brit, a lot of these actors surprised me as I’m used to seeing them in slightly twee, low-budget UK TV shows. Jerome Flynn was just weird. I didn’t follow the casting for Series One so had no idea he was in it and it still didn’t click until the battle on the road to the Eeryie. I remember thinking “is that Jerome Fucking Flynn?!”
I wasn’t at all surprised by Mark Addy or Sean Bean. They’re both massively underrated actors, in Bean’s case I think it’s because he’s a reserved bloke and a pretty crap interviewee. But on screen, where it counts, he always delivers – I advise any who haven’t already to watch Red Riding, his character in that is a nice antidote to Ned.
Other than Flynn, the biggest surprise to me was Richard Madden. I didn’t expect a lot from Robb in the TV show but Richard really gave the character a prominence he probably didn’t have in the book. I loved the King in the North scene where he looked terrified as he realised just what had been thrust upon him.
My top five:
1. Jerome Flynn – just couldn’t believe it
2. Richard Madden
3. Jason Momoa – Drogo could easily be one-dimensional and not damage the story too much but Momoa gave him heart as well as a visceral quality. Also got three of the best scenes of the series (the golden crown, the tongue-ripping and the vow to invade Westeros)
4. Emilia Clarke – how can she not be a surprise? She was brilliant and it was her first job. No one could have expected that.
5. Alfie Allen – assumed he was a swaggering celeb living off the family name. Turns out I was very very wrong.
HouseLarkQuote Reply
Awesome article! I think I agree with every word you’ve written (apart from the Theon line – god how I hate that ever-smiling, smug twer-REEK!), lol. I’d also add the names of Jamie Sives (Jory Cassell), he really brought Jory to life from the books and you feel like you can really relate to the character – the final blow was so sad, really, I felt a real deep hatred for Jaime at that point. Conleth Hill was also brilliant as Varys as well, and Kit Harrington also surprised me with the maturity and perfection he showed as Jon – this is his debut role, mind (as with many of the other fine actors)!
Also, what, no one mention the King’s Landing Whore yet? :3
The Lightning LordQuote Reply
Fire And Blood,
for sure haha, he was hilarious. He is a “smart man” after all. :)
John-Michael LelievreQuote Reply
I knew Harry would be great. I saw it in the flames…
João AmaralQuote Reply
I think my absolute favorite is Jerome Flynn (and, no, I had no idea about his previous music career and was completely surprised just now). Bronn was the epitome of perfection. Sure, some of it can be attributed to excellent lines, but the shrug, the looks he gives people, his deliveries (“You wouldn’t know him”) and (one of my faves) the way he gets up and leaves after Shae occupies Tyrion … Priceless. My favorite TV character in years.
I also thought Jack Gleeson did a remarkable job. I really, really hope he keeps the great work up for upcoming seasons. His Joffrey can be disturbingly hard to watch – yet I cannot turn my eyes away at all. He’s perfect.
I couldn’t possibly praise NCW, Isaac Hempstead-Wright or Donald Sumpter highly enough. I really, really liked Amrita Acharia (THAT was a pleasant surprise), Iain Glen, Alfie Allen.
But never could I really get Michelle Fairley’s appeal. I did like her in some scenes, but in others … well I really did think her over the top and overly dramatic and … to me, she was an actress portraying Catelyn, not Catelyn (which was the case with almost everybody else, NCW WAS Jamie, Joseph Mawle WAS Benjen …). Same goes for Harry Lloyd, although he did win me over in his last episode.
Anyway, don’t wanna be a troll, an epic assembly we have here.
EosQuote Reply
Nice listing.
My list of surprises would be:
1. Iain Glen. He made Jorah visible.
2. Amrita Acharia. Great language skills and interaction with…
3. Elyes Gabel. For being only Dothraki speaking Common Tongue.
4. Jerome Flynn. For sword & wit mastery and interaction with…
5. Peter Dinklage. Their relationship gave show much air and distance.
6. Alfie Allen. Quite different than my imagination of Theon (that beard…)
7. Esme Bianco. For playing against all odds and creation of non-existent character.
GrzebykKQuote Reply
I agree totally that Isaac is Bran! And Emilia Clarke actually is Daenerys. Also, Jason Momoa could find his way at least to the “honorable mention” part of today’s Seven-honoring article. If you would forgive me saying, it just goes to show how much more effort than just that actor’s goes into making a good character… I saw Conan 3d :( .
Jack Gleeson is absolutely perfect! Interesting, in the few scenes at Winterfell, good by the time Cersei is dressing his arm at KL, absolutely magnificent in the last episode, when he lays down the law on poor Marillion.
And last but not least, Mark Addy as King Robert Baratheon, I can’t really give a couple pf short reasons, because so many good ones come to mind. All I can really say is “all the episodes he was in!”
alexQuote Reply
When I first saw the title, and started reading your post, I thought this was the weekly Friday poll…..was thinking, ‘what a great category!’. Oh well, this works too.
I wasn’t really familiar with any of the actors aside from Sean Bean and Lena Headey, so I didn’t have any pre-conceived view of them from previous roles.
From the 7 you picked, it was really close between Michelle Fairley and Jack Gleeson, but I would have to pick Gleeson – I can’t remember ever hating an on-screen character more than I do Joffrey, and he played him so well. Like was said, every time he’s on screen, you just want to reach through the TV and choke him – even when he isn’t even saying anything!
JamboQuote Reply
LOVE THIS FEATURE! And my Alfie Allen and Jack Gleeson graphics were used (!!!!).
You guys reeeeaaaally hit the nail on the head with this one.
vikkiQuote Reply
1. Mark Addy
I was worried. I really was. Robert is going to be a cuddly teddy bear, I thought. In their marriage, Cersei will be the evil witch torturing the funny fat guy. He will be inept at ruling, but in a lovable way. I thought. I did not see Mark Addy in this role. But he nailed it. Man, did he ever kick butt in this part. It was a perfect duality of charm, charisma, congenialness on one hand and violence, drunkenness, self-involvement on the other. Stop casting Addy as the funny fat guy and give that man some real characters! Loved his chemistry with Sean Bean as well. In the books, Ned and Robert were some of the more boring characters for me, and here are Mark Addy and Sean Bean making me wish for a prequel-spinoff about Robert’s Rebellion. Petty they are too old to play the younger characters, cause that would be one hell of a show.
2. Michelle Fairley
I didn’t know Jennifer Ehle. I didn’t know Michelle Fairley. And I didn’t care, because I hated Catelyn. Reading her POV chapters always gave me the agressive urge to reach inside the books and shake all the uselessness and self-pity out of her. Or skip ahead 20 pages. Yet half an hour into the pilot, I find myself beginning to like her. Try as I might, I could not hold on to my hatred of Catelyn. Michelle Fairley took this character and made her awesome, and for that she has not only my utter respect but also my gratitude.
3. Jack Gleeson
Joffrey is an incredibly ungrateful role. And Gleeson is what, 16, 17? There’s no way someone that young should be able to portray this character with such depth and so many facets. Thank you Jack, for not taking the easy road, for not making Joffrey a boring one-dimensional bad guy. You rock!
4. Harry Lloyd
Presumption and madness have rarely been this intriguing. He took Viserys from being a plot device to being one of the most fun-to-watch characters.
5. Iain Glen
He kept me going through the beyond-the-sea scenes after Viserys died.
6. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
In the first book, Jaime is a very flat character and that’s what I expected to see in the show, but NCW mad him rich and gave him depth and it worked very well.
7. Charles Dance
He’s the last in this list because he wasn’t that much of a surprise. I knew he could own Tywin. What surprised me is that he could own Tywin with hair. I was determined to be disappointed if he wasn’t bald, yet the minute I saw him skinning that stag, all hair was forgiven.
fhanQuote Reply
Great list, only one I don’t agree on is Alfie Allen. He’s undoubtedly a good actor but he’s not Theon Greyjoy at least not to my but that’s also due to the writing I think. In the books he’s this sharp, slightly tormented guy but in the series he does very little but tell a silly joke every once in while and gniffle. I hope this changes for season 2. It wasn’t so bad in season 1 because he had little screentime but in season 2 he becomes a main character so they have to portray him as a stronger person then I think.
As for my list
1. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau: A Danish actor I’d never even heard of but he totally convinced me from the first moment he came on and even managed to surprise me once or twice. He had to portray so many different sides of Jaime this season but they were all believable and you actually felt for him even before his final confession.
2. Michelle Fairley: I’d seen her before so I knew she was agood actress but she was just so impressive. That scene at the beginning of the whispering wood which was not handled very well. She just took it and gave it meaning but also all the other scenes she was in. Those looks on her face. Just amazing.
3. Richard Madden: Again someone I’d never heard of before and he had little screentime at the beginning of the season. But at the moment Robb became important he just transformed into this strong leading figure. He was so utterly convincing it gave me shivers. That speach at the whispering wood. I cannot imagine anyone could’ve done it better. If I’d crown anyone King of the North it’d be him.
4. Conleth Hill: Varys is one of my favorite characters in the books and also in the series. I think I like him even better in the series. That voice, and that bland look, unbelievable. If I didn’t know any better I’d say Hill really is a eunuch
5. Jack Gleeson: Such a difficult role for such a young actor but I really hate the little shit. I think that says enough.
6. Harry Lloyd: I’d seen him in Robin Hood (only one episode) so I knew he was good but he’s terrifying as Viserys while also totally pathetic which indeed him somewhat loveable. Great performance
7. To many choices so I’ll just leave it at that
WinterdarkQuote Reply
I would have to say they are all great! With eception of Sean Bean and Peter Dinklage,the rest of the cast were unknown to me! Everyone was wonderful! The kids though were brillent! I have super soft spot for Maisie and Issac! Of course I would not be a hot blooded woman if I did not include Kit Harington,who I thought was simply awesome!
Emilia Clarke was also awesome.
HildaQuote Reply
Richard Madden is the one ! But actually all the cast is just perfect and except Mark Addy, Sean Bean, Lena Headey and Peter Dinklage, all of them were unknown to me ! Of course, you couldn’t put everyone and your choice is great but I would like to add Richard Madden and Maisie William ;)
LLQuote Reply
Harry Lloyd wasn’t a surprise for me, as he stood out in all of the trailers up until the show aired. I think he was probably my favourite actor on the entire show. D,:
In all honesty, there wasn’t anyone whose announcement really made me worried last year, so I’m not sure my opinions are as valid, I guess?
I suppose I will say Michelle Fairley, just because I knew nothing about her prior to seeing her in GoT. I also thought Jack Gleeson (who I had never seen in anything) was amazing.
EDIT: OH. You know what. There was someone, who at first I was kind of like “meh”, and that was Lena Headey. I thought she did a great job in the end. I was also critical on one occasion of Sophie Turner (only in one of the clips, and more with the writing than the acting) but she really did blow my socks off. So for actors that I switched opinions about it would be those two. Fantastic job guys! XD
Steve Hugh WestenraQuote Reply
I will forever prefer the Jorah Mormont from the books. I loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed Mormont on the show. I think Glen did an amazing job with him! and (to stay true to character) hes sexy as all hell, ohmyr’hllor them v-neck shirt/blouses and that scruff and that voice… the milk of the poppy just flows. HOWEVER, Im partial to big, muscular, extremely hairy men so I will always prefer the bear Mormont in my head. LOL
I have to agree with Donald Sumpter being a surprise. I never thought much of Lewin before but after seeing the show, when I was re-reading Lewin’s death scene, I actually got really emotional and shed a tear (or two) and Im pretty sure the only reason why i suddenly cared so much about his passing was because of the actor’s performance on the tv show,
PacoQuote Reply
Issac Hempstead-Wright…this little (and oh-so-great) man-child is a wonder in every possible sense of the word. He is beauty, of the body, the mind and the spirit, with one of the most uniquely poignant faces I have ever seen. He is a living, breathing work of art, and his portrayal of Bran Stark is utterly faultless.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau… I was initially extremely disappointed with this casting – vain though it might sound, I simply did not think him sufficiently handsome for the role of Jaime, and the same goes for Lena Headey as Cersei (though here I have not changed my mind, she was a terrible choice for Cersei in every respect). This being said, I must admit that he has managed to win me over completely with a subtly profound and profoundly subtle performance that has left me not merely hungry, but positively ravenous for more. Jaime is one of my favourite characters in ASoIaF, and Nikolaj has done him justice.
What can I say of Jerome Flynn’s Bronn? A more lovable rogue there never was – perfection.
Elyes Gable: for me, one of the best things about this show. Somehow, through a fearsome combination of talent and sheer will of power, he managed to make a fabricated language sound completely real. His exchange with Jorah the Andal (and later on, Irri) in the tent was an absolute delight. Gifted as he is gorgeous, I am looking forward to seeing more (much more, I should hope) of him in seasons to come.
Richard Madden: much like his character of Robb Stark, Richard has grown with the progression of the season, from a boy to a man to a KING. He is extremely good – good-looking, good actor, just good. I try not to think of season three-four and all that will befall his character, the thought of it STILL makes me cry – one of the darkest moments in this series so far.
Well…I could go on forever, but I will practice self-restraint and stop here. Gods, but it is hard.
LanaQuote Reply
Lana,
Just out of curiosity, what makes you think so?
fhanQuote Reply
that’s what I really love about this show… so many great characters played so well by so many talented actors, it is really hard to pick and choose. it’s a true ensemble piece.
but let’s remember Margaret John whose eery “my sweet summer child” was the first introduction to the series for so many readers and to the world of GoT for so many non-readers. Now, whenever GoT comes to my mind, I hear her voice . Rest in peace sweet summer child.
I also think that having Jack Gleeson among the magnificent seven is a great choice – a bottom I support full heartedly (is that even a word?). I think he (and to a lesser extent Sophie) does not get the love from the fans he deserves (at least compared to Maisie and Isaac) because he plays King Joffrey bleeping Baratheon so bleeping well. Amazing guy.
marzmanQuote Reply
I want honorable mention to Ian Gelder (awesome name BTW) and Kate Dickie. I could really see the little brother trying to please in Kevan. And Lysa was just as deliciously bat-crazy as she should be. Kudos!
SidQuote Reply
look what I came across at the GoT subreddit:
GAME OF THRONES Actress Quits Show After Nudity Dispute in Season Two
I was not even aware that they had cast a mistress for “the king” (I guess that would be joffrey?).
marzmanQuote Reply
fhan,
Everything. Her inexplicable passivity (Cersei is NEVER passive, even when she is passive) and annoying monotony of speech; her constant sulkiness (where is the vain, snappish, sometimes coquettish, ofttimes foolish Lannister Lioness?); her aloofness and rigidity; most importantly, I did not for a second believe that she cares a straw for Jaime (granted, I don’t really believe that she loves him at all, rather it is her own reflection in masculine form that she admires and craves, but still…);- I simply don’t understand her understanding of this character. And as for her physicality… Lena Headey is an attractive woman, but she is NO Cersei Lannister. In the hands of a truly competent actress, this character would have been one of the most riveting, but she feels as flat as a pancake. As Andy of Little Britain fame would say, I don’t like it!
LanaQuote Reply
marzman,
This has been discussed to death in the comments section. She was basically just an extra. That’s it. She made a much bigger deal out of her role than was warranted, HBO got mad, and I’m sure she’s trying to spin her departure the best way possible.
If this woman ever makes it big, you watch how fast she takes her top off onscreen. Guarantee it’ll be one of her first five roles.
Josh ParkerQuote Reply
Screaming from the Rafters indeed!!! I would say for me, it was undoubtedly Harry Lloyd as the biggest surprise in the book to screen translation. I almost wanted to change my name to Viserys Blues!
However, your other selections are valid ones, too.
I think Susan Brown also did an outstanding job in what I figured would be a ‘throw-away’ role. Her final walk, when protecting Sansa and giving her time to flee, was truly a triumph of class and drama.
I read all the complaints about Michelle Fairley, and I noticed that she wasn’t a Transformers hottie, but I thought she represented a normal woman well. But I would wait until she got onscreen to reserve final judgment – and when she got on screen, I was quite happy. She was a great Cat. I can’t imagine anyone else in that role, now.
I’m glad you included Jack G., because he doesn’t seem to get any fan love. And I think it’s because he’s TOO GOOD AT HIS ROLE, if that’s any consolation to the actor. He is SOOO Joffrey that he makes me wince every time I see his smarmy little blond self on screen!
purplejillyQuote Reply
I have to add Ian McElhinney as Ser Barristan. He was awesome in the few scenes he had, and I can’t wait to see more of him.
Jerome Flynn as Bronn is my new favorite person :)
Shadowcat85Quote Reply
Lana,
You know who could have done Cersei extremely well? Rosamund Pike- gorgeous and very underrated. I’m still not 100% sold on Lena, but she’s a fair actress and maybe just needs another season under her belt.
Shadowcat85Quote Reply
I really like Lena Headey, she is a really good actress, but I think she need to read AffC to step up her game with Cersei.
SidQuote Reply
Joffrey and Viserys were both even better on-screen than they were in the book IMO. So there’s my top 2!
BoomshakalakaQuote Reply
Dinklage is in one of my favorite movies of all time, The Station Agent.
I had not heard of all of the actors outside of Dinklage, prior to seeing the show.
Iain Glenn’s character is different then the book (really different from DwD) but he was by far my favorite character on the show with Nikolaj a close second.
JenQuote Reply
Just watched Batman Begins again last night by chance, first time since the show aired. Whole time Gleeson was onscreen I was thinking “Kill him, Batman! Kill him!!!”
That’s right, he’s like 8 in that movie, and I wanted him to die. This show has done awful things to me.
So, yeah, Gleeson takes the cake for me – he was awesome.
OhDanyBoyQuote Reply
Miltos Yeromelou (Syrio Forel), he was totally different to the Syrio in my head, and to me his last scene with Arya was the one I was waiting the most from the first book, and he truly delivered, and he was great in all the other ones and so was Maisie for that matter.
JossQuote Reply
1. Michelle Fairley. She’s my number one actor/actress in both this list and the general best actor list. Just outstanding. Her acting doesn’t feel like acting. And she looks perfect. Yes, perfect. Ofcourse she’s not too old – if she is, Sean Bean is too.
2. Isaac Hempstead Wright. Somewhat similar to Fairley, actually. In that he has a very natural acting style. Many kids tend to overact, but he feels like an experienced actor. So perfect for Brans “old soul”.
3. Jack Gleeson. Many people might grimace and holler at the screen by the sight of him, but I just smile. He’s so deliciously evil, twisted and a slimy coward to top it off. To make so many people just hate a boy that (at least looks like) 14, – really just a kid – is pretty strong. I just can’t friggin wait to see what he can and will do in season 2.
4. Jason Momoa. Yeah. I didn’t really expect that much from him, but he was just perfect. He actually made this cartoonish ultramacho character work without looking silly. Just badass.
So many great actors. I kinda want to mention all/most of them.
sjweningsQuote Reply
I imagined Rosamund while reading and hoped she would get the role when I saw the series was coming. Also I have been a bit disappointed by Lena’s Cersei, which stinks because she seems a lovely person.
JillianQuote Reply
Love Eugene Simon’s Lancel. I think he’s awesome and can’t wait to see what he does with Lancel’s transformation from Cersei’s boytoy to religious ascetic. Every scene he has with Robert was classic, and then we got that surprise set up of him in Cersei’s bedroom toward the end of the season. He’s done a memorable job with that part.
Jerome Flynn’s Bronn – much more likeable than the Bronn in the novels, who was a lot harsher and more self serving. Who’d've expected that comic talent to pop out in unexpected scenes in the show?
Harry Lloyd – awesome, and I thought he would be the first time we saw him in costume in the stills. He was a MUCH more understandable Viserys – you loathed him and yet felt sorry for him. Novel Viserys was an out and out villain, but Lloyd brought greyer shades to him that made you feel more for this man who so wanted to rule but who was soooo not cut out for it. REALLY sorry that he won’t be continuing in future seasons. Could they get him to play a young Aerys in flashback, maybe? :)
Jason Momoa – he LOOKED terrific from the start but I was a bit worried about those BayWatch acting credentials. Again, I liked his Khal Drogo more than the Khal in the novel (honeymoon scene not withstanding).
Iain Glen – his Mormont is so much wiser (and with just a hint of sad underneath) than book Jorah that you wonder how he’s going to pull off the betrayal scene with Dany – you just have to like him!. Again, different than the book in looks, but a wonderfully fresh portrayal.
Donald Sumpter – an absolutely fabulous Maester Luwin. An utterly grey little man with a weary gravitas and quiet wisdom, but underneath you know he has a fierce devotion to the Stark kids.
Jamie Sives – I never had a clear picture of Jory Cassell in the novels, but Jamie made a great right hand man to Ned. I wish his death scene had more of the melancholy feel that the scene did in the novel, but I was still so sorry to see him go.
Runners up for me: Loved Emun Elliot’s Marillion. He had just the right amount of cocky bravado whenever he saw a chance to earn a buck – and his scene in the courtroom before Joffrey…man!
Joseph Mawles – again, benjen was not a character I visualized well but Mawles really brought him to life for me. Liked his scenes with Jon on the Wall.
Pyp and Grenn – when they aged up all the characters, I was not sure how well the boys on the wall would translate, but these two are perfect. Looking forward to seeing more of them next season…
persephone88Quote Reply
For me it was all the unknown quantities who had the biggest impact. I’ve seen what the likes of Sean Bean, Lena Heady, Mark Addy, Peter Dinklage, NCW etc etc ad infinitum are capable of on-screen, but the ones who completely blew me away were the likes of “the kids” and Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Richard Madden and John Bradley-West. Maisie Williams absolutely blew me away; she *is* Arya. Isaac nailed Bran perfectly – that scene where he rides Dancer round the woods made me melt because I completely believed the happiness of that moment – and Sophie is just gorgeous as Sansa; there’s a vulnerability to her but a steely core as well – can’t wait to see what she does as the series progresses. Emilia…well, what can you say? Her first role out of drama school – you would never have believed it. I thought Kit was amazing as Jon (nothing to do with his looks, I swear!!) and the scenes between him and John at the Wall were fantastic. I’m looking forward to the whole Sam-Gilly storyline even more now because I think John has the character down brilliantly.
Honourable mentions to Jerome Flynn, obviously – it took me ages to believe Bronn was *the* Jerome Flynn – and to Jason Momoa for making Drogo more than the one-dimensional character he had the potential to be. Also to Alfie Allen and Harry Lloyd – I saw Harry in Robin Hood and Alfie in Casualty and wasn’t sure…I stand happily corrected. oh, and Michelle Fairley, because she was brilliant.
Yeah, that’s probably more than seven…
KeziaQuote Reply
My top 5:
Jack Gleeson – I was screaming at the tv “Hit him again Tyrion!”
Mark Addy – Perfect as Robert Baratheon, titles titles.
Peter Vaughan – Maester Aemon, one of my favorite characters in the books.
Kate Dickie – I have Buckcherry’s “Crazy Bitch” in my head forever now!
Charles Dance – Tywin is only going to get better, a very scary thought.
AngelaQuote Reply
My expectations are always too high but I guess I was surprised by these:
Iain Glen.. there was a movie magic moment in a later episode that took me off guard and actually made me want to see more Dany scenes.
Jack Gleeson… can’t really describe how amazed I am by all his scenes in King’s Landing.
Sophie Turner.. excellent casting and she well exceeded my expectations.
Rory McCann because although he was almost non existent, his (barely there) presence to me, hit a resonating “The Hound” note. Though the fight with his bro was a waste of film.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s delivery of that one line “..things I do for love..” is a ray of light; it seems to perfectly contain the essence of Jaime. In a scene where I dully knew what was going to happen, that sentence pretty much justified the entire episode. I truly believe that during his audition, all he had to say was that one line to get the role.
Epic AwesomesauceQuote Reply
These are all awesome! But what about Mark Addy?? Wasn’t everyone pissed when he was initially cast?
NancyPantsQuote Reply
best surprises…
michelle fairley was my least excited for casting because she replaced jennifer ehle who i loved in pride and prejudice. catelyn is one of my favorite characters and michelle definitely delivered.
richard madden and kit harington were also ones i doubted. i understood why everyone needed to be aged up but i liked it the least in these cases. i ended up loving both of them very much.
bleghkQuote Reply
I’ve got to go
1) Jack Gleeson
2) Conleth Hill
3) Harry Lloyd
4) Donald Sumpter
5) Jerome Flynn
6) Ian McElhinney
7) Dar Salim
with an honorable mention to Mia Soteriou, all of them elevated their characters from the source material in my opinion and all were welcome surprises.
dizzy_34Quote Reply
Jack Gleeson deserves an emmy.
Dickon ManwoodyQuote Reply
I wasnt really skeptical about anyone and I think the casting for the show is as close to perfect as it can get. Harry and Richard really brought something more to their roles than was in the books. The only one I feel meh about is Emilia. She’s so wooden at times, especially in her line delivery. I
JennQuote Reply
NancyPants,
I think he’s at the top of my list.
I also was concerned that Ned would come across as too prickly or humorless. It wasn’t Sean Bean I was concerned about. Any actor would have caused me to wonder if he could make Ned relatable or likeable.
Bean passed that test with flying colors.
Josh ParkerQuote Reply
Amrita, Amrita, Amrita… I know I sound like a total douche, but damn I want to marry that girl! Best surprise of season 1 with Elyes Gabel.
KnurkQuote Reply
haha, I had no idea Alfie was Lily Allen’s brother…I feel like a putz. I’m a Gleeson however, and Jack is not my brother so it’s not entirely an obvious conlusion to reach.
I loved Bronn and our man Syrio. AS far as acting goes, Sansa played her part perfectly.
my fave would have to be Barristan not so much for season 1 but for how epic he will be going forward
KingthlayerQuote Reply
Hello Persephone88. I also hope to see an transformation of Lancel Lannister. But first, the series should show a couple of sex scenes. Never has the opportunity to see a boy-toy having sex with a mature woman. Do you think the series will show a sex scene?
Some people make fun of Eugene Simon, but I think he is doing a good job.
改進Quote Reply
What about Aiden Gillen? He was bang-on for the Littlefinger I saw in my imagination. Mark Addy and Sean Bean were no surprises because both are such accomplished actors. I also wasn’t at all surprised with the young unknowns because Nina Gold would never have chosen them if they weren’t stellar. There are just so many outstanding performances in this show that it’s almost impossible to pick a favorite but perhaps that would be Conleth Hill because he was so far from how I imagined him.
PuzzlnutQuote Reply
改進,
yeahhhh… I totally agree with you.
julandroQuote Reply
julandro, please don’t post comments under different names as if they are separate people. That is a form of spamming.
Winter Is ComingQuote Reply
Sorry, it was my brother. He mocks me :( hahahahahahahaah I mean seriously
julandroQuote Reply
You can delete my last comment.
julandroQuote Reply
The idiot me warning that a Chinese had commented about Lancel. He was my brother!
julandroQuote Reply
Joss,
Yey for Syrio! Actor did a fantastic job with what he had, I have his scenes playing on Youtube in a loop. What a fantastic, memorable performance.
AlexQuote Reply
Robert, “Yellow-haired shits”
Varys, “Do you lie awake at night, dreaming of my gash?”
Joff, “Until I command you otherwise.”
Bran, “I wish I were dead.”
Sam, “I always wanted to be a wizard.”
Hodor, “Hodor.”
Osha, “They weren’t gone, old man. They was sleepin, and they ain’t sleepin no more.”
Bronn, “You wouldn’t know ‘im.”
Mord, “You want free? Go be free.”
But the winner is Harry Lloyd, because Viserys never loses.
“What did I buy you for?”
the goatQuote Reply
I aprove of the list and the honourable mentions.
Yes, I am on the Ros bandwagon. I must say that I liked what Esme Bianco did with a role that does not even exist in the books. It could have been just mere eye-candy, but Ros’s character as played by Bianco is more, much more. She is also an astute and smart girl who knows how to navigate a world like Westeros which is much more trecherous, brutal, merciless and dangerous for women in general, but especially for one in her trade.
I really liked the scene when she is leaving Winterfel and has that brief exchange with Theon…she states so matter-of-factly that war is coming and that there is nothing left for her but to move on, a simple enough statement, but it is embued by Bianco with a subtle but noticeable foreknowledge underlined by the weariness of one who had seen such things once too often.
And, yes…I did like the brothel scene, not just for the visuals, which I must say I object to not at all, but also the way it played out. The heightened passion and sexuality displayed by Esme Bianco and Sahara Knite is the perfect juxtaposition and background for Aidan Gilenn’s (Littlefinger’s) impressive monologue, it adeptly projects Littlefinger’s own lustful passion, boundless ambition and smouldering anger, all masterfully concealed behind a mask of calm, cool and collected demeanour.
Bianco’s performance imbues Ros with a certain liveliness, sexuality and raunchiness, that are not over-the-top or ridiculous, but belong to a woman who has seen and lived through many things, a woman who can be sexy, but also charming, street-smart and world-weary. Couldn’t have asked for more from Esme Bianco. I know she has many critics and detractors, but I stand by her and appreciate her as part of the cast. Esme Bianco as an actress is as much part of the cast of “Game Of Thrones” as any of the other actors, and her character blends seamlessly with the world of “Game Of Thrones”. I really hope she comes back to the show.
Now, I’m really interested to see what Sibel Kekili will do with her role. What I’ve seen so far, I’ve liked.
loco73Quote Reply
My biggest surprises were as follows:
Conleth Hill as Varys
Charles Dance as Tywin
Isaac Hempstead-Wright as Bran
Maisie Williams as Arya
Donald Sumpter as Maester Luwin
Jack Gleeson as King Joffrey
Peter Vaughan as Maester Aemon
Red BeddingQuote Reply
A really hard question for me, for a number of reasons. I read the books (almost my second anniversary, sniffle) when I heard there was going to be a TV series with IAIN GLEN, for whom I’d had a crush since “Mountains of the Moon”. So I’m forced to take him out of the contest, since he wasn’t a surprise :D I have read only some sporadic comment in this thread and may get back to him later when I’ve jotted down my fresh thoughts, but I don’t find TV-Jorah so different from book-Jorah. Physically he is (but on this show who isn’t, LOL); however I’m not sure he portrays the perfect knight. He LOOKS like one, but I’m waiting to see what happens when the horse manure hits the fan in S2.
Another problem is that famous actors were often for me a surprise because I was not familiar with their work, case in point Dinklage or Flynn. Also, I tend to be influenced by my liking or disliking the character, so for example Gillen is an awesome actor but I’m not fond of LF. Moreover, most of the “young” actors (Madden, Harington, Allen) are for me in that Uncanny Valley where they are not cute kids anymore but not attractive as, cough, men closer to my age group.
And finally, I think the acting on this show is almost uniformly top-notch, so choosing 7 people is the 7 hells. I’ll try choosing 10. Enough with blah blah, here’s the List! (the order is a bit random)
10. Sibell Kekilli. I know I’m in the minority but I loved her Shae much more than in the books.
9. Jerome Flynn. Sheer delight!
8. James Cosmo. At first he struck me as too old. He grew into his furs, and how!
7. John Bradley-West. A very difficult part, and he made Sam sympathetic and huggable. He and the rest of the Night Watch Support Group made a great background for Jon’s angst. (ok, cheating here.)
6. Miltos Yerolemou, the “Italian Sword Master”. Not today!
5. Jamie Sives. Oh, Jory.
4. Ian McElhinney. He had all the dignity, hurt pride, badassery and a certain hotness that belong to Barristan the Bold.
3. NCW. I didn’t expect someone to grasp all Jaime’s nuances already in S1. I understand it can also be the work of directors and producers, but he had me at “The things I do for love” – exactly how Jaime had played that scene in my mind (except for the doggy style).
2. Peter Dinklage. As I said he was a surprise to me; I’m not worried by the accent because I’m not a native English speaker, and he is the perfect Tyrion for me.
1. Michelle Fairley. She was already one of my faves in the books, and I found her beautiful, vulnerable, charismatic. I’d follow her through the Seven Hells. *shudders*
Honourable mention for Rory McCann and what he might show in the future.
Blackfish BluesQuote Reply
For me, Jerome Flynn as Bronn was the most impressive of all. The fight scene with Ser Vardis was one of a kind. All fight scenes in all movies or whatever look the same but not this one. Bronn was cool as hell.
This actor surprised me the most of all.
BalerionQuote Reply
I didn’t know any of the actors FaB picked before the show, so I can’t say that I was disappointed at the casting and then surprised (and delighted) by the reality. What I can say is that there were certain actors that fleshed out my view of the characters from the novels in unexpected (and delightful) ways.
1. Jerome Flynn. I had/have no idea who he was, but any actor that doesn’t fade to inconsequentialness(?) when paired with Dinklage earns my respect.
2. NCW. That man just IS Jamie. His is the performance I am most looking forward to watching in upcoming episodes/seasons.
3. Jack Gleeson. Seems to me Joffrey would be one of the trickest parts to cast. An arrogant, entitled, good-looking, charming sociopath that is not a cartoon and, oh, yea, it has to be a kid. Gleeson is pure Gold.
There are a few, however, that to me do not meet the Gold standard and I kinda don’t get all the praise. I am not saying they were bad per se, only that they didn’t match nuanced skill level of others. I am cringing to even list them for fear of a mob outburst by I would include:
1. Michelle Fairley. On the fence about her. I was never sympathetic to her in the novels and I remain unsympathetic from the show. Does that mean she was good or bad in the role?
2. Lena Headley. Every time she was on screen part of me would be disconnected. Just don’t see Cersei in her. I totally agree with the person who posted that she should read the books.
3. Pretty much everyone across the narrow sea except for the “natives” so to speak. Emilia Clarke, Henry Lloyd (except for the crowning scene, when I thought he was pretty marvelous) and Iain Glen. Again, not bad, but not nearly as good as their company. Sorry.
AssuntaQuote Reply
lol …. I liked the actor but after seeing some clips of his earlier work when his casting was announced, his interpretation of Syrio did not come as a surprise at all.
The most surprising aspect from him is how down to earth and unafraid he is. He posted here several times, in these jungles of wild fandom.
Epic AwesomesauceQuote Reply
WOW, I would say the biggest surprise would be MARK ADDY as Robert. I thought this was the worst casting choice ever made. BUt once I saw the show, it was by far the most surprising. He was FLIPPING BRILLIANT!!!!!! and deserves an Emmy.
Jeff CaryQuote Reply
I knew his awesomeness was going to be…awesome. You should try some of his other work. he really is a great actor.
WinterdarkQuote Reply
Every time I see Joffrey’s goofy grin in the background of Ned’s execution, I marvel at just how perfect Gleeson is in the role.
Delta1212Quote Reply
Winterdark,
Did you see him in “Your Highness” as Danny McBride and James Frano’s Father? LOL that was hilarious!!!!!!!
Jeff CaryQuote Reply
1. Sean Bean – I liked Bean as actor before, but I was full of doubt how would the image of Ned in myhead fit with Bean.
He was perfect.
2. Natalia Tena – Osha is so different in the books – Natalia nailed the role in some special ways. Her scene with Stumper and Allen gave me chills.
3. Jack Gleeson – the kid was fantastic….brrrrr
4. Jerome Flynn – Great Bronn
5. and 6. Achaira and Gabel
7. Michele Fairley – simply beacuse I did not know what to expect from her
The RabbitQuote Reply
Yes indeed, there were a number of people who did fantastically that I couldn’t count, simply because people were already telling me how good they were. Kit was getting early raves as far back as the first moot, for example, and John Bradley seemed to impress GRRM even before we saw a single clip of Sam. Add Conleth Hill to that list, and Lena…
I suppose Mark Addy could have made the surprise list, but I always thought that would be a great hire. I’ve seen him in Falstaffian roles before.
Should definitely add Dar Salim to the list. He surprised me. His Qotho was both realistic and deadly.
Fire And BloodQuote Reply
I was surprised that Clarke is so awful in GoT, if that counts. I was very hopeful when I saw the poor cute victim commercials when it was announced she would replace TM (which was one of the most surprising events last year). But to her credit, the worst part about her is the wig and makeup. Her second rate acting doesn’t help either. I heard a rumor that she is a better actor now 0.o …I’m sure she is a wonderful person in private life.
Epic the SuezillaQuote Reply
Actually, no I’ll try to catch it. Last movie I saw him in was going postal. He was a great Vetinari. Even better than Jeremy Irons. He was terrifying but also laugh out loud funny in that role. First time I saw him was in Last Action hero which is a pretty lame movie imo but Dance was great in it. Then years later I saw the pilot of Murder Rooms, which is a great series btw, and I was just in awe of just how epic he was. So menacing. I really hated him (well his character anyway) Been a fan of him ever since.
WinterdarkQuote Reply
The cast of the first season was so perfect that it’s almost impossible to make any “best of” list that has fewer than 20 names.
I was particularly impressed with the following:
- Donald Sumpter, his Maester Luwin IMO the best secondary character in the first season.
- Conleth Hill, just how I imagined Varys.
- Jack Gleeson.
- Amrita Acharia and Elyes Gabel, hopefully we’ll see more of them and their rough barbarian romance in further seasons.
- Jerome Flynn, again – just like I imagined Bronn.
- Owen Teale, portraying the man who can make Gunnery Sergeant Hartmann cry.
Alexander DubrovskyQuote Reply
One of the biggest surprises for me was Mark Addy. I mean, I knew he was a decent actor and all… but I was afraid that he would make Robert somewhat… Flinstonish, if you know what I mean. Also, I knew, Addy was good at playing drunks, but then again… Robert is not just a drunk, is he? He is like… an ogre. He has different layers.
All the kids(ranging 0-30 years), who are usually the weakest link, were awesome. Except for that stable boy… but, hell, he was dissed enough in the past. That scene was a fail hugely due to bad editing.
Miltos, who i never heard of before, also rocked the show. He was pretty mach on par with the book version of Syrio(which is a huge compliment). At some points he was even awesomer(which, I know, is not a word).
Owen Teale also has to be mentioned. At first I was skeptical about the recast, because Derek Halligan looked spot on for the role… But Teale’s a bit more human version of Alliser Thorne was very good.
Another I was skeptical about is Kate Dickie. Mainly because she looks so different than Lysa Arryn is described in the books. Again… I was wrong. She was so spot on hysterical and creepy in the series… seriously… breastfeeding a tenyearold? O.O
Ian Gelder as Kevan was also a good call by Nina Gold. At first I thought he looked so much older than Tywin Lannister, but the series excelently depicted ser Kevan as an a bit tired little brother, who has spent his whole lifetime in his brother’s shadow obbeying his every command.
Lastly, Clive Mantle. That laugh was crazy.
PepiQuote Reply
Very hard this one for me. The truth is that I know most of the actors so I was not surprised by their excellent performances.
I liked almost everyone who I didn´t know before and would be fair to name them all …but if I must choose I´ll say:
Conleth Hill
Jack Gleeson
Harry Lloyd
Jerome Flynn
All the children even Robin “The Lactic”
John Bradley
and Michelle Farley. She made me hate Catelyn as much as I hate her in the books (stupid, stupid woman).
Two separate cases for me are Lena and NCW. I knew her and think she´s good actress
but I don´t like her Cersei (too intellectual, lacks passion and madness). About NCW : I knew him very little but his Jaime is perfect and subtle… I would not have liked him so much without that nose btw.
Something I can not help saying because I love Joseph Mawle long before: The man doesn´t need to talk … he´s a Stark to the bone.
andreaQuote Reply
Winterdark,
In response to Charles Dance as Tywin:
Yes, I’d heard the name before but GoT was the first time I had seen him in anything. I just felt, regardless of his reputation, that he perfectly captured the essence of Tywin. And according to Coster-Waldau, he was totally in character the moment he set foot on stage. May not have been much of a surprise to those of you who were already familiar with his work, but he surprised me nonetheless. Pretty impressive in any case.
Red BeddingQuote Reply
Michelle FTW!!!!!
Andrea SpencerQuote Reply
I’d also like to concur with the sentiment that an actor who can inspire as much hatred as Jack Gleeson’s King Joffrey is doing a pretty good job of it. King Joffrey could very well become the new standard by which on-screen villains are judged (i.e. Did you see that evil SOB in that new movie? Yeah, he was pretty good, but I didn’t hate him half as much as I hated Prince Joffrey).
Red BeddingQuote Reply
I agree with FaBio’s list above, but would like to add Conleth Hill as a wonderful surprise. He didn’t match my image of the character very well when announced for the part. Varys is not an easy character to play. Conleth Hill does Varys perfectly.
LangkardQuote Reply
OT, but British TV pundit Will Self (who occasionally publishes not-very-good novels) has penned a somewhat strange profile/interview with Emilia Clarke here:
http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/09/getting-medieval/
Basically he slags off the show, slags off her acting, and tells us about how he met and interviewed her, but then doesn’t relate any of the interview. After making frequent remarks about Clarke’s looks during the profile he then signs off by suggesting that people don’t perv over her.
Bizarre.
Adam WhiteheadQuote Reply
Adam Whitehead,
but that picture makes up for everything, all day I’m drooling over it.
KnurkQuote Reply
Jack Gleeson was THE breakout performance of Season 1.
Strong BelwasQuote Reply
I vote for Mark Addy. Not because he was able to rise to the level that the character required – but because he blew right past it and turned Robert Baratheon, who is written as a pretty two-dimensional figure in the books (unlike, say Jaime or Catelyn) and created something completely human, charming, disgusting, intimidating, tender…
Ser SkwisgaardQuote Reply
Top 10
1. Sean Bean and Peter Dinklage (TIE). I knew they would be great, but both surpassed my highest hopes. I can’t see anyone else in the roles. They were the MVP’s of the season. Dinklage should win the Emmy next week, and Bean should have at least been nominated.
2. Emilia Clarke. So damn good as Daenerys, and had one of the best arcs of the season. Even more impressive when you consider that this is her first major role.
3. Aidan Gillen. Great as Littlefinger, and embodied one of the most complex characters on the show. You can never tell what side he’s really on. To compare GoT with Lost, he’s the Ben Linus of the show.
4. Kit Harington. Made Jon Snow into perhaps the most likable characters on the show (save Tyrion)
5. Maisie Williams. The strongest actor of the kids on the show, and made Arya so damn loveable.
6. Michelle Fairley. Wonderful as Catelyn, and her scenes with Bean and Madden in particular were great.
7. Charles Dance. His introduction scene with the stag sealed his place on the list.
8. Jerome Flynn. A perfect foil to Dinklage, and his comic timing was spot-on.
9. Conleth Hill. So creepy yet intriguing, as Varys should be. And his little duels with Gillen were among my favorite scenes.
10. Lena Headey. Very good as Cersei, and made me loathe her almost every time she appeared.
Honorable Mention: Jack Gleeson. One of the most despicable characters ever, and yet so well acted, which is a welcome contrast to despicable characters who we are supposed to like yet we hate and are poorly acted as well. It takes a lot of a skill to be so hated, yet not become a cartoon, and I hope Joffrey gets his (hopefully) inevitable comeuppance.
Andrew EngQuote Reply
For me, the revelation was Ian McElhinney as Ser Barristan Selmy. The scene where he furiously storms out of the throne room is one of the best in the season, in my opinion, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing more of him, especially when the series gets up to Dance.
SimBenQuote Reply
Great list and I agree with them all. Here are mine:
1. Michelle Fairley as Catelyn – Count me as one who was very worried about this casting. I knew nothing about Fairley and so I was basing my opinion solely on the very unflattering pictures of her on the web that made her look years older and so frumpy. Fairley is quite beautiful (those eyes!) and so talented. I had a knot in my stomach when she made Bran promise not to climb anymore, my heart ached when she and Ned kissed for the last time, and I couldn’t hold back my tears when she comforted Robb after Ned’s death. And I love that scene between Jaime and Catelyn—so powerful.
2. Emilia Clarke as Dany Targaryen – While I knew Emilia was beautiful from her photos, I was worried about her taking on such an important role considering she was an unknown actress fresh out of drama school. But my goodness, she became Dany. I also love that Emilia really understood the character, which I believe made the transformation from innocent, powerless little girl to full-on warrior woman all the more believable. That final scene where Dany is holding her dragon babies is perhaps my favorite scene of the series. She says so much without even speaking.
3. Richard Madden as Robb Stark – This was a huge surprise. Robb starts out as this sort of background character relegated to popping into Bran’s or Catelyn’s scenes just to remind us of his existence. Things changed dramatically when Ned was captured and suddenly Robb became the leader of House Stark. He had to win over the north men, which he did in a comedic scene with the assistance of Grey Wind and then head into battle. That bittersweet scene where the battle is won but he can’t take much pleasure considering the men he had to sacrifice to win—I can’t remember his line, but it was very powerful. Kudos to the writers for giving Madden some of the best lines of the season, which Madden absolutely nailed. I got chills when the north men chanted King of the North. My favorite scene is where he embraces Catelyn and we are reminded that he’s just a boy.
4. Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark. Yes, you read that right. I’m praising Sansa. Seriously, this young actress took a character who is very easy to dislike—even hate—and do a complete 180 by the end of the series. My favorite scene comes at the end of the series where she’s on the bridge with Joffrey and The Hound. After a painful introduction to the hell her life has become she gets this cold look in eyes where you know she’s considering pushing Joffrey to his death—and you’re hoping she does it, even though you know she won’t. Sophie really understands her character and I think she said in an interview that if you hate Sansa, then she’s doing her job. You are supposed to hate Sansa…in the beginning. It makes her arc that much more interesting, taking her from this spoiled little brat to a tragic, yet ultimately powerful character.
5. Isaac Ian Hempstead as Bran. I can’t praise this young actor enough. I’m always a little skeptical about child actors, and considering Bran’s among my favorite characters in the series, I was especially nervous about them getting this right. They sure did. The kid can say so much with his eyes and a change in his tone of voice. He’s not only handsome and adorable, but incredibly talented. Every scene we got with Bran was a treat because his story is so rich. I mean, in a way his fall from that window basically sets everything in motion for the series, at least most of the events that affect House Stark. I can’t wait to see his story play out on screen because it only gets better. Favorite scene: Maester Luwin giving an angry Bran his lessons and Bran bringing up House Tully’s words—family, duty, honor—he’s clearly hurt that his mom has left him. He could have thrown a temper tantrum, but I think this was much more effective.
6. Jason Momoa as Khal Drogo. Despite being one of only two American actors, I was not familiar with Momoa other than seeing him briefly on Stargate while flipping channels and thinking, “who’s this hot man?”. Drogo was already a favorite character, but Jason actually made Drogo even more awesome. That speech he gave—in Dothraki!—was gold. The moment when he crowned Viserys—was one of the few “hell yes!” victories of the season. Not only was he brilliant in the series, but Jason is arguably the most entertaining member of the cast off screen. He’s hilarious in interviews and seems to genuinely love the project. I’m on board with GRRM resurrecting Drogo or, D&D recasting him as another character. PS—I hope to see the “haka” performance that got him the part.
7. Natalia Tena (Osha) – Tena seems a little nutty in interviews, but she’s seriously awesome as everyone’s favorite captured wildling woman. I love every moment she’s on screen, from when she stands up to Theon despite being in chains to when she’s speaking with Bran in the godswood.
Honorable mentions:
-The dragons -Yeah, they’re CG—but incredibly impressive CG. I love their design and the screeching sounds they make are so eerie.
DreamlifeQuote Reply
Shadowcat85,
I agree with you that she is a gifted actress, and a beautiful woman, but I somehow can’t see her as Cersei – a bit too soft for it, I think. Physically, I would say, Charlize Theron has the right look for the queen; there is something distinctly feline about her features, and her colouring is right, down to the green eyes. That being said, I am not a fan of her acting, and at the end of the day it’s the acting skills that really count, no matter how beautiful the actress. I don’t know, it’s a tricky one…
LanaQuote Reply
Lana,
It is. Cersei reminds me of Emma Frost in a way. Too gorgeous for words and extremely complicated. It’s hard to find an actress that can fill the looks and acting category. For me, no one can fit the beauty image described in the books/comics so the acting is vital. Charlize is a great choice physically, but I agree with you, her acting is hit or miss for me. I’ve always been impressed with Rosamund though even in Die Another Day.
Shadowcat85Quote Reply
In no particular order:
1. Jack Gleeson
2. Natalia Tena
3. Isaac Hempstead-Wright
4. Alfie Allen
5. Iain Glen
6. Harry Lloyd
7. Conleth Hill
P.S. What a gorgeous pic of Michelle Fairley. And a weird one of Alfie! Shouldn’t be surprised there though. :L
BroQuote Reply
Uh…what? Sorry, can’t get past that photo of NCW. Good lord.
LuanaQuote Reply
Jerome Flynn–Could not have been done any better. He is Bronn.
Owen Teale–I’ve said it before, but I really liked the humanity Teale brought to this character, who I always hated in the books. I actually kind of ADMIRED him in the show though. Credit goes to the writers as well, but really, his performance is stellar.
Isaac Hempstead Wright — I could hardly care less about book-Bran. Poor IHW given a character that I found so boring in the books. But he’s such a charming kid, I’ve ended up quite liking his scenes.
Jason Momoa–took what could have been a fairly one-note standard grunting role and stole every scene.
Emilia Clarke–I had my doubts about her for awhile. We kept seeing clips where she seemed too stiff. But especially as the season progressed, she emerged as probably THE breakout star of the show.
Richard Madden–Robb’s almost a non-entity in the early goings in the books, to their detriment, IMO. Even in the show it seemed for awhile they weren’t giving him the chance to really shine. But when they focused on him in the closing episodes, well–he was brilliant. Can’t wait to see his expanded role in the next season.
I could mention Maisie Williams, but by the time the show started we had all learnt how talented she was. So the ‘surprise’ wasn’t there. That’s also the case with most of the main cast, for me. I wasn’t worried about Jaime, or Viserys, or Jon Snow, or most of the other main roles, because we’d been seeing the previews all along, seeing just how GOOD they all were.
Honorable mentions:
Susan Brown–LOVED her final scene. The look on her face. So good.
Jamie Sives–He NAILED Jory. I thought he was perfectly cast.
Joseph Mawle–I wanted more Benjen scenes. He brought such charm to the role. I hope we see him again.
Iain Glenn. I have to agree. TV-Jorah is more compelling than books-Jorah.
MILTOS. How could I forget Miltos? His Syrio was absolutely one of the biggest high points of the show.
ZackQuote Reply
Other than Bean, Dinklage and Dance, I have never heard of any of these actors before. I also didn’t hear anything about casting and don’t cast as I read.
I thought just about all were great.
My favs:
Jon snow
Robb stark
Arya
Bran
Osha
Syrio
FicusFanQuote Reply
Other than Bean, Dinklage and Dance, I have never heard of any of these actors before. I also didn’t hear anything about casting and don’t cast as I read, so all/none were a surprise to me.
I thought just about all were great.
My favs:
Jon snow
Robb stark
Arya
Bran
Osha
Syrio
Shae
Really loved Cersei, don’t get all the complaints about her.
Thought Catelyn was fine as portrayed, but she is a nasty almost evil character and simply hate her.
Thought one of the worst most wooden, blank performances was Daenerys. Just baaaad. On reading stuff on-line it may be she was told to do that to go from vulnerable-innocent to empowered chic. If so, was a disservice to the poor actress cause all I get is she can’t act.
Edited – because I tried to cancel auto-correct and hit Publish button by mistake. Had to switch to laptop from Ipod to actually edit.
Ficus FanQuote Reply
Of the actors I was familiar with, I figured Bean and Dinklage would both nail their performances – and they did. Addy turned some great scenes when he was brooding (first kill chat/Cersei chat).
(Of the unfamiliar ones) The actors who most made me take notice and want to see more:
1) Joseph Mawle - Top of the list because his performance as Benjen was the one that spurred me to read the books… mostly hoping his character returns. Thanks to the writers for giving Benjen additional scenes that weren’t in the book. Mawle portrayed Benjen perfectly – the friendly Uncle in Winterfell, and the tough Ranger at the Wall, he gets bonus points from me for being one of the few actors who really knew how to ride a horse.
2) Charles Dance – Is there anyone out there he didn’t scare the Hell out of? And is it wrong I found his powerful/scary Tywin just a tad bit sexy?
3) Kit Harrington – What a way to start a film career. You lucky Bastard. Bonus points for being one of the few actors to read the books.
4) Maisie Williams – I’ll never forget the scene when the King’s entourage rides into Winterfell, and she’s running around with that half-helm on her head, then puckers her eyebrows together when Ned admonishes her. She just looked so young and tiny compared to where the season left off. Going to be something to watch the actress & character grow up.
5) Ian McElhinney – Nailed Barristan’s character. Can’t wait to see some more Selmy! No recasting, please!
6) Jerome Flynn – Who wouldn’t want this sellsword as their protector/companion? Tyrion and Bronn will go down in history as one of the great comic teams, like Laurel & Hardy, Abbott & Costello, Lucy & Ethel…
7) Jason Momoa – If I’d known earlier his credits included Baywatch, I’d have been very afraid of this choice, but his Drogo kicked butt. The fury with which he spit his Dothraki speech got my adrenaline pumping (and not just for the obvious reason). Wish we’d have had a few more fight scenes with him, but at least they wrote in one.
Susan CQuote Reply
He’s only 13 years older than Iain Glen, so playing that character’s father, he’s too young!
spacechampionQuote Reply
Wow, that picture of NCW. I’m a straight male and I still find that vaguely attractive.
I agree that the portrayal of Cersei in the show was a huge misstep. But I think it’s a little unfair to blame it all on Lena Headey, a large part of flat!Cersei is how the character was written.
PeltastQuote Reply
Ok so that’s not just me. I’m as hetero as they come but dayum.
John-Michael LelievreQuote Reply
Shared first place for me would be (indeed) Michelle Fairley and (of course you were completely wrong to not put him there!) Harry Lloyd. Both took roles I didn’t care much about in the books and through mere talent made them into great 3D characters.
Other than that, I agree with almost all of what you said, FaB.
Tar KidhoQuote Reply
Actually I find it a pity that they cast him for such a small role, in which he’s never really been able to show off his acting skills. Cut his hair, give him a longer beard, and bring him back as another character I’d say!
Tar KidhoQuote Reply
Although Old Nan only had a few lines in the show, I think her performance was one of the most gripping in the entire first season, wish she was up there instead of Septa!
DanQuote Reply
vikki,
Great job, vikki! :) thanks.
Hear Me RoarQuote Reply
Michelle Fairley tops the list for me. I didn’t know what to expect, and she blew my mind as Cat.
Hear Me RoarQuote Reply
LOL, yes! It was just my instinctive reaction – then again, Glen himself is some ten years older than his character and yet manages to look just right, age-wise.
Tar Kidho,
Oh yes, let’s recycle Jamie Sives… BUT THE PUPPY-DOG EYES WOULD STILL BE VISIBLE! *bawls*
On the other hand, maybe Jory’s injury received from Jaime was but a flesh wound…
Blackfish BluesQuote Reply
Yep, just like Viserys’s and Ned’s injuries! :-)
Tar KidhoQuote Reply
Based on what we know about how young it’s possible for people to get married in Westeros, and assuming that Mrs. Mormont might have been older, this is actually in the realms of possibility. Unlikely to implausible, perhaps, but not impossible. And of course Screen Jorah could be younger than Glen and Screen Jeor older than Cosmo. 2-3 years either way between them and its fine.
In fact, given the propensity for people in Westeros to marry at around about 15, I’m surprise we don’t see more generations in the same family than we do (aside from the Freys, of course).
Adam WhiteheadQuote Reply
HouseLark,
I agree, Emilla didn’t get mentioned. She is stunning.
EricQuote Reply
Chris77,
Typecast as what? Despicable prince, or just despicable human being?
And Eos, I think that she wasn’t over the top, when compared with Catelyn in the books. She actually made me like Catelyn a lot more, because she didn’t make Catelyn as mopey as she is in the books.
Julia MathiasQuote Reply
They could pull the same thing that Deadwood did with Garret Dillahunt. He was cast in 2 different roles in 2 different seasons and I never picked up on it until years later. It can be done.
DogmayorQuote Reply
This is my first time posting under this IP: I was Josh Atreides before, but due to the loss of that ip address (i lost my job) I am Joshua Taylor from now on.
Anyway, I thought overall everyone did a find job in their roles, and I think that Season 1 was really a touch and go/trial run so to speak on the series potential. Great season overall but there’s room for improvement in many facets of production.
My top 7:
Jack Gleeson
Joseph Mawle
Nicolaj Coster-Waldau
Michelle Fairley
Conleth Hill
Richard Madden
Aiden Gillen
(I knew Charles Dance would rock Tywin since I saw him in Bleak House)
Emilia wasn’t perfect but I found her convincing and will not pass judgment until another season is under her belt. The same with Lena, I think she could nail Cersei but I believe two key factors are holding her back (beyond not reading the books). .
1. Her pregnancy during Season 1. An obvious distraction for her which to me had an effect on her wardrobe. Cersei seems to be in a bathrobe the majority of the series. Rember in the early teaser where she’s walking down the hall, hair flowing and she smiles at a handsome guard THAT’s CERESEI. She needs more free flowing gowns, a better wig etc. A wardrobe adjustment in season 2 will make a great difference I think.
2. the writers are “holding back her character” because like many find Cersei as a bit of a cartoon. they want to portray a spiral into madness that has a more linear progression. They may up the ante on her a little bit next season, especially when she faces off with Tyrion. Too me Lena’s best Cersei moments are the ones she had with Sophie Turner. In fact her scene with Sansa at the Winterfell feast was the most Cersei like moment in the entire first season “hello little dove”. She needs to bring that in more I think.
I don’t know, I mean I like Lena Headey and I think she can pull off the character she just needs an injection of say…Atia from Rome maybe? Because face it were stuck with her, as we are with our Dany (sorry Emilia haters). I think Lena, like Clarke needs another season under her belt.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
I have to disagree with Michelle Fairley. I thought she was ok, but not great. I may even go so far as to say I was disappointed. (Maybe on my 2nd viewing of the show upon the DVD release my opinion might change) The friend of mine who got me hooked on ASoIF years ago claims his favorite character in the books to be Cat – he hates Michelle Fairley as Cat.
I’m surprised there’s no mention of Varys here. He took a character that I had a hard time imagining while reading the books and made him a favorite of mine. I appreciated having the TV Varys to imagine in my mind in the (EPIC!) finale scene in A Dance With Dragons.
IcebirdQuote Reply
Joshua Taylor,
Agree with you about Cersei’s wardrobe- it was all sorts of wrong. And her wigs were too flat and crimped. Changes to both of those could make a huge difference.
Shadowcat85Quote Reply
So gratified you mentioned Donald Sumpter. Having watched the seasons many times over, I focus on different actors at different times. His Maester Luwin has a gentle, warm gravitas that is a delight to see and hear. In Season 2 he will really shine, if you know where the story goes…
DigitalSerfQuote Reply
Also gotta give a shout out to Clive Mantle as Greatjon Umber. “THE KING IN THE NORTH!” You may realize that until GAME OF THRONES, the (arguably) greatest fantasy TV series ever was ROBIN OF SHERWOOD, and he was in that too, as Little John. What a titan of an actor and what a track record. You also gotta love the “fingers”/”bloody tough” scene which started Robb earning his respect from the legendary Northman.
DigitalSerfQuote Reply
I would have to say my favorite surprise was Richard Madden as Robb Stark. Yes, his face had me liking the character more than I did in the books, but the scene where he was mourning Ned broke my heart.
Spoiler- Book 3
Robb was an indifferent character for me in the books- Sure, I rooted for him because he was a Stark, but wasn’t heartbroken when he died. I figure Richard Madden’s performance will probably make Robb’s death the most powerful moment of the series
I was also impressed with Harry Lloyd’s Viserys for turning a character I hated into probably one of my favorites! No one who saw the first season can say that they didn’t eagerly anticipate Lloyd’s crazy faces.
Also- worth checking out Sirens for more Madden- completely different character!
NicoleQuote Reply
Somehow missed this thread. Nice one! It’s true, so many of the actors exceeded my expectations.
I’d say my favourite surprises were probably Michelle Fairley, Jerome Flynn, Iain Glenn, and Julian Glover. The first two were just fantastic (especially Flynn, which is hilarious considering the negative reaction upon his initial casting). The last two (Glenn and Glover) made me appreciate Jorah and Pycelle much more than in the books. Oh, I also loved Donald Sumpter as Luwin.
I’d throw Mark Addy in there too, except that he wasn’t a surprise because I somehow always knew he’d be good.
LexQuote Reply
Did not think I’d like Jason Momoa’s character so much, by the end adored him. Loved the backbone on Ean McElhinney (Ser Barristan) throwing down his sword in front of the Iron Throne, WOW. Iain Glen, Dani does not deserve you! Richard Madden striking the tree with his sworn made me cry like a baby. And lastly, Alfie Allen, was that his real junk with Roz in that baufin’ scene? Schwiiing!!
Jen of House StarkQuote Reply
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