Game of Thrones became a pop culture phenomenon during its stellar eight-season run. The epic fantasy, based on the acclaimed novel series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, became an instant success, winning several prestigious awards and it remains the most-watched series in HBO history. A prequel, titled House of the Dragon, is already the most-watched television premiere in 2022.
Featuring a wealth of talented actors, the series became famous for killing off several characters, whether main or supporting, and while the final season polarized fans and critics, it still ranked atop all previous seasons in terms of rating.
Naturally, with the release of the prequel’s first episode, many fans are increasingly interested in what many members of the original cast of Game of Thrones are up to, and where they can watch them moving forward. While there are more than 50 important characters spread across all seasons, this list will focus on just a handful of the successful actors and what’s currently keeping them busy.
Emilia Clarke
After her breakthrough role as the fierce and courageous Mother of Dragons Daenerys Targaryen, Emilia Clarke has kept busy, starring as the leading lady in a number of projects, including Me Before You, Terminator Genisys, and Solo: A Star Wars Story. Her 2020s are officially taking off this year with a voice role in The Amazing Maurice, and a highly anticipated return to television in Secret Invasion, an upcoming series that will be a part of Phase Five of the MCU.
Lena Headey
Lena Headey’s role as the ruthless and calculating Cersei Lannister was met with widespread praise. The British actor has recently lent her voice to a number of successful animated projects, including the superhero film DC League of Super-Pets, and the television series, Infinity Train, and Netflix’s Master of the Universe: Revelation.
Kit Harington
With some impressive character development in the epic fantasy, Kit Harington’s turn as Jon Snow made him one of the most popular actors on the planet during the series’ run. George R. R. Martin recently revealed that a spin-off focusing on Snow was in early development, so fans can expect the protagonist to make a return in the coming years. He married his co-star and on-screen love interest Rose Leslie in 2018.
Maisie Williams
Maisie Williams may have been a young girl when she starred in the series as Arya Stark, but that didn’t stop her from becoming one of the most adored characters and bagging several awards. She recently starred in the drama Pistol, and will head the upcoming biographical drama, The New Look. She is also a successful entrepreneur and was recently appointed a global ambassador for climate and nature with the World Wildlife Fund.
Sophie Turner
Another character with worthwhile character development, Sophie Turner portrayed the initially naive Sansa Stark. Besides the medieval fantasy, Turner’s popularity grew further after she joined the X-men film franchise, portraying a younger Jean Grey. Her most recent role was in the acclaimed HBO Max true crime drama, The Staircase, alongside Colin Firth and Toni Colette. She has been married to musician Joe Jonas since 2019, and the couple have two daughters, the second of which was just born in July 2022.
Peter Dinklage
For his role as the wise and misunderstood Tyrion Lannister, Peter Dinklage won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series four times. His 2020s have been off to a great start, with parts in I Care A Lot and Cyrano. He is also set to star in the upcoming prequel to the Hunger Games franchise titled The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbird and Snakes.
Iain Glen
Iain Glen won the sympathy of millions as Ser Jorah Mormont, Queen Daenerys’ most loyal confidante who was in love with her. The Scottish actor has had a recurring role as Bruce Wayne in the superhero sci-fi series, Titans. He will star in The Rig, an upcoming thriller that will be released later this year on Amazon Prime Video.
Gwendoline Christie
The British actress and fashionista portrayed the mighty warrior who everyone rooted for — Brienne of Tarth. She enjoyed critical acclaim for her role in the black comedy, Flux Gourmet, released earlier this year. She recently starred as Lucifer in the popular Netflix fantasy drama The Sandman, and will have a recurring role in the upcoming comedy horror Wednesday, directed by Tim Burton.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
The Danish actor and producer became a household name after his turn as the polarizing Jaime Lannister. He is also a UNDP Goodwill Ambassador and is very vocal about protecting women’s rights and tackling poverty around the world. He co-wrote and starred in the Netflix survival drama Against the Ice and will join Jamie Foxx in the upcoming crime film God Is a Bullet.
Nathalie Emmanuel
Nathalie Emmanuel joined the cast of the epic fantasy in its third season and quickly became a fan favorite as the smart and loyal Missandei. She became an Emmy nominee after leading the short-form comedy Die Hart, and has been a part of the Fast & Furious franchise since 2017, continuing on for the upcoming 10th installment, Fast X.
Aidan Gillen
Irish actor Aidan Gillen has had a long stage, film and television career since 1981. He starred as the conniving and cunning Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish and received an overwhelming amount of praise for his portrayal. He continues to work on projects in his native Ireland, as well as American projects, most notably starting in the series Kin, Mayor of Kingstown, and narrating the animated docuseries, Killers of the Cosmos.
Sean Bean
The first of many main characters whose death came as a huge shock to millions of viewers, Sean Bean’s character Ned Stark was the main character in the first season, and made appearances in the sixth and seventh season. Already an established and popular actor at the time, the English actor doesn’t seem to be slowing down, and just recently earned the BAFTA for his leading role in the BBC One series Time. Fans can catch him on Marriage, a new four-episode miniseries that recently concluded on Aug. 22.