Game of Thrones has launched a whole generation of young British talent. Over six years of the show, they've gone on to other projects after leaving the show – or between seasons. We love them all, and it's a marathon not a sprint – but who's pulling into the lead?
(NB: We only went with the younger actors who have arguably made their careers in Game of Thrones. Dame Diana Rigg and Charles Dance obviously stomp over everyone.)
8. Isaac Hempstead-Wright – Bran Stark
- The Awakening (2011)
- The Boxtrolls (2014)
The youngest actor on our list is yet to make much of a mark beyond the show, although he did lend his voice to Laika's charming Boxtrolls. In his defence, he's been busy finishing school – as well as changing beyond all recognition. We have high hopes.
7. Emilia Clarke – Daenerys Targaryen
- Dom Hemingway (2013)
- Terminator Genisys (2015)
- Me Before You (2016)
The Khaleesi hasn't been short of high-profile roles, but, unfortunately, Terminator Genisys turned out to be a royal stinker, and her latest Me Before You is attracting its fair share of controversy over its portrayal of disability. Though we can't hold Emilia responsible for either of those things – and who could blame her for jumping at the chance to play the legendary Sarah Connor?
6. Maisie Williams – Arya Stark
- The Falling (2014)
- Gold (2014)
Despite still being in her teens, Maisie is increasingly making her presence felt. She starred in the critically acclaimed indie The Falling, bagging herself a couple of awards along the way. On TV she showed up in a recurring part on Doctor Who as well as critically-acclaimed Channel 4 docu-drama Cyberbully. Next up, she's teaming with a little known actor called Michael Caine on the political comedy Coup d'Etat.
5. Kit Harington – Jon Snow
- Silent Hill: Revelation (2012)
- Pompeii (2014)
- Testament of Youth (2014)
- Seventh Son (2014)
- Spooks: The Greater Good (2015)
Let's call this a mixed bag. But among Jon Snow's flops – including CGI disaster-movie disaster Pompeii and the endlessly delayed Seventh Son – he has also pulled out some interesting projects like the Spooks movie and Vera Brittain biopic Testament of Youth alongside rising star Alicia Vikander. And, of course, Andy Samberg's tennis comedy 7 Days In Hell.
What to Read Next
What's coming next is anyone's guess.
4. Richard Madden – Robb Stark
- A Promise (2013)
- Cinderella (2015)
- Bastille Day (2016)
Madden has turned the lemons of Robb Stark's brutal Red Wedding murder into the lemonade of leading-man roles in big Hollywood productions. Though we aren't sure he'll truly bloom until they let him bring back his Scottish accent.
3. Natalie Dormer – Margaery Tyrell
- Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
- W.E. (2011)
- Rush (2013)
- The Counselor (2013)
- The Riot Club (2014)
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014)
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015)
- The Forest (2016)
Arguably the best established of the bunch thanks to her turn as Anne Boleyn in The Tudors, Natalie Dormer has also bagged some big movie franchise roles from the MCU to The Hunger Games, as well as a less-glorious appearance in Madonna's universally panned W.E. and as a character known only as 'The Blonde' in Ridley Scott's The Counselor. And though her horror The Forest was dogged by bad reviews, it does show that she's considered an actress who can carry a film.
2. Gwendoline Christie – Brienne of Tarth
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015)
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
- Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (2016)
Now we're getting into the top spots, and the competition is fierce. Gwendoline Christie bagged a role in the franchise to end all franchises – Star Wars. Unfortunately, her much-publicised role as Captain Phasma in The Force Awakens turned out to be a bit of a washout – mainly due to her vanishingly small amount of screen time – but rumours say that she'll have a much bigger part to play in Episode VIII.
1. Sophie Turner – Sansa Stark
- Barely Lethal (2015)
- X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
Sophie Turner is only just getting started in her movie career, and while she might not be in Star Wars, she's landed the biggest role out of all her Game of Thrones co-stars by far. She recently made her debut as every fanboy's favourite mutant, Jean Grey, in X-Men: Apocalypse, and the series will almost certainly be moving ahead with her at the centre of it – not to mention the hints of a new take on the 'Dark Phoenix Saga' somewhere in the future. Sophie's got it sewn up.
)_as_((Bran_Stark))_on_((Game_of_Thrones)).jpeg){kind=link}