Game of Thrones is often known for its spectacular battles and monstrous dragons, which means it can sometimes be easy to forget about the performances that grounded the show into what mattered most, the characters.
Having a mosaic of well drawn and captivating individuals inhabit your show allows for some truly fantastic work from talented actors that proves Thrones’ best asset has always been the characters. From killer queens to pious priests and everything in between, Game of Thrones’ menagerie of different and unique characters leaves plenty to choose from for this list.
The 10 chosen are based solely on how the actor could convey their character to the screen, from emotional attachment to believability to commanding presence. So many were so good at achieving this on Thrones and these picks represent the very best the show had to offer.
They could have been around for all eight seasons or just a couple, it doesn’t matter as long as they made a significant mark.
The behemoth show had so much to offer audiences over its eight season run; the writing, the production, the visual effects, the action, the intrigue. In the end, the characters are what made the show great, and these are the performances responsible for making those characters so great.
Despite how big the show had gotten by the time Season Five rolled around, Jonathan Pryce still felt like a huge get for the showrunners when he was cast as the pious leader of the Sparrows who subsequently took over the church within King’s Landing and later the whole city. There’s a passive narcissism to the High Sparrow, he is quiet and warm yet behind his eyes is a clear smugness.
Having incredible on screen chemistry with Lena Headey, Natalie Dormer and, in particular, Dame Diana Rigg, Pryce was a mercurial presence who you could never work out if he was lying or telling the truth. You can believe him to be the righteous religious leader if you want, or if you listen to his conflicting anecdotes and stories it is far more likely that he is a serial liar who says what he has to in order to achieve what he wants.
The legendary Oscar nominee brings a prestige to the role that could have become repetitive or even boring. Instead, he ensnares you into his speeches and engrosses you with every word. It’s a masterful turn from someone who only appeared in 12 episodes.
