‘Hey, they were in Game of Thrones’—Where else have you seen these 50 GoT cast members?
9) DONALD SUMPTER
As one of the wisest and kindest characters on Game of Thrones, actor Donald Sumpter’s Maester Luwin was very protective of all the Stark children. When Sumpter appeared on the British TV aftershow Thronecast to discuss season 6’s “The Door,” the hosts asked if Luwin was dead wrong when he told Bran back in season 2 that magic was gone from the world. “I was lying, but of necessity,” Sumpter replied. “Because the whole point about magic, at the time it was dark and dangerous and very, very scary … you don’t want it to grow.”
Can we all say that Maester Luwin of House Stark seemed familiar to us right away? He sure could have, since Sumpter has been appearing in films and television productions since the 1960s. His recent motion picture roles include Heart of the Sea (2015), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), Eastern Promises (2007), and The Constant Gardener (2005).
In the role of the Fisher King in the Merlin TV series (photo above), the British-born Sumpter seems to be channeling the Three-Eyed Raven. That’s not Merlin’s only link to Game of Thrones, however. The show also boasted actors like David Bradley-West, Liam Cunningham, Alexander Siddig, Joe Dempsie, Charles Dance, Clive Russel, James Cosmo and Julian Glover.
Sumpter has appeared on Dr. Who several times, in 1968, 1972, and 2005. He also had a role in Masterpiece Theater’s 1985 Bleak House miniseries, and made two appearances on the popular British crime drama The Bill, the same program where Game of Thrones castmate Sean Bean got his start.
Sumpter has done a ton of work. We thought we’d leave you with the above image of the much younger man (with a full head of hair) when he appeared as a member of the band Opal Butterfly in the 1970 ‘saucy,’ low-budget flick, Groupie Girl.
It looks like Sumpter may be taking a rest for the immediate future. He has no appearances slated for 2017.