The hugely popular Game of Thrones was inarguably one of HBO’s biggest-ever TV successes. While the show may have now ended, the legacy of creator George RR Martin’s world of Westeros lives on. His books in the A Song of Ice and Fire series remain unfinished – and with a fanbase firmly split over how the show ended, it remains a massively controversial phenomenon.
That said, Game of Thrones was a cultural phenomenon quite unlike any other – so what’s the story behind the stories?
If you’re planning a rewatch of the series at any point, here are some facts to help make the experience that little bit more fascinating.
1. The show helped to create household names out of several stars.
Most notably, Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), and Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), who already had a prolific career on the big screen, are some of the biggest stars to hail from the show.
Other actors, such as Sophie Turner, Alfie Allen, John Bradley, Gwendoline Christie, Nathalie Emmanuel, and others, have also had prolific careers in the industry, somewhat thanks to GoT being a launching pad.
2. Tyrion Lannister is the most prolific character.
Peter Dinklage appears in more episodes of Game of Thrones than any other actor. There are only six episodes in the show’s run where Tyrion does not appear. Although this may not come as a shock to many, he was an important character in the show and a true fan favorite!
3. Joffrey’s actor left a serious impact.
The cruel child king, Joffrey Baratheon, was played by Jack Gleeson – who, for a while, kept a low profile on other screen ventures. He decided to pursue different career opportunities instead, classing acting as something he’d always loved to do for fun.
However, in 2023, he returned to acting for his role in the film “In the Land of Saints and Sinners” alongside fellow Irish actor Liam Neeson. He’s also worked in theatre productions since.
4. Bronn was a pop sensation!
Believe it or not, British viewers may recognise the roguish Bronn from a 90s pop duo – actor Jerome Flynn had several number one hits in the UK with fellow dramatist Robson Green.
Following the end of their music heyday, both Flynn and Green went on to different acting projects. Both came to public prominence in the UK through the TV drama Soldier, Soldier.
5. Hodor also has a career in music!
Gentle giant Hodor, who is only able to speak his name, was played by Kristian Nairn, who has a main career line as a DJ. He still DJs now, and is a regular face on the comic convention circuit.
6. Maester Pycelle should be a very familiar face to many,
Julian Glover, who starred in the show as the leering and seemingly frail Maester Pycelle, has had lead roles in both Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and The Empire Strikes Back.
That means Glover has appeared in three of the biggest pop culture franchises of the past 40 years!
7. Emilia Clarke was a late addition to the cast.
It’s safe to say you can’t have Game of Thrones without Daenerys Targaryen, however, Emilia Clarke very nearly didn’t appear in the show at all. She didn’t appear in the pilot episode – but joined the show for real once it started.
8. Hot Pie has his own bakery.
Hot Pie, a fan-favourite character who “retired” in-show to run his own bakery, was played by Ben Hawkey. Hawkey launched his own Game of Thrones-inspired bakery while the show was still running, offering recipes based on those you’d have heard about in the series!
9. George RR Martin is not a fan of the silver screen.
George RR Martin is allegedly thought to have written his A Song of Ice and Fire books to be virtually unfilmable. That’s because the author is said to have had bad experiences working behind-the-scenes writing for TV.
He rejected the chance to develop his stories into movies, which would have cut out even more detail from his books. Frankly, they’ve crammed in as much detail as they could!
10. The show cost hundreds of millions to make.
The first season of Game of Thrones reportedly cost around $60 million to make. However, by season six, HBO paid over $100 million per run. To be fair, with the number of different sets, incredible costumes, cast members and CGI, it’s really no wonder the show cost so much to develop!
11. The author was cut from the show – in a way!
George RR Martin himself had a cameo on the show’s original pilot – but his scene was cut. Sorry George – don’t quit the day job just yet!
12. The show started all the way back in 2011.
Although many of us still tend to think of Game of Thrones as quite a recent show, it actually aired over a decade ago! In fact, the show premiered on HBO on April 17, 2011! The series consists of eight seasons, totaling 73 episodes, with the final season airing in 2019.
It quickly became an iconic show of the 2010s – and, as I’ll explain below, it left something of a bittersweet taste behind…
13. The show’s viewer numbers grew exponentially.
The show got off to a very good start with a decent amount of viewers. But by the end of its run, it had around 44 million viewers across multiple platforms!
As you can imagine, the show’s audience grew with every new series and definitely went out with a bang! The finale had a record-breaking 19.3 million viewers!
That’s a lot of people who might have been left disappointed… sorry, spoilers!
14. The series is set in a fictional world, though much of the cast has British accents!
Of course, in this world of dragons, witches, and people coming back from the dead, all of the locations are also fictional. The series is set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos, featuring various distinct regions and cultures, but more on them later!
As it stands, the vast majority of characters in Game of Thrones seem to have British accents – even actors born outside of the UK put on a twang!
15. The story is based around multiple important houses.
Whether or not you have seen the show, there’s a reasonable chance that you know at least some of the noble houses from Game of Thrones.
The stories in the show revolve mostly around these houses, including Stark, Lannister, Baratheon, Targaryen, Greyjoy, Tyrell, and Martell, each vying for power and control.
Spoiler – no one really comes out on top. It’s a rough ride for everybody…
16. Everyone wants the Iron Throne!
Of course, the main plot of the show is to see who will end up on the coveted Iron Throne. The throne is the seat of the king of the Seven Kingdoms, made from the swords of vanquished enemies, hence its legendary name.
Interestingly, the throne even had appeal for some of our World’s royals, including Queen Elizabeth II! She famously visited the set of the hit HBO show, but she was not allowed to sit on the Iron Throne!
No, it wasn’t the show runners being cruel. It’s simply due to the fact that at the time she was the reigning monarch of her kingdom, and was therefore prohibited from sitting on a foreign throne. Fake ones count, apparently!
17. The show was filmed all over the world.
We know that the show was popular worldwide, but did you know that it was also filmed all over the world?
In order to depict all of the different climates and landscapes of the world of Westeros, Game of Thrones was filmed in multiple countries, including Northern Ireland, Croatia, Iceland, Malta, Morocco, and Spain.
18. The show had multiple showrunners.
It may come as no surprise that such a big show demanded the work of multiple showrunners! The series was created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, who served as showrunners and main writers.
The show also had multiple notable directors work on the show, including Alan Taylor, David Nutter, and Miguel Sapochnik.
19. It was an award-winning show.
Game of Thrones was not only popular among fans, but also among critics. The show won numerous awards, including 59 Primetime Emmy Awards! This makes it one of the most awarded series in Emmy history!
Ah, how the mighty fall… ok, I’ll stop now!
20. It had an iconic theme song.
Anyone familiar with the main theme from Game of Thrones is likely humming it along right about now! The iconic theme music and score were composed by Ramin Djawadi, which became widely recognized and celebrated.
So much so, in fact, that the tune was reused for the prequel series, House of The Dragon, which aired several years after GoT ended.
21. It has some very complex characters!
Game of Thrones is renowned for its intricate political intrigue, alliances, betrayals, and shifting power dynamics.
However, one of the most celebrated and intriguing things about the show is its multitude of complex and morally ambiguous characters. The show has been praised for its significant character development throughout the series.
However, it is worth noting that not all character changes were well-received! No spoilers, but… brace yourself!
22. The show had some iconic battles.
One thing that was always well-received from the show was its iconic battles! Known for being blood-thirsty, well-written, and beautifully shot, many fans know the names and reasons for the battles from Game of Thrones more than real-life ones!
Some of the most famous battles from the show include the Battle of the Bastards, the Battle of Blackwater, and the Battle of Winterfell.
23. It’s a show with a lot of dragons.
Dragons, dragons, everywhere! Even people who haven’t seen Game of Thrones will likely tell you it’s about dragons (and other things, but let’s keep it family-friendly)!
Dragons play a crucial role in the series, with Daenerys Targaryen being known as the Mother of Dragons, owning three dragons: Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion. The House of Targaryen, in fact, is called the House of the Dragon, hence the name of the spin-off.
24. Women rule in Westeros.
Game of Thrones has been praised for featuring many strong female characters, including Daenerys Targaryen, Arya Stark, Sansa Stark, Cersei Lannister, and Brienne of Tarth.
Aside from being strong, these characters are also well-developed and complicated, and they range from truly kind to wickedly evil!
25. You should never get attached to any of the characters.
As they say in the show, the night is dark and full of terrors – and that means all the characters, even the main protagonists, are at risk of getting brutally killed at any moment.
No one in the show was ever safe, with major characters being killed off unexpectedly. In fact, it became a bit of a running joke for the actors on the show as they would never know if they would be employed in the next episode!
26. The show has also had some shocking weddings.
Weddings on Game of Thrones have never been truly romantic or swoon-worthy. In fact, the Red Wedding (spoilers ahead) is one of the most infamous and shocking events in the series, involving a brutal and unexpected massacre during a wedding feast.
27. The world is protected by the Wall.
The Wall in Game of Thrones refers to a massive ice structure in the North, guarding the realms of men from the dangers beyond, manned by the Night’s Watch. Unknown to most of the characters throughout the show, one of those dangers includes the White Walkers!
Spoilers again… the Wall wouldn’t last forever…
28. Nothing is as strong as Valyrian Steel.
In-universe, Valyrian Steel is a rare and magical metal used to forge powerful swords capable of killing White Walkers.
Although it is mentioned multiple times throughout the show, few characters actually own any Valyrian Steel! Some of the famous swords made from Valyrian Steel include Longclaw, Oathkeeper, Heartsbane, and more.
29. You do not mess with the Dothraki!
The Dothraki are a nomadic warrior culture known for their horsemanship, led by Khal Drogo in the early seasons. The culture quickly became a fan-favourite, as did its leader.
Nope, I’m resisting spoilers for this one, too. But, then again, the show’s been out there since 2011… where have you been if you need protection from Game of Thrones spoilers?
30. The Faceless Men were arguably even more fearsome than the Dothraki.
The Faceless Men are a secretive and deadly group of assassins, with Arya Stark training with them in Braavos.
Her training was long and arduous and impressively created a very stoic, fearsome, and deadly character from one who the fans had watched grow from a small, defenseless child!
31. Prophecies are very important in the show.
Indeed, prophecies and visions play a significant role, including Azor Ahai’s prophecy and Bran Stark’s visions, which become crucial in the show’s final seasons.
32. There are multiple religions in Westeros.
As well as creating multiple cultures, languages, and countless characters, Game of Thrones also has brought forward various fictional religious beliefs, including the Faith of the Seven, the Old Gods, the Lord of Light, and the Many-Faced God!
33. Some of the many cultures in the show include…
The Wildlings, who live beyond the Wall, are led by Mance Rayder and who later ally with Jon Snow against the White Walkers.
There are also the Ironborn, who are fierce seafarers from the Iron Islands, with their own customs and culture, led by House Greyjoy.
Then, there are the Maesters, who are scholars and healers who serve the noble houses, providing wisdom and medical care. I’m only scratching the iceberg here!
34. The show came to an extremely divisive ending.
Want to know how Game of Thrones ends? You’ve been warned, here’s the lowdown.
The series ended with Bran Stark being chosen as king, Daenerys Targaryen’s death, and Jon Snow returning to the North (having killed his beloved Daenerys himself,) leaving fans with mixed reactions.
There have even been reports of some of the actors from the show being disappointed with its ending!
Ratings on IMDB show that GoT had an immense fall from grace in the eyes of viewers, with many criticizing its baffling breakneck character changes, its logical leaps, and its rushed pacing. It’s all subjective, of course – if you enjoyed it, more power to you!
FAQs About Game of Thrones
How much of Game of Thrones is based on the books?
While the world of Game of Thrones is generally based on the books by George RR Martin, there are countless differences between the show and the books. So, if you happen to read the books, you may be delighted with very different stories from those seen in the show!
In what order do I watch Game of Thrones?
Many suggest that it is now best to watch House of the Dragon, the spinoff show from Game of Thrones, before watching the series itself. This is because the events in House of the Dragon take place centuries before Game of Thrones, and some key story lines do come up in GoT, too.
What is Game of Thrones inspired by?
Game of Thrones was reportedly inspired by the War of the Roses from British history.
Further reading
https://time.com/game-of-thrones-2017/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Game-of-Thrones
Do you know any fun facts about Game of Thrones? Share them in the comments below!