6 Game of Thrones Facts You [probably] Still Haven't Heard

Out of the many GoT facts and trivia, do you know these 6?

6 Behind the Scenes Facts You [Probably] Didn’t Know About Game of Thrones

1. Ramsay Bolton Actor Was Almost Jon Snow

Can you imagine any actor other than the naturally brooding Kit Harington portraying the iconic character of Jon Snow? Although Kit Harington ultimately won the role, a 2016 New York Times article revealed that another close candidate for Snow was none other than Iwan Rheon, aka Lord Ramsay Bolton!

Game of Thrones made some last-minute casting changes after HBO executives screened the unaired pilot. Both Daenerys Targaryen and Catelyn Stark were recast from Tamzin Merchant to Emilia Clarke and Jennifer Ehle to Michelle Fairley, respectively. I don’t know about you, but I have such a hard time imagining Rheon as Snow, I wonder if casting Rheon would have resulted in another post-pilot recast. However, I can’t do anything more than imagine, as Rheon’s audition video has been tightly guarded, never released for us to see, despite the YouTube access of many other audition clips, including Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), Maisie Williams (Arya Stark), Natalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell), Kristofer Hivju (Tormund Giantsbane), Carice Van Houten (Melisandre, The Red Woman), and more.

2. Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister) Suggested Lena Headey the Role of Cersei Lannister

Despite Tyrion and Cersei’s close relation as brother and sister, their relationship is one of the most antagonistic in Game of Thrones. In real life, however, the actors behind the siblings, Peter Dinklage and Lena Headey, are close friends. Not only did they live together during some of filming, but it was also Dinklage who suggested Headey for the role of Cersei. After both actors worked together on the indie film Pete Smalls is Dead (2010), Dinklage approached Game of Thrones showrunners and told them he knew someone who would be perfect as Cersei, and boy was he right!

3. Pilou Asbaek (Euron Greyjoy) Was Once Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s (Jaime Lannister) Kid’s Manny

Long ago in Denmark, from where both Asbaek and Coster-Waldau hail, Pilou Asbaek watched children for a living, including Coster-Waldau’s two kids. If you think you will ever watch Euron and Jaime’s duel to the death the same again (in season 8, episode 5’s “The Bells”), you are mistaken. You, like I, will think of this random fact every time you watch.

4. The [2nd] Night King actor Vladimir Furdik Played an Integral Role Behind the Scenes

After season 5’s Night King Richard Brake stepped down from the role, Game of Thrones stunt performer Vladimir Furdik stepped in. Furdik, however, didn’t step away from his other Game of Thrones duties, which had previously included playing the slain “Hardhome” White Walker, as Furdik stated in an interview, quoted by Newsweek, “When we did Season 5, I was the White Walker who fought Jon Snow — the first time Jon Snow killed a White Walker, that was me." After Furdik became the Night King, he can still be spotted as a stunt performer for other roles, including the talented double-swordsman Ser Arthur Dayne in the fight between young Ned Stark and Dayne outside The Tower of Joy in season 6’s “Oathbreaker.” Any time you see Dayne’s two swords flash through the air, it is Furdik behind the helmet instead of Dayne actor Luke Roberts. Another significant contribution Furdik made was to the highly anticipated Clegane Bowl. Furdik choreographed the fight between brothers, The Hound and The Mountain, and Furdik was there during filming to coach the two actors.

5. Melisandre and Myranda Actors Initially Auditioned for Other Roles

As perfect as Carice Van Houten is as The Red Woman, Melisandre, and Charlotte Hope as Ramsay’s sadistic girlfriend Myranda, were, these characters were not the actors’ first choices. Van Houten had first auditioned for Cersei Lannister, later being actually offered the role. However, other commitments prevented her from taking on Cersei, and Van Houten later entered the series in season 2 as Melisandre, The Red Woman. Charlotte Hope had first set her eyes on Daenerys Targaryen, and the showrunners thankfully kept her in mind for the later-revealed role as Myranda.

6. Iwan Rheon (Ramsay) and Sophie Turner (Sansa) Reunited to Play Father and Daughter

The highly criticized animated HBO series The Prince, which portrayed a Family Guy-style version of Great Britain’s royal family, featured both actors as Prince William and his daughter Princess Charlotte. Although the two did not share any dialogue, it was strange to see the former husband/captor and wife/captive duo in another series playing close relations.