Which Game of Thrones characters have been recast, and was it the right move?

Catelyn Stark

Even those who have seen every episode of Game of Thrones multiple times (like us) might not realize that Michelle Fairley is not the first woman to play Catelyn Stark, even if she is the only one to play her on television.

Let us explain.

Before HBO picked up Game of Thrones to series, showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss filmed a pilot that was, by their own admission, terrible. They reshot a lot of it, and made many changes. One of those changes was replacing the woman who originally played Catelyn: American actress Jennifer Ehle, best known for playing Elizabeth Bennett in the 1995 BBC miniseries version of Pride and Prejudice. When it came time to film the new pilot, Ehle bowed out due to the recent birth of her daughter, citing a lack of desire to commit to a long-term role while raising her family. How very Catelyn Stark of her.

Michelle Fairley assumed the role of Stark matriarch and made it fully her own, bringing equal parts ferocity and gentleness. No one outside of industry types has ever seen the original pilot, so it’s impossible to contrast the performances, although with Elhe’s body of work, we imagine she was at least solid. It’s difficult to picture anyone but Fairley in the role, though, and we mean that in the best way.