See what these 'Game of Thrones' actors looked like before the show
Khaleesi, is that you?
Olenna Tyrell
Olenna Tyrell
PHOTO: HBO
Diana Rigg (1968)
Diana Rigg (1966)
Before her turn on Game of Thrones as the Lady of Highgarden, the English actress was known for playing Emma Peel in the 1960s TV series The Avengers.
PHOTO: Getty
Eddard Stark
Eddard Stark
PHOTO: HBO
Sean Bean (1992)
Sean Bean (1992)
Bean is known for his roles in Patriot Games, GoldenEye, Troy, and as Boromir in the Lord of the Rings series.
Catelyn Stark
Catelyn Stark
PHOTO: HBO
Michelle Fairley (1996)
Michelle Fairley (1996)
Fairley starred in a number of British television shows including The Bill, Holby City, and Casualty. She also played Hermione Granger's mother in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Cersei Lannister
Cersei Lannister
PHOTO: HBO
Lena Headey (1995)
Lena Headey (1995)
Headey got her start in acting at the age of 17 before appearing in Waterland, Remains of the Day, Mrs. Dalloway, and The Brothers Grimm.
Jaime Lannister
Jaime Lannister
PHOTO: HBO
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (2001)
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (2001)
The Danish actor starred in Nightwatch and Misery Harbour before making his U.S. film debut in the 2001 film Black Hawk Down.
Tyrion Lannister
Tyrion Lannister
PHOTO: HBO
Peter Dinklage (2003)
Peter Dinklage (2003)
Dinklage refused to take roles that were written for someone specifically with his condition, the "roles written for someone my size are a little flat"—often either comical or "sort of Lord of the Rings." The actor appeared in Living in Oblivion, Bullet, 13 Moons, and Station Agent.
Robb Stark
Robb Stark
PHOTO: HBO
Richard Madden (2007)
Richard Madden (2007)
The Scottish actor had his first role when he was 11 years old in the film Complicity. He then went on to play Romeo in a stage adaptation of Romeo and Juliet and had a lead role in British TV series Hope Springs.
Melisandre
Melisandre
PHOTO: HBO
Carice Van Houten (2006)
Carice Van Houten (2006)
Before playing the Red Priestess, Van Houten gained recognition for the 2006 Dutch film Black Book.
Jon Snow
Jon Snow
PHOTO: HBO
Kit Harington (2008)
Kit Harington (2008)
Harington landed a role in the 2008 stage adaptation of War Horse before he rose to fame playing the King of the North.
Margaery Tyrell
Margaery Tyrell
Natalie Dormer (2005)
Natalie Dormer (2005)
Thrones fans might recognize Dormer from Elementary, Casanova, Distant Shores, and The Tudors (in which she played Anne Boleyn).
Joffrey Baratheon
Joffrey Baratheon
Jack Gleeson (2005)
Jack Gleeson (2005)
Before Gleeson rose to fame playing the eldest Baratheon child, he appeared in the 2005 film Batman Begins alongside Katie Holmes.
Daenerys Targaryen
Daenerys Targaryen
PHOTO: HBO
Emilia Clarke (2010)
Emilia Clarke (2010)
Clarke had a number of minor roles before breaking out as the Mother of Dragons. The actress appeared in British TV series Doctors and the 2010 film Triassic Attack.
Theon Greyjoy
Theon Greyjoy
Alfie Allen (2007)
Alfie Allen (2007) The English actor—who happens to be Lily Allen's brother—appeared in the 1998 film Elizabeth, and had minor roles in Agent Cody Banks and Atonement.
Khal Drogo
Khal Drogo
Jason Momoa (2000)
Jason Momoa (2001)
The former model got his first acting gig in the 1999 drama series Baywatch Hawaii. Momoa went on to appear in films Stargate Atlantis and Johnson Family Vacation.
Robert Baratheon
Robert Baratheon
Mark Addy (2000)
Mark Addy (2000)
Before playing the former king of the Seven Kingdoms, Addy starred in The Thin Blue Line, The Full Monty, and Still Standing. He also played Fred Flintstone in the 2000 film The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas.
Tywin Lannister
Tywin Lannister
Charles Dance (1985)
Charles Dance (1985)
Known for playing villains, the English actor has appeared in The Jewel in the Crown, The Golden Child, Alien 3, and Dracula Untold.
Brienne of Tarth
Brienne of Tarth
Gwendoline Christie (2010)
Gwendoline Christie (2010)
Christie got her start in theater playing the Queen in Shakespeare's Cymbeline and Mag Wildwood in Breakfast at Tiffany's before landing a role in the 2009 film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.
Ser Jorah Mormont
Ser Jorah Mormont
Iain Glen (1992)
Iain Glen (1992)
Glen played Dr. Isaacs in the Resident Evil films and appeared in Mountains of the Moon, Downton Abbey, and Cleverman.
Petyr Baelish
Petyr Baelish
Aidan Gillen (2001)
Aiden Gillen (2001)
The Scottish actor had notable roles in The Wire, The Dark Knight Rises, and Queer as Folk before playing Littlefinger.
Ygritte
Ygritte
Rose Leslie (2010)
Rose Leslie (2010)
Before playing Game of Thrones' fierce wildling, Leslie starred in the 2009 film New Town and as Gwen Dawson on Downtown Abbey.
Stannis Baratheon
Stannis Baratheon
Stephen Dillane (1997)
Stephen Dillane (1997)
Dillane played Leonard Woolf in the 2002 film The Hours and Thomas Jefferson in the miniseries John Adams.
Oberyn Martell
Oberyn Martell
Pedro Pascal (1999)
Pedro Pascal (1999)
One of Pascal's earliest roles was playing a love interest-turned-vampire named Eddie in a 1999 episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
High Sparrow
High Sparrow
Jonathan Pryce (1985)
Jonathan Pryce (1985)
The Welsh actor debuted on the stage in the 1970s before landing roles in Hamlet, Tomorrow Never Dies, Pirates of the Caribbean, and The New World.
The Hound
The Hound
Rory McCann
Rory McCann (2002)
McCann played a personal trainer in the 2002 film The Book Group, a priest on Shameless, and Lurch in the 2007 film Hot Fuzz.
Roose Bolton
Roose Bolton
Michael McElhatton
Michael McElhatton
The Irish actor starred in a number of films and TV shows in the early 2000s, including I Went Down, Blow Dry, and The Actors.
Olenna Tyrell
Olenna Tyrell
PHOTO: HBO
Diana Rigg (1968)
Diana Rigg (1966)
Before her turn on Game of Thrones as the Lady of Highgarden, the English actress was known for playing Emma Peel in the 1960s TV series The Avengers.
PHOTO: Getty
Eddard Stark
Eddard Stark
PHOTO: HBO
Sean Bean (1992)
Sean Bean (1992)
Bean is known for his roles in Patriot Games, GoldenEye, Troy, and as Boromir in the Lord of the Rings series.
Catelyn Stark
Catelyn Stark
PHOTO: HBO
Michelle Fairley (1996)
Michelle Fairley (1996)
Fairley starred in a number of British television shows including The Bill, Holby City, and Casualty. She also played Hermione Granger's mother in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Cersei Lannister
Cersei Lannister
PHOTO: HBO
Lena Headey (1995)
Lena Headey (1995)
Headey got her start in acting at the age of 17 before appearing in Waterland, Remains of the Day, Mrs. Dalloway, and The Brothers Grimm.
Jaime Lannister
Jaime Lannister
PHOTO: HBO
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (2001)
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (2001)
The Danish actor starred in Nightwatch and Misery Harbour before making his U.S. film debut in the 2001 film Black Hawk Down.
Tyrion Lannister
Tyrion Lannister
PHOTO: HBO
Peter Dinklage (2003)
Peter Dinklage (2003)
Dinklage refused to take roles that were written for someone specifically with his condition, the "roles written for someone my size are a little flat"—often either comical or "sort of Lord of the Rings." The actor appeared in Living in Oblivion, Bullet, 13 Moons, and Station Agent.
Robb Stark
Robb Stark
PHOTO: HBO
Richard Madden (2007)
Richard Madden (2007)
The Scottish actor had his first role when he was 11 years old in the film Complicity. He then went on to play Romeo in a stage adaptation of Romeo and Juliet and had a lead role in British TV series Hope Springs.
Melisandre
Melisandre
PHOTO: HBO
Carice Van Houten (2006)
Carice Van Houten (2006)
Before playing the Red Priestess, Van Houten gained recognition for the 2006 Dutch film Black Book.
Jon Snow
Jon Snow
PHOTO: HBO
Kit Harington (2008)
Kit Harington (2008)
Harington landed a role in the 2008 stage adaptation of War Horse before he rose to fame playing the King of the North.
Margaery Tyrell
Margaery Tyrell
Natalie Dormer (2005)
Natalie Dormer (2005)
Thrones fans might recognize Dormer from Elementary, Casanova, Distant Shores, and The Tudors (in which she played Anne Boleyn).
Joffrey Baratheon
Joffrey Baratheon
Jack Gleeson (2005)
Jack Gleeson (2005)
Before Gleeson rose to fame playing the eldest Baratheon child, he appeared in the 2005 film Batman Begins alongside Katie Holmes.
Daenerys Targaryen
Daenerys Targaryen
PHOTO: HBO
Emilia Clarke (2010)
Emilia Clarke (2010)
Clarke had a number of minor roles before breaking out as the Mother of Dragons. The actress appeared in British TV series Doctors and the 2010 film Triassic Attack.
Theon Greyjoy
Theon Greyjoy
Alfie Allen (2007)
Alfie Allen (2007) The English actor—who happens to be Lily Allen's brother—appeared in the 1998 film Elizabeth, and had minor roles in Agent Cody Banks and Atonement.
Khal Drogo
Khal Drogo
Jason Momoa (2000)
Jason Momoa (2001)
The former model got his first acting gig in the 1999 drama series Baywatch Hawaii. Momoa went on to appear in films Stargate Atlantis and Johnson Family Vacation.
Robert Baratheon
Robert Baratheon
Mark Addy (2000)
Mark Addy (2000)
Before playing the former king of the Seven Kingdoms, Addy starred in The Thin Blue Line, The Full Monty, and Still Standing. He also played Fred Flintstone in the 2000 film The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas.
Tywin Lannister
Tywin Lannister
Charles Dance (1985)
Charles Dance (1985)
Known for playing villains, the English actor has appeared in The Jewel in the Crown, The Golden Child, Alien 3, and Dracula Untold.
Brienne of Tarth
Brienne of Tarth
Gwendoline Christie (2010)
Gwendoline Christie (2010)
Christie got her start in theater playing the Queen in Shakespeare's Cymbeline and Mag Wildwood in Breakfast at Tiffany's before landing a role in the 2009 film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.
Ser Jorah Mormont
Ser Jorah Mormont
Iain Glen (1992)
Iain Glen (1992)
Glen played Dr. Isaacs in the Resident Evil films and appeared in Mountains of the Moon, Downton Abbey, and Cleverman.
Petyr Baelish
Petyr Baelish
Aidan Gillen (2001)
Aiden Gillen (2001)
The Scottish actor had notable roles in The Wire, The Dark Knight Rises, and Queer as Folk before playing Littlefinger.
Ygritte
Ygritte
Rose Leslie (2010)
Rose Leslie (2010)
Before playing Game of Thrones' fierce wildling, Leslie starred in the 2009 film New Town and as Gwen Dawson on Downtown Abbey.
Stannis Baratheon
Stannis Baratheon
Stephen Dillane (1997)
Stephen Dillane (1997)
Dillane played Leonard Woolf in the 2002 film The Hours and Thomas Jefferson in the miniseries John Adams.
Oberyn Martell
Oberyn Martell
Pedro Pascal (1999)
Pedro Pascal (1999)
One of Pascal's earliest roles was playing a love interest-turned-vampire named Eddie in a 1999 episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
High Sparrow
High Sparrow
Jonathan Pryce (1985)
Jonathan Pryce (1985)
The Welsh actor debuted on the stage in the 1970s before landing roles in Hamlet, Tomorrow Never Dies, Pirates of the Caribbean, and The New World.
The Hound
The Hound
Rory McCann
Rory McCann (2002)
McCann played a personal trainer in the 2002 film The Book Group, a priest on Shameless, and Lurch in the 2007 film Hot Fuzz.
Roose Bolton
Roose Bolton
Michael McElhatton
Michael McElhatton
The Irish actor starred in a number of films and TV shows in the early 2000s, including I Went Down, Blow Dry, and The Actors.
Olenna Tyrell
Olenna Tyrell
PHOTO: HBO
Diana Rigg (1968)
Diana Rigg (1966)
Before her turn on Game of Thrones as the Lady of Highgarden, the English actress was known for playing Emma Peel in the 1960s TV series The Avengers.
PHOTO: Getty
Eddard Stark
Eddard Stark
PHOTO: HBO
Sean Bean (1992)
Sean Bean (1992)
Bean is known for his roles in Patriot Games, GoldenEye, Troy, and as Boromir in the Lord of the Rings series.
Catelyn Stark
Catelyn Stark
PHOTO: HBO
Michelle Fairley (1996)
Michelle Fairley (1996)
Fairley starred in a number of British television shows including The Bill, Holby City, and Casualty. She also played Hermione Granger's mother in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Cersei Lannister
Cersei Lannister
PHOTO: HBO
Lena Headey (1995)
Lena Headey (1995)
Headey got her start in acting at the age of 17 before appearing in Waterland, Remains of the Day, Mrs. Dalloway, and The Brothers Grimm.
Jaime Lannister
Jaime Lannister
PHOTO: HBO
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (2001)
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (2001)
The Danish actor starred in Nightwatch and Misery Harbour before making his U.S. film debut in the 2001 film Black Hawk Down.
Tyrion Lannister
Tyrion Lannister
PHOTO: HBO
Peter Dinklage (2003)
Peter Dinklage (2003)
Dinklage refused to take roles that were written for someone specifically with his condition, the "roles written for someone my size are a little flat"—often either comical or "sort of Lord of the Rings." The actor appeared in Living in Oblivion, Bullet, 13 Moons, and Station Agent.
Robb Stark
Robb Stark
PHOTO: HBO
Richard Madden (2007)
Richard Madden (2007)
The Scottish actor had his first role when he was 11 years old in the film Complicity. He then went on to play Romeo in a stage adaptation of Romeo and Juliet and had a lead role in British TV series Hope Springs.
Melisandre
Melisandre
PHOTO: HBO
Carice Van Houten (2006)
Carice Van Houten (2006)
Before playing the Red Priestess, Van Houten gained recognition for the 2006 Dutch film Black Book.
Jon Snow
Jon Snow
PHOTO: HBO
Kit Harington (2008)
Kit Harington (2008)
Harington landed a role in the 2008 stage adaptation of War Horse before he rose to fame playing the King of the North.
Margaery Tyrell
Margaery Tyrell
Natalie Dormer (2005)
Natalie Dormer (2005)
Thrones fans might recognize Dormer from Elementary, Casanova, Distant Shores, and The Tudors (in which she played Anne Boleyn).
Joffrey Baratheon
Joffrey Baratheon
Jack Gleeson (2005)
Jack Gleeson (2005)
Before Gleeson rose to fame playing the eldest Baratheon child, he appeared in the 2005 film Batman Begins alongside Katie Holmes.
Daenerys Targaryen
Daenerys Targaryen
PHOTO: HBO
Emilia Clarke (2010)
Emilia Clarke (2010)
Clarke had a number of minor roles before breaking out as the Mother of Dragons. The actress appeared in British TV series Doctors and the 2010 film Triassic Attack.
Theon Greyjoy
Theon Greyjoy
Alfie Allen (2007)
Alfie Allen (2007) The English actor—who happens to be Lily Allen's brother—appeared in the 1998 film Elizabeth, and had minor roles in Agent Cody Banks and Atonement.
Khal Drogo
Khal Drogo
Jason Momoa (2000)
Jason Momoa (2001)
The former model got his first acting gig in the 1999 drama series Baywatch Hawaii. Momoa went on to appear in films Stargate Atlantis and Johnson Family Vacation.
Robert Baratheon
Robert Baratheon
Mark Addy (2000)
Mark Addy (2000)
Before playing the former king of the Seven Kingdoms, Addy starred in The Thin Blue Line, The Full Monty, and Still Standing. He also played Fred Flintstone in the 2000 film The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas.
Tywin Lannister
Tywin Lannister
Charles Dance (1985)
Charles Dance (1985)
Known for playing villains, the English actor has appeared in The Jewel in the Crown, The Golden Child, Alien 3, and Dracula Untold.
Brienne of Tarth
Brienne of Tarth
Gwendoline Christie (2010)
Gwendoline Christie (2010)
Christie got her start in theater playing the Queen in Shakespeare's Cymbeline and Mag Wildwood in Breakfast at Tiffany's before landing a role in the 2009 film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.
Ser Jorah Mormont
Ser Jorah Mormont
Iain Glen (1992)
Iain Glen (1992)
Glen played Dr. Isaacs in the Resident Evil films and appeared in Mountains of the Moon, Downton Abbey, and Cleverman.
Petyr Baelish
Petyr Baelish
Aidan Gillen (2001)
Aiden Gillen (2001)
The Scottish actor had notable roles in The Wire, The Dark Knight Rises, and Queer as Folk before playing Littlefinger.
Ygritte
Ygritte
Rose Leslie (2010)
Rose Leslie (2010)
Before playing Game of Thrones' fierce wildling, Leslie starred in the 2009 film New Town and as Gwen Dawson on Downtown Abbey.
Stannis Baratheon
Stannis Baratheon
Stephen Dillane (1997)
Stephen Dillane (1997)
Dillane played Leonard Woolf in the 2002 film The Hours and Thomas Jefferson in the miniseries John Adams.
Oberyn Martell
Oberyn Martell
Pedro Pascal (1999)
Pedro Pascal (1999)
One of Pascal's earliest roles was playing a love interest-turned-vampire named Eddie in a 1999 episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
High Sparrow
High Sparrow
Jonathan Pryce (1985)
Jonathan Pryce (1985)
The Welsh actor debuted on the stage in the 1970s before landing roles in Hamlet, Tomorrow Never Dies, Pirates of the Caribbean, and The New World.
The Hound
The Hound
Rory McCann
Rory McCann (2002)
McCann played a personal trainer in the 2002 film The Book Group, a priest on Shameless, and Lurch in the 2007 film Hot Fuzz.
Roose Bolton
Roose Bolton
Michael McElhatton
Michael McElhatton
The Irish actor starred in a number of films and TV shows in the early 2000s, including I Went Down, Blow Dry, and The Actors.
Khaleesi, is that you?
Sure, you recognize them in their wigs and armor, but would you be able to pick all the Game of Thrones actors out of a lineup? Here is what your GoT faves looked like before the show—some of them totally transformed before they came to the Seven Kingdoms!