‘Hey, they were in Game of Thrones’—Where else have you seen these 50 GoT cast members?
8) DIANA RIGG
Diana Rigg brings her trademark no-nonsense toughness to her Thrones role as the political mastermind Olenna Tyrell. She believes the family matriarch has a darker soul than fans may first suspect. In an interview with BBCHardtalk in 2016, Rigg said that “(Olenna) is pretty evil…I’m good at evil.”
Younger fans may not be aware of Rigg’s eventful career. Her first pro gig was in 1957, in a The Caucasian Chalk Circle. Her notable film roles include The Painted Veil (2006) and Theater of Blood (1973).
Outside of Thrones, Rigg is probably best known for her portrayal of the talented agent Emma Peel on The Avengers, a British cult hit TV series (1965-67), but her other television credits are impressive. Her TV roles include Lady Honoria Dedlock in Masterpiece Theater: Bleak House (1985) and Adela Bradley in The Mrs. Bradley Mysteries (1998-2000). Also, she won a BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Helena Vesey in the 1989 BBC miniseries Mother Love. She also earned an Emmy Award for her role as Mrs. Danvers in the 1997 adaptation of Rebecca.
Like many Game of Thrones alumni, Rigg has appeared on the venerable Dr. Who TV series. In an episode written specifically for her by actor Mark Gattis (you may know him as Tycho Nestoris, the Braavosi Iron Banker on Thrones), Rigg appeared with her real-life daughter, Rachael Stirling, in an episode entitled “The Crimson Horror,” in 2013.
One of Rigg’s big early movie roles was as a Bond girl alongside George Lazenby in 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (Rigg played Tracy Bond, the only time James Bond had a wife). The young Rigg bears a striking resemblance to actress Natalie Dormer, who plays Lady Olenna’s granddaughter, Margaery Tyrell, on Game of Thrones. In a more serious vein, Rigg has also had a stellar theatrical career, joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1959 and gaining accolades for roles such as Helen in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1968), Portia in Julius Caesar (1970) and Oresteia in the TV miniseries Clytemntestra (1979). She won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for performing the title role of Medea in 1994.
Looking forward, it seems probable that Lady Olenna, having avoided the thermonuclear purge of Game of Thrones characters in the Sept of Baelor at the end of Season 6, will return to the show in season 7. Beyond that, Rigg will appear in the British dramatic feature Breathe in 2017.