Game of Thrones hit the screens back in 2011 and has been airing for 8 years until its last episode that came out in 2019. It’s not the longest-running show ever, but it has definitely witnessed a fair share of character transformations both on and off set. Time runs differently for younger actors, so most of them actually matured while filming the show! Of course, the rest of the cast bloomed in their own ways, too. So, what are they up to now when the biggest show of their lives is over? Let’s take a look.
Kit Harington – Jon Snow
Jon Snow seemed a bit of a weirdo in the beginning of the series, but that changed quickly as his caring and courageous nature was fully revealed. Kit Harington’s appearance changed considerably as he matured on the show, becoming a truly handsome man everyone was eager to cast. Most importantly, Game of Thrones helped him find his love – co-star Rose Leslie! Right now he’s taking part in theatre plays on West End, while starring in the upcoming TV show The Eternals.
Emilia Clarke – Daenerys Targaryen
Emilia Clarke was a relatively unseasoned actress when she was cast to play Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, but that has definitely changed in the course of filming the show. With each season her portrayal of Dany became more solid, while the actress herself turned into a real professional. She was to play on West End in The Seagull by Anton Chekhov, but the whole thing was suspended due to the pandemic. Some of her latest movies include Solo: A Star Wars Story, Above Suspicion, and Last Christmas.
Isaac Hempstead-Wright – Bran Stark
Isaac, who was playing Bran Stark on Game of Thrones, literally grew up while filming the show. He was only 12 years old when the GoT started and turned 20 when it ended. The actor admits it has been an extremely weird childhood and now he just wants to relax more and study neuroscience in college. It felt like a whole lifetime has passed while filming the show, and now he is ready to move on, try new things, and land new roles. In 2020, he will appear in Voyagers, a sci-fi movie starring Collin Farrell, and The Blue Mauritius.
Maisie Williams – Arya Stark
Can you believe that Maisie Williams was 14 years old when the filming of the show started? It was her first major role, so she had a great opportunity to learn more about acting than in any school. By the end of the show Maisie Williams turned 21, becoming one of the fan’s favourites both on and off screen. Playing Arya stark definitely helped shape her career, but now the actress is ready for new endeavours. She starred in quite a few movies while filming GoT and continued her work afterwards, performing in Then Came You and The New Mutants, one of the most anticipated films of 2020.
Jack Gleeson – King Joffrey
Young King Joffrey was one of the most hated characters on the show and that’s saying something as Game of Thrones is packed with outstanding baddies. Jack Gleeson, who is a really sweet guy in real life, played the character for four seasons and did an amazing job of portraying a vicious spoiled brat. After his role was finished, the actor decided to quit acting for good. Jack Gleeson confessed that he’s been acting since 8 years old it stopped making him happy. He enrolled into college and now wants to catch up with his non-acting life.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau – Jaime Lannister
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s stellar performance as Jaime Lannister didn’t really surprise anyone as he already was a seasoned actor when he joined the cast to play in Game of Thrones. Still, his character went from a total backstabbing villain to a man worthy to be called a knight in a very believable way. His latest work includes movies like Domino and Suicide Tourist, as well theatre plays – he was cast to play Geffen Playhouse in Macbeth.
Sophie Turner – Sansa Stark
Sophie Turner was 15 when the filming of Game of Thrones began, becoming one of the many actors who got to grow up on the show. The actress admitted that GoT cast became a second family to her – and it’s the biggest family in the world! Her character went from a helpless little girl to an outstanding wise woman, head of House Stark and Queen in the North. We didn’t expect much from Sansa, but her courage and strength made her one of the greatest characters on the show. Sophie Turner starred in Dark Phoenix, an X-Men movie, which aired in 2019, while still filming GoT. After the end of Game of Thrones, she was cast to play in Survive and showed up in Home Movie: The Princess Bride.
Lena Headey – Cersei Lannister
Lena Headey was so good portraying the deliciously villainous Cersei Lannister that it’s hard to believe she’s actually a very lovely woman in real life. Although Cersei’s role was a major breakthrough for Lena, she was already a professional actress when she joined the cast. Some of her recent hit movies include Dredd and 300: Rise of the Empire, which she filmed in-between her work on GoT. After the show ended, she landed a role in Fighting with My Family, a comedy-drama and a sports biopic about a pro wrestler Paige making a name for herself in WWE.