Top 10 Things You Didn't Know About The Cast of Game of Thrones
#10: Natalie Dormer Is an Excellent Fencer
Citizens of the Seven Kingdoms can thank the old gods and the new for keeping a sword out of Margaery Tyrell’s hands, because there’s no telling what she’d have done had she been given the opportunity to flash her extraordinary skills with a blade. Okay, we get it, Tyrell is a fictional character, but the woman portraying her on-screen is mighty handy when it comes to brandishing a sword. Dormer is an avid fencer and was previously a member of the London Fencing Academy. We bet she had a few tips for some of her “Game of Thrones” cast mates during their many fight scenes!
#9: Diana Rigg Played a Bond Girl
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For the better part of five seasons, Diana Rigg’s portrayal of Olenna Tyrell was one of the show’s most entertaining. The sharp-tongued Lady of Highgarden never backed down from a fight, matching wits with everyone from Littlefinger to Cersei Lannister. Ironically enough, Diana Rigg is just as badass as her on-screen counterpart. Rigg played Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo in 1969’s “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” a character who holds the unique distinction of being the only woman to ever marry James Bond! Most actors would thank their lucky stars for being able to land a juicy role like Olenna Tyrell, but the fact of the matter is Diana Rigg has been doing it for decades!
#8: Lena Headey & Jerome Flynn Don't Get Along
Eagled eyed fans may have noticed that Lena Headey and Jerome Flynn, who play Cersei and Bronn respectively, rarely, if ever appear on-screen together. Making this especially odd is the fact that both of their characters spend the majority of their time in Kings Landing. So what gives? Well, it turns out that Headey and Flynn used to date, but that things didn’t exactly end well. Nowadays they aren’t on speaking terms and have made it clear to “Game of Thrones” showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss that they won’t appear in scenes together. Shame, a little verbal repartee between Cersei and Bronn would make for some damn good television!
#7: Rose Leslie Is a Descendant of King Charles II
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Why’d didn’t they stay in the cave! Sorry, the end of Jon Snow and Ygritte’s ill-fated relationship still leaves a sour taste in our mouths. You know who doesn’t have a sour taste in her mouth though? Rose Leslie. Not only is she an internationally recognized actress, but she’s also a descendant of King Charles II, who ruled England, Scotland and Ireland from 1660 to 1685. Leslie’s mother, Candida Mary Sibyl Leslie, is the great granddaughter of Simon Fraser, a Scottish lord and descendant of the 17th century king! Not to be outdone, Oona Chaplin, who played Robb Stark’s wife in Seasons 2 and 3, is the granddaughter of legendary actor Charlie Chaplin. Small world!
#6: Rory McCann Seriously Injured Himself in a Rock Climbing Accident
Sandor “The Hound” Clegane, whose expletive laced dialogue and brutal fighting style have shocked and awed fans since “Game of Thrones”’ inaugural season, has been brilliantly brought to life by Scottish actor Rory McCann. However, it almost never happened. In 1990 McCann was rock-climbing in Northern England’s Yorkshire County when he was involved in a near fatal accident in which he broke both of his ankles, an arm, and a wrist. Oh, and he also fractured his skull. Thankfully, he was able to make a full recovery! Hearing this story makes the Hound’s fight with Brienne look like a walk in the park.
#5: Peter Dinklage & Lena Headey Are Best Friends
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Unlike their on-screen counterparts Tyrion and Cersei, Peter Dinklage and Lena Headey are thick as thieves. In fact, much like all of the other best friends in the world, these two have a hard time looking each other in the eye during serious moments. In a Reddit AMA, Dinklage claimed that he and Headey “Sometimes… have to avoid eye contact so we don’t crack up.” It’s strange to imagine these two goofing around on set when the characters they portray want nothing more than to strangle one another!
#4: Jacob Anderson Is a Musician
In a show noted for its strong silent types, Jacob Anderson’s portrayal of Grey Worm is the benchmark against which all others are judged. However, in real life Anderson is a man of many words. In fact, when he moved to London at the age of 17, it was in pursuit of a musical career. Nowadays Anderson performs under the stage name Raleigh Ritchie and to tell you the truth, he’s pretty damn good. His single, “Stronger Than Ever,” peaked at number 30 on the UK Singles Chart and in 2016 he dropped his debut studio album “You’re a Man Now, Boy” to rave reviews.
#3: Kristian Nairn Is a DJ
When he’s not holding doors or carrying Bran on his back, Kristian Nairn, best known for his portrayal of Hodor on “Game of Thrones,” is busy spinning beats at festivals and nightclubs. Nairn, who is a progressive house DJ, has been in the music game for over 20 years. In fact, Hodor was his first acting credit! He used to be the resident DJ at a gay club in Belfast and in 2014 toured the US and Australia. In a stroke of marketing genius, he called the tour “Rave of Thrones”. Brilliant!
#2: Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Is the World’s 2nd Strongest Man
One look at Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson and it becomes painstakingly clear why he was cast in the role of Ser Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane in “Game of Thrones.” At 6 feet 9 inches tall and weighing 400 pounds, the man is a behemoth. So it should come as no surprise that when he isn’t grinding other people’s bones to make his bread on “GOT,” he’s busy competing in strongman competitions around the world. He’s been crowed Europe’s Strongest Man three times, Iceland’s Strongest Man seven times, and came second in the World’s Strongest Man Competition in 2014, 2016, and 2017. Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson gives new meaning to the phrase “pick on someone your own size.” Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: Kit Harington's Real First Name Is Christopher Sophie Turner Is Allergic to Horses Peter Vaughan Was Partially Blind in Real Life
#1: Jerome Flynn Was a Pop Singer
As always, we saved the best for last! Everyone’s favorite foul-mouthed sellsword on “Game of Thrones” was one half of the English pop duo Robson & Jerome in the ‘90s. Their cover version of “Unchained Melody” was the surprise hit of 1995, holding on to the number 1 spot on the UK Singles Chart for seven straight weeks and ultimately becoming the best-selling single of the year! Bronn’s been known to bust out a ditty here and there, but the thought of him crooning on-stage is too much for us to handle.
