Game Of Thrones Actors Who Are Gorgeous In Real Life

HBO's massive hit Game of Thrones is a cast of thousands (literally), and even if the characters have names, it's hard to keep track of everyone in the fantasy drama. The inhabitants of the mythical world author George R.R. Martin created (a tantalizing soap opera with dragons and zombies) live a miserable existence, so, you know, it's hard to look cute all the time unless you're royalty in King's Landing. That's not to say there aren't attractive people in the Seven Kingdoms. How's it going, Daenerys? How's life, Jon Snow? It's a shame what happened to you, Missandei. 

However, for the most part, wearing body armor while covered in dirt and blood doesn't really lend itself to premium selfie content, but you're in luck. We hereby bring you a closer look at some Game of Thrones actors who are gorgeous in real life. You're humming the theme song now, aren't you? It's fine. Don't fight it.

Gilly, portrayed by Hannah Murray, is a former Wildling who found love with the gentle Samwell Tarly after escaping a life of abuse at the hands of her psychotic father, Craster. Game of Thrones' horrible treatment of its female characters has been a controversial topic since the beginning, but thanks to Murray, a typical GoT sex scene was changed into one with more female empowerment. Telling Vulture it's the scene she's "most proud of," Murray reportedly contacted showrunners after reading the scripted version and had it changed. 

"Given the background that she comes from, the systematic abuse from her father, I really wanted that to be present — the fact that it was the first time we were seeing her experience loving sex as opposed to abusive sex," she said. "I had a lot of strong feelings about how I wanted that scene to go. They were really receptive to discussing those with me and really open to making sure we included all of those moments. I felt like I was able to contribute a layer to that scene that maybe wasn't there on the page."

Ah, Podrick Payne, the loyal squire who has a way with the ladies. Once in service of Tyrion Lannister and now Brienne of Tarth, Podrick has been a staple of the series and remains a fan favorite, but his role wasn't planned that way.

"Pod was just meant to be a 'we'll see what happens' kind of character," Daniel Portman, the character's real-life counterpart told Esquire in 2019. "It just kind of felt like there was something there, so they wanted to keep writing for me. That's a huge compliment to have writers say that, 'We just want you around because we write you and we think that what you bring to it is important.' That's very touching, very very touching." 

Portman believes Game of Thrones needs a character like Podrick for the audience to root for amidst all the brutality. "It's the innocence, it's the honesty and the sweetness in a world where there isn't a lot of that," he said. "There's a lot of Machiavellian tactics and underhandedness, and to have a guy who is none of those things and is just as honest to the core and selfless and loyal — people like when they see something good happening to him, you know?"

Probably one of the most hated characters on Game of Thrones, The Waif is the priest of The Many Faced-God and the ruthless assassin who tried to kill our beloved Arya Stark. How dare you, ma'am. Like most plot points in GoT, a ton of fan theories have emerged about The Waif's true identity that have yet to play out on the screen, but you never know with this show.

Although Faye Marsay enjoyed her time playing the cold-blooded killer, she didn't appreciate what happened after her character's death. "I got a lot of s*** after Game of Thrones but people were also really nice," she said at a press conference to promote her Black Mirror gig in 2016 (via Metro). "I've had people trying to figure out who I'm in a relationship with and all that s***." This reportedly prompted Marsay to quit social media, and she has no plans to jump back on anytime soon. "It's terrifying, social media, it terrifies me," she said. Strange words to hear from a character with such a special set of skills.

Ironborn. That's all you need to know about the tough-as-nails Yara Greyjoy. A fierce warrior who commanded her own ship and army until her evil uncle Euron had plans of his own, Yara is the epitome of girl power. However, the actor who portrays her, Gemma Whelan, is tired of being asked about that. "I'm asked a lot what it's like to play such a strong female character, and I lament that I'm asked because in real life women are strong and every colour of the emotional spectrum," she told The Scotsman in 2019. "As are men, but Kit [Harington, aka Jon Snow] will never be asked what it's like to play such a strong male character. That would be ludicrous."

Having played the part since 2012, Whelan is reportedly glad the series wrapped because the costumes are as uncomfortable as they look. "I'll tell you the one thing I am very glad not to have to do again is run along a sandy beach in that costume because there is no delicate or dignified or bada** way you can do that," she told The Daily Telegraph (via the Daily Mail).

Or should we say Ser Brienne of Tarth, Knight of the Seven Kingdoms? We know you cried during that scene. We all did. Brave and noble, Brienne has become a feminist icon, and actress Gwendoline Christie, who stands an imposing 6'3", is grateful for such an empowering role and hopes she's just the start. 

"It means there's a shift in our culture and our way of thinking about how women are perceived," she told Harper's Bazaar in 2015. "People want to see a more diverse representation of women than the homogenized ones we've had so far." The character of Brienne isn't meant to be seen as "gorgeous" in the standard definition of that word, and she admitted to Rolling Stone that with all the "devastatingly beautiful actresses in the show," that "it can be tough to look like that." But playing the character changed on the hit TV series changed all that. "I am still a person with a sense of superficiality that I'm trying to challenge," she said. "I hope that it makes us examine exactly what 'unattractive' is. Perhaps it's not the conventions that we have or the blueprint in our minds. And if it makes people question for a minute what unattractive is, and the way in which we may respond as people to what we think unattractive is, then it's worthwhile."