Which Game of Thrones characters have been recast, and was it the right move?
By Corey Smith
Dickon Tarly
We first heard mention of Dickon Tarly in season 1, but the younger Tarly brother didn’t appear onscreen until Sam’s visit home in season 6. While supping with the rest of the Tarly clan, we got the briefest glimpse of the Lord Randyll’s golden boy, played by English actor Freddie Stroma, of Harry Potter fame. Stroma had just a few lines, but they were enough for him to establish Dickon as an affable, if somewhat unaware, member of the Tarly family. He wasn’t quite a jerk, but he was close.
When Stroma scored the lead role of H.G. Wells in ABC’s Time After Time (cancelled after five episodes, naturally), Englishman Tom Hopper slid into the role for season 7, just in time for the role to expand. Hopper, who had a lot more physical presence than Stroma (read: he’s swole) played Dickon with slightly more self-awareness, although that might have just been because he was suddenly around people amused by his name. But when Dickon chose to die by his father’s side, it was hard not to feel for Dickon, thanks in large part to Hopper’s performance.
It might not be fair, but who played it better?