Who can imagine television without Games of Thrones? It’s hard to find someone these days who doesn’t watch the popular drama. Based on the book series by George R. R. Martin, the TV show has taken the world by a storm since it premiered in April 2011. Always surrounded by mystery and intrigue on and off the screen (who will die next? which actors are dating in real life?), GOT fans are thirsty for some franchise secrets – and we’re here to give them to you. Major alert though – spoilers ahead! Read at your own risk.
Emilia Clarke Wasn’t Always Daenerys
Nowadays, Daenerys IS Emilia Clarke. However, that wasn’t always the case. Originally, an actress from the UK named Tamzin Merchant was cast as Daenerys. Mysteriously, she left the show under unknown circumstances and Daenerys was recast as Emilia Clarke.
Emilia Clarke
Jon Snow and Kit Harrington Have A Weird Similarity
Throughout their story line, Ygritte consistently repeats, “You know nothing, Jon Snow.” Well, turns out that actor Kit Harrington – who plays Jon Snow – was missing a weird bit of information in real life as well. Before Kit turned 11 years old, he didn’t know his full name was actually Christopher. His mother liked the nickname Kit, so she just didn’t bother to mention it to him.
Jon Snow
Peter Dinklage Was Pranked By Show Creators
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, creators of the GOT show, seem to enjoy shocking their audience as much as humanly possible. Apparently, they like to play the same sort of tricks on the show’s actors, too. After filming the pilot (and knowing full well it had been picked up), they chose to prank Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion Lannister, by telling him that the show was canceled – and most shockingly of all, didn’t tell him the truth for a full six hours.
Peter Dinklage
Valyrian Steel – It Actually Exists
Turns out, the material of choice for sword making in GOT (Valyrian steel) was based on a real-life metal. Like Valyrian steel, Damascus steel has a rippled surface, and the perfect combination of strength and light weight material for making swords. Unfortunately, making swords out of Damascus steel is a lost art – the techniques and temperature went missing in the 18th century.
Valyrian Steel
Gwendoline Christie (Brienne) Doesn’t Know How Old She Is
As the only female knight on the show, Brienne of Tarth is certainly unique. The actress who plays her, Gwendoline Christie, is unique herself as well. Strangely enough, turns out that Christie doesn’t know her birthday – her mother just never thought it was important. So don’t ask Christie her age because she won’t be able to answer you!
Brienne
Lots of Musical Talent Hits GOT
Turns out, we’re not the only fans of Games of Thrones – mainstream musicians adore the show as well, and are clamoring to take part in it in whatever way they can! The Red Wedding was a little shocking and overwhelming through the plot twists (well, that might be an understatement…), but if you took a break from the intrigue and watched the band, you would have spotted Will Champion, the drummer for Coldplay. He’s not the only rocker to make an appearance – band Of Monsters and Men appeared in season 6 to play for a crowd in Braavos.
Musical Guest Stars
Kicking Around Ned’s Head
Nowadays, we’re used to GOT killing off major characters left and right. But back in season 1, we were all naive and easily shocked – but that all came crashing down (quite literally) with Ned Stark’s dramatic decapitation. Well, what you may not know is that the actors decided to make light of the intense moment, and have a little sporty fun. They grabbed the cast of Ned’s head and began an impromptu game of soccer while on set in Malta.
Ned’s Head
Her Majesty or Bond Girl (It’s Both)
The incredibly cast of Game of Thrones have obviously had previous acting roles, but did you that Dame Diana Rigg has had power on TV for decades? Before achieving royal status as the Queen of Thorns, she played a Bond girl, and even went on to marry Bond (as played by George Lazenby).
Bond
The Red Woman Sings
Carice van Houten, who plays the Red Woman, doesn’t seem to have much time for singing. But outside of the show, Van Houten is quite the musical artist. She released a top hit in 2012 with the band Kane. Haven’t heard of it? No worries, it achieved popularity mainly in the Netherlands.
Van Houten
Dothraki is a Real Language
We all know that HBO went all out to make Game of Thrones the best, most detailed series possible. Well, they went further then we even thought was possible – they hired David J. Peterson from the Language Creation Society to actually create a new language. Yes, you know what that means – Dothraki is real! Incredible. Peterson followed the descriptions Martin wrote in the books, and made a language that resembled Turkish, Russian, Swahili, and Inuktitut. Watch out Khaleesi – once we learn Dothraki, we’re coming to steal Khal Drogo. You know, in the beyond.
Dothraki
Some Actors Turned Down GOT
Before the show became so popular and successful, a few actors turned down potential roles in it – bet they’re regretting that now! Gillian Anderson had her shot at a mystery role (was it Cersei, perhaps?), but that chance is long gone. Dominic West (from The Wire) also rejected a spot on GOT – fans think he could have been Mance Rayder. Too late now!
Turned Down
Mother Of… Sea Slugs?
Scientists discover new species all the time – pretty cool actually, when you think about it. Well, turns out even scientists watch Game of Thrones. After discovering a new kind of sea slug near Brazil, the marine biologists thought the animal’s coloring was eerily familiar – and realized the pale yellow reminded them of Daenerys Targaryen’s hair. In her honor, they named the slug species Tritoni khaleesi.
Sea Slugs
Get Schooled in Game of Thrones
Ever wanted to really immerse yourself in Game of Thrones AND learn about real history at the same time? Well, head on down to Cambridge – Harvard University has got you set. If you can get admitted (now, that might be the real challenge), feel free to sign up for a course called “The Real Game of Thrones: From Modern Myths to Medieval Models.” This class teaches Medieval history through the lens of Game of Thrones – not bad for show enthusiasts and history buffs.
Game Of Thrones Course
Terminator and GOT
Not one, but two of GOT’s stars appeared in Terminator – and even played the same character (lead Sarah Connor). Prior to becoming a queen, Lena Headey starred in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. She’s not the only one, though! Emilia Clarke used her newfound GOT popularity to snag the role of Sarah Connor for Terminator Genisys in 2015.
Terminator
Wait, Why Are There So Many Babies Named Arya?
You know a show has really caught on when there start to be babies named after its lead characters. Who can be surprised then that out of GOT characters, Arya tops the list? It became the 216th most popular name in 2014 – 1544 babies were named after Arya that year! She’s not the only one though. In the same year, there were 368 Khaleesis and 86 Daeneryses.
Arya
Success for Nymeria
On the show, Arya released her wolf Nymeria into the wild of the Riverlands. But according to Maisie Williams, who plays Arya, Nymeria didn’t go as far as we thought. Williams revealed that Nymeria was the best behaved dog on set, so she played all of the other wolves, and even Shaggy Dog. Meet the true GOT breakout star – Nymeria!
Where Is Nymeria
I Mean…Who Doesn’t Hate Joffrey?
I hate Joffrey. You hate Joffrey. Literally, we all hate Joffrey! With all that hate, you might be tempted to feel bad for the actor who plays him, Jack Gleeson. Well, don’t – most think this hatred is a sign of Gleeson’s incredible acting talents. George R. R. Martin even sent him a note stating, “Congratulations on your marvelous performance, everyone hates you.” So there you have it, Jack Gleeson, you heard it from the man himself – I guess everyone hates you!
Joffrey
Julian Glover – Ultimate Villain
If you’re a Game of Thrones fan (which, if you’re still reading this article, we’re betting you are), you know Julian Glover as Grand Maester Pycelle. What you may not know is that before his role as Lannister spy, he had quite the villainous past – in not one, not two, but three hit movie franchises. You might recognize him from the Empire Strikes Back, For Your Eyes Only, or even Harry Potter (where he played the spider Aragog).
Julian Glover
Robb Stark Found Out About His Death On Google
Unless you had read the book, the Red Wedding came as a huge (and very gory) shock. Richard Madden, who played Robb Stark, decided to read the books at the same pace as the show – he didn’t want any spoilers. But like many of us, he had a moment of weakness and one night, he Googled his character – and learned about the Red Wedding, and his own tragic fate. Poor Robb… and poor Richard.
Red Wedding
Theon’s Sister is Lily Allen
You know him as Theon Greyjoy, but did you know that Alfie Allen’s sister is famous as well? The older Allen sibling, Lily, is a platinum musical artist in the UK. Now you have a reason to join the millions who’ve bought her CD – one of the songs is about Alfie! Listen to try to figure out which one.
Lily Allen
Famous Relatives (Named Charles)
There are lots of famous relatives of Game of Thrones actors! And strangely, there are two named Charles. You know Harry Lloyd as Viserys, but did you know his great great grandfather was Charles Dickens?! Is there a more famous Charles? Well, maybe not, but Charlie Chaplin certainly gives him a run for his money – and his granddaughter Oona Chaplin, who played Talisa Stark, even shares his last name.
Relatives
Happy Ending For Lady
On the show, Sansa might have been torn from her dire wolf, but in real life, the wolf (well, Mahlek Northern Unuit dog if you want to get technical) found a happy ending. Producers were looking for a home for Lady (real name Zunni), but turns out, they didn’t need to look very far. Sophie Turner, who plays Sansa, fell so in love with her on screen companion that she adopted her.
Lady
Batman To The Rescue
Turns out, two of Game of Thrones’ notorious villains first appeared together in Batman Begins. The Night King wasn’t Richard Brake’s first evil role – as Joe Chill, he first murdered Bruce Wayne’s parents. Even King Joffrey made an appearance in the film – see if you can spot him as the young boy Batman gifts with a periscope.
Batman
Hodor Loves To Rave
Who woulda thunk that the simple Hodor actually loves to party? Yup, that’s right, Kristian Nairn is a career DJ – and now tours with a show called “Rave of Thrones.” He uses his Game of Thrones role to headline parties across Australia, mentioning the show while throwing huge parties.
Rave Hodor
Bronn vs. Cersei
Lena Headey is known for being close with all of her costars (just check out her Instagram). However, there is one notable exception – you may notice that Jerome Flynn (who plays Bronn) doesn’t appear in any of her photos. They were rumored to be dating for more than a decade, but it doesn’t seem like they are on good terms anymore. Their relationship is so bad that their contracts even say they don’t have to act in any scenes together.
Bronn And Cersei
Benioff And Weiss Passed Martin’s Test
Martin was excited about Game of Thrones being brought to TV screens all over the world, but before he would allow Benioff and Weiss to dramatize his books, he needed to make sure they knew their stuff. They prepared a presentation for him, but that wasn’t enough for Martin – he gave them a pop quiz. He asked them tough questions, even those without concrete answers, like “who is Jon Snow’s mother?” Luckily for them – and for us – they passed his test.
Martin Tested Benioff And Weiss
The Mountain Is Huge
On Game of Thrones, he protects Cersei, but in real life, Hafthor Julius Bjornsson, or Thor, competes as a strongman. To maintain his size, he has to eat practically an entire grocery store. Seriously, you won’t believe how much the guy eats – three dozen eggs per day, for example. No wonder he’s the third strongest man in the world!
The Mountain
Margaery Tyrell Loves To Fence
Although she never gets to show off her skills on screen, Natalie Dormer – who plays Margaery Tyrell – is an expert fencer. In her free time, she even trains at the London Fencing Academy. Maybe she should have been the expert swordman on screen rather than her brother!
The Queen
Cersei and Tyrion Are Actually BFF
Peter Dinklage and Lena Headey must be pretty darn good actors because although Cersei and Tyrion Lannister seem to hate each other on screen, in real life, they are actually good friends. In fact, Dinklage even helped get Headey the role – he recommended her to the producers. They often end angry and tense scenes together with jokes and laughs after the cameras stop rolling.
Cersei and Tyrion
Sometimes Life Imitates Westeros
As the only known Targaryen in Westeros, Maester Aemon performed his role as Maester at Castle Black. His advanced age robbed him of his eyesight before the show began, but he retained capacity of his wits. Similarly, the actor who played him, Peter Vaughn, also endured partial blindness. Like Aemon, Vaugn died peacefully at age 93 in 2016.
Westeros
The Iron Throne’s Many Swords
Supposedly made of 1000 swords surrendered to Aegon the Conqueror (the first Targaryen King), there are some familiar, non-GOT related swords tucked in. If you’re looking closely, you might spot Gandolf’s sword, Robin Hood’s dagger, or even Orlando Bloom’s weapon from Kingdom of Heaven. Talk about harnessing power from the fantasy universe!
Mosaic Of Swords
Adult Cast for an Adult Show
Game of Thrones is known for two things – its nudity and its violence. When casting for actresses who will need to appear topless, the show often looks for adult film actresses who will feel comfortable with nudity. For instance, Sibel Kekili’s previous job allows her to play Tyrion’s lady, Shae, with ease.
Adult Cast
Could The Mountain Actually Squish The Red Viper?
Who can forget the dramatic moment when Gregor Clegane literally crushed Oberyn Martell during Tyrion Lannister’s second trial by combat? But we want to know… is this actually possible? Well, turns out, scarily enough, it is. Science says that it requires 520 pounds of force to crush a human head – and it’s definitely possible for a person of the Mountain’s size to generate this strength. Creepy!
The Red Viper
Wait, Is That Khaleesi or Madonna?
Emilia Clarke was in shock after checking her emails one day – she had received a message telling her that Madonna wanted to borrow her costume! Yup, the queen of pop herself had some Khaleesi-envy. Turns out, Madonna is a huge Game of Thrones fan, and was dressing up as Khaleesi for Purim (a Jewish Halloween-like holiday). Too bad she couldn’t borrow the dragons as well!
Madonna
Martin Uses An Old Typewriter
George R.R. Martin doesn’t just write about an old fantasy world – he sort of lives in one as well. To write his novels, he writes on a very old DOS computer running WordStar 4.0 without spellcheck or autocorrect. The computer is so old, he has to use a separate machine for email and the internet!
Technology
Was That George W. Bush?!
You might have have been too busy hating Joffrey to notice a hilarious guest appearance (well…sort of) at the end of season one. When Joffrey takes Sansa to tour Kings Landing (evil evil evil), they are draped with the heads of people sentenced to death. But… the show used recycled props, so guess who was included. Ok, you’ll never guess, so we’ll have to tell you – former President George W. Bush! That’s one face you weren’t expecting to see.
George W. Bush
GOT Almost Failed
Nowadays, we know the success Game of Thrones is capable of. However, imagine a parallel universe where it failed! Nearly impossible, right? Well, that almost happened. Tom McCarthy directed an original pilot of the show that was a complete disaster – to the point that it was never released. Rumor has it that the episode got so much wrong, it even failed to show that Jaime and Cersei were siblings!
A Flop
Fake Blood Glued Clarke To A Toilet
Who can forget Khaleesi eating a horse heart raw during season one? I’m feeling vaguely nauseous just thinking about it. After a few takes, Clarke took a break to use the bathroom – but didn’t remove the fake blood. Unfortunately, when she tried to get up from the toilet, she was stuck – the fake blood had hardened and glued her to the toilet. She had to resort to calling for help to be freed from the toilet’s grasp!
Fake Blood
Spoilers From A Costume Designer
Oops! In an interview, Michele Clapton – a costume designer on the show – confirmed some major spoilers about season seven. She let audiences know about two main characters that Jon Snow would meet. She described dressing him in vulnerable clothing to meet Daenerys, but a strong outfit to meet Cersei.
Costume Designer
No More Topless Emilia Clarke
You may remember that towards the start of the show, Emilia Clarke was topless as Daenerys a few times. After season 3 though, fans noticed that Khaleesi had been more clothed than before. It turns out that Clarke added a clause to her contract that she would not have to go topless anymore. However, she appeared topless again in season 6 because she thought it was necessary to further the story line.
Emilia Clarke Topless