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The famous stars that almost appeared in Game of Thrones
Several top-level actors and actresses tried their luck in casting while others rejected the roles they were offered in the successful HBO series.
Did you know that Gillian Anderson had turned down a significant role in ‘Game of Thrones’? Yes, the star of ‘The X-Files,’ ‘The Crown,’ and ‘Sex Education’ – and FHM’s sexiest woman 1996 – could have been Cersei Lannister, the queen of the Seven Kingdoms.
Gillian Anderson not as Cersei Lannister
The character was ultimately portrayed by Lena Headey, a role that earned her international acclaim. According to Collider, Anderson declined to join the HBO series’ cast because she couldn’t “justify the time away from home” unless she had the opportunity to work with someone like Martin Scorsese. Other actresses, including Naomi Watts, had different routes to not starring in the role. Watts filmed the pilot for one of the spin-offs, although HBO decided to cancel it after investing over 30 million dollars.
“If you think this has a happy ending, you haven’t been paying attention.” Like Anderson and Watts, actors who could have been but ultimately weren’t stars of the hufely popular series may now regret it. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Millie Bobby Brown not as Lyanna Mormont
She aspired to be Lyanna Mormont in ‘Game of Thrones,’ but Millie Bobby Brown was left disappointed. The letdown was so significant that she almost threw in the towel and considered quitting acting altogether. Fortunately, she didn’t because ‘Stranger Things’ provided her with the opportunity to shine as one of the leads.
“I think I was just very disheartened by the rejection, which is something I tell everyone. It’s like this industry is full of rejection 24/7. Then I auditioned for ‘Game of Thrones,’ got a no, and thought it was very difficult. I really wanted that role.”
Tricia Helfer also not as Cersei
She was one of the Cylons in ‘Battlestar Galactica,’ the 2003 version, one of the best science fiction series ever made. Tricia Helfer also participated in Mass Effect, the acclaimed video game by BioWare, not to mention Halo: ODST, Starcraft II, or Mortal Kombat X. But instead of playing an android, she really wanted to portray a queen, so she auditioned for the role of Cersei Lannister. She didn’t get it, although she is recognized as a fan of George R.R. Martin’s work.
Sam Claflin not as Jon Snow
“I think I auditioned to play Jon Snow,” recalled Sam Claflin in an interview with CinemaBlend. The actor from ‘The Hunger Games’ also read some dialogue lines for Viserys Targaryen, but ultimately didn’t make it onto ‘Game of Thrones.’
Claflin admitted to being “a big fan” and expressed his joy at being able to experience the series from the outside, without being a part of it. The roles went to Kit Harington (Jon) and Harry Lloyd (Viserys), although due to the storyline, the former character had a much longer journey. In fact, HBO is working on a spin-off centered around Jon Snow, which is still in development.
Brian Cox “stupidly” not on the Iron Throne
Now that the award-winning HBO series ‘Succession’ has come to an end, it’s worth remembering that one of its main actors was offered a role in ‘Game of Thrones.’ Brian Cox, who portrays the media mogul, declined the offer because the financial offer didn’t convince him.
“I stupidly turned it down in the early days because they didn’t pay enough money. Now they have more money. I was stupid, I was stupid, I was stupid. Now I’m completely hooked.” These statements were reported by Vodzilla in 2016 when the series was still on air.
The first spin-off of ‘Game of Thrones’ will continue its journey this summer with the premiere of the second season of ‘House of the Dragon.’ With such an array of characters across the series, no doubt numerous stars have hoped to, but been unable to get a part on the Targaryen epic battle. Given the popularity of the franchise, however, it’s unlikely that any have refused a role in recent times.