Game of Thrones cast: What else have the actors been in? From Emilia Clarke to Kit Harington

From Peter Dinklage in Elf to Emilia Clarke's forthcoming role in the Han Solo prequel

Matilda Martin,Jacob Stolworthy
Tuesday 18 July 2017 17:02 BST
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It’s hard to think that your favourite Game of Thrones cast members have been in anything other than Game of Thrones, especially considering its ensemble of characters are so drenched in cultural familiarity.

But before they blessed our screens in HBO’s saucy and scandalous medieval fantasy epic, these 10 actors were appearing in many blockbuster films, TV shows, plays - and even porridge commercials. Take a look for yourself.

You can find out what the Game of Thrones cast look like out of character here.

Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister)

Peter Dinklage’s film debut was as Tito in Living in Oblivion (1995), a film following a frustrated actor who complains about his clichéd roles. His breakthrough, however, came with the comedy-drama The Station Agent (2003) in which he he played Finbar McBride, a withdrawn man who seeks solitude in an abandoned train station. Dinklage has also appeared in timeless Christmas flick Elf (2003) as well as guest starred in 30 Rock playing Stewart LaGrange and cameoed as himself in an episode of HBO series Entourage.

Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister)

Before Game of Thrones, Lena Headey appeared in several big-budget movies, including Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson's fantasy film The Brothers Grimm (2005) alongside Matt Damon and Heath Ledger. Most will probably remember her, however, as the Queen of Sparta in Zack Snyder’s war epic 300 as well as a 2012 appearance opposite Karl Urban in cult remake Dredd.

Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Taragryen)

Before earning the “Mother of Dragons” title, Emilia Clarke made her TV debut in an episode of the British soap opera Doctors and was later named one of the UK Stars of Tomorrow by Screen International magazine for her role in Syfy's film Triassic Attack (2010). In the past few years, Clarke's amassed a string of roles over hte past few years, namely in gangster film Dom Hemingway (2013), opposite Arnie in Terminator: Genisys (2015) and alongside Sam Claflin in 2016 tear-jerker Me Before You. Up next is a role in the as-of-yet untitled Han Solo prequel.

Kit Harington (Jon Snow)

Kit Harington as Jon Snow

Kit Harington played the British poet and soldier Roland Leighton in 2014 adaptation of Vera Brittain's WWI memoir Testament of Youth. In 2014, he starred in Pompeii playing slave-turned-gladiator Milo. Harington took on the role of Will Holloway, a former MI5 officer in Spooks: The Greater Good, a big screen version of the BBC series.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister)

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s breakthrough performance in his homeland of Denmark was playing Martin in the film Nightwatch (1994). Since then, he's appeared in numerous films including Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down (2001), Norwegian smash Headhunters (2011) and science fiction action thriller Oblivion (2013). In 2014, Coster Waldau landed a role in 2014 comedy The Other Woman, as the cheating womaniser taken down by his wife (Leslie Mann) and mistresses (Cameron Diaz and Kate Upton).

Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark)

Sophie Turner made her feature film debut in Another Me in 2013 before appearing in 2015 teen action comedy Barely Lethal. The 21-year-old most recently scored the role of a young version of telepathic mutant Jean Grey in X-Men: Apocalypse (2016).

Gwendoline Christie (Brianne of Tarth)

Being a trained theatre actress, Gwendoline Christie’s early career involved working in regional theatre, world tours and the West End and after graduating from Drama Centre London in 2005, her first job was with Declan Donellan in Great Expectations at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Since Thrones, she's racked up the high-profile credits with roles in The Hunger Games films Mockingjay - Part 1 and 2 (2014/15) as well JJ Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) in which she played Captain Phasma.

Aiden Gillen (Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish)

If you’ve seen acclaimed HBO series The Wire, you might remember Aiden Gillen as the conniving Tommy Carcetti - a role not too dissimilar to Thrones' Machiavellian Littlefinger. Gillen also made an appearance in the opening scene of Dunkirk filmmaker Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises in 2012 and had a supporting role in charming 2016 musical Sing Street.

Rory McCann (Sandor "The Hound" Clegane)

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Rory McCann’s first major acting role was playing a disabled personal trainer in the 2002 television comedy drama The Book Group. Since then, he''s kept it to TV playing Detective Inspector Stuart Brown in State of Play, Peter the Great in Peter in Paradise and a priest in the award-winning British series Shameless. Film wise, McCann can be seen in Edgar Wright's 2007 action-comedy Hot Fuzz - and you’d be missing out if you didn't check out his risqué advert for Porridge Oats.

Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei)

Nathalie Emmanuel began her acting career in theatre, accruing roles in several West End productions, including the world-famous musical The Lion King. Before Thrones and ensuing supporting roles in The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015), Fast & Furious 7 and 8 , Emmanuel’s first on-screen acting role was playing Valentine in the soap opera Hollyoaks.

Game of Thrones airs in the US on HBO every Sunday and is simulcast in the UK on Sky Atlantic at 2am. It's repeated the following evening on both NOW TV and Sky Atlantic and NOW TV.

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