Since Game of Thrones concluded back in 2019, the talented cast have all gone on to appear in a huge variety of other films and TV series. The show has produced future Academy Award nominees, such as Jonathan Pryce, who played the High Sparrow in Seasons 5 and 6, major movie stars, like Pedro Pascal, who brought Oberyn Martell to life back in Season 4, and provided new directions for the careers of cinematic icons, such as recurring guest star Diana Rigg, aka the Queen of Thorns, Olenna Tyrell.
However, many fans have noted just how many of Westeros' biggest stars have dipped their toes into the X-Men universe. Whether during their time on Game of Thrones or after, six different actors from the show would appear in an X-Men movie, TV series, or spin-off. Given George R.R. Martin's history with comic books, this connection isn't too far-fetched, but it's still fun to see just how much overlap there is between these two huge franchises.
1. Tyrion Lannister creates the Sentinels
Peter Dinklage is among the names most associated with Game of Thrones. Dinklage brought breakout character Tyrion Lannister to life for eight seasons, winning four Emmy Awards for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, the most for any actor for the same role in the category's history, along the way.
In the middle of Dinklage's meteoric Game of Thrones rise, he took to the big screen for X-Men: Days of Future Past, a time travel-based sequel to the 2011 prequel X-Men: First Class, which united both generations of X-Men actors. The film's timeline shenanigans also reset the state of the X-Men universe, allowing for a new slate of X-Men films and spin-offs set in the present day.
Dinklage plays a different kind of threat to the X-Men in the form of Bolivar Trask, a mutant hating bigot who invents the Sentinels in order to wipe out mutantkind. His murder in the 1970s at the hands of Mystique caused the Sentinel Program to be greenlit, resulting in an apocalyptic future for mutants. As such, Kitty Pryde sends Wolverine back in time to team up with the X-Men of that era in order to prevent Trask's assassination, ironically working to protect one of their greatest enemies, in hopes that this can change the future.
2. Sansa Stark saves the day as Jean Grey
For eight seasons, Sophie Turner embodied fan favorite Sansa Stark on Game of Thrones. Turner transformed the character throughout her time on the series, as audiences watched her slowly become a major player in the titular game of thrones, outwitting the likes of even Littlefinger. Turner received an Emmy nomination for her work in the final season of Game of Thrones.
During her tenure on Game of Thrones, Turner joined the X-Men franchise, becoming the second actress to portray comic book icon Jean Grey in a live-action film after Famke Janssen. After her introduction in 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse, Turner took center stage in Dark Phoenix, the second attempt to bring Jean Grey's iconic comic book arc to the big screen. However, most fans felt unsatisfied with the adaptation, and the film's negative reviews, as well as Disney's acquisition of Fox, ended the second X-Men team's time prematurely.
3. Arya Stark becomes a different kind of wolf
Maisie Williams played the iconic Arya Stark for all eight seasons of Game of Thrones. Williams proved to be an instant stand-out of the series, matching acting veterans such as Sean Bean and Charles Dance beat for beat from a very young age. She received two Emmy nominations for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her work on Game of Thrones Seasons 6 and 8.
Appropriately, Williams' X-Men role ties into her wolf motif as a member of House Stark, as she portrayed Rahne Sinclair, aka Wolfsbane, a mutant capable of transforming into a wolf, in the 2020 X-Men spin-off film The New Mutants. Despite poor reviews, Rahne's romance with Blu Hunt's Dani Moonstar serves as a highlight of the otherwise underwhelming movie.
4. Daario Naharis takes on the Merc with the Mouth
From Seasons 4 through 6, Daario Naharis, the dashing sell sword who steals Daenerys Targaryen's heart, was played by Michiel Huisman. However, for Daario's first three episodes towards the end of Season 3, a different actor, Ed Skrein, played the role, leaving his mark on the character.
A few years after his stint with the Second Sons, Skrein played Ajax, the main villain of 2016's Deadpool. Throughout the film, the title character tracks down Ajax, whose real name is Francis, in order to take revenge for mutating and mutilating him. Deadpool hilariously executes Ajax immediately after Colossus's speech about being a hero and showing mercy, ending Skrein's time in the franchise with a bang.
5. A legendary character actor tackles both franchises
Richard E. Grant has been in just about everything. The iconic Oscar nominated character actor has played hopscotch with some of the biggest franchises in the world, including roles in Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker, Loki Season 1, and, of course, Game of Thrones. Grant plays the small role of Izembaro, the leader of a Braavosi theater troupe who crosses paths with Arya in Season 6.
Grant plays the role of the villainous Dr. Zander Rice in 2017's Logan. His grounded, down to earth portrayal helps cement Logan as a touch more serious than the average superhero flick, helping the R-rated Wolverine solo outing earn its acclaim.
6. Viserys Targaryen becomes Professor X
Back in Game of Thrones Season 1, fans learned to love to hate Harry Lloyd's twisted portrayal of Viserys Targaryen, Daenerys' abusive older brother. His death at the hands of Khal Drogo made for one of the series' first hugely satisfying moments. Despite his time on the show being short, Lloyd's Viserys made a terrifying impact on fans.
Long after he received his golden crown, Lloyd appeared in the third season of the X-Men spin-off TV series Legion as one of the most iconic characters in the entire franchise: Professor Charles Xavier himself. Lloyd played a younger iteration of the character for the small screen, appearing in three episodes throughout 2019.
For more from the world of Westeros, make sure to catch A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms when it airs on HBO Max on January 18, 2026.