What 56 Game of Thrones Actors Look Like in Real Life

A lot about Game of Thrones blows my mind: the theories, the sets, the special effects, the costumes, and the makeup—especially those last two elements of the show, which aired its eighth and final season in 2019. Turning brunette Emilia Clarke into platinum blond Daenerys Targaryen? Making The Mountain look like...a blue zombie? Some of that stuff is straight-up wizardry. So to celebrate the show's upcoming prequel, House of the Dragon, we're rounding up images of GoT cast members and juxtaposing them with what the actor looks like in real life—and don't worry, we included a few stars from the spinoff too.

WATCH GAME OF THRONES ON HBO

WATCH HOUSE OF THE DRAGON ON HBO

Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey)

Transformation on a 1 to 10 scale, 10 being the most drastic: 9. Cersei had the looks of a sweet fairy tale princess and the heart of a villain; Lena, with her jet black hair, avant-garde hairstyles, and bicep tattoo, looks like one tough lady...but is probably a very nice woman, obviously.

Jon Snow (Kit Harington)

Transformation: 1. Is there anything different here other than a dollop of hair gel?

Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner)

Transformation: 6. IRL, she's A) happy and B) not sickly pale.

Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke)

Transformation: 9, because Khaleesi was as known for that blond hair as she was for those dragons.

Arya Stark (Maisie Williams)

Transformation: 6, because if Arya lived in present day she wouldn't be caught dead in Maisie's crop tops and hair extensions.

Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage)

Transformation: 4 for added badass-ness. Less floppy hair and fewer kilts, more beanies and bombers.

Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau)

Transformation: 2. You look basically the same either way, Nikolaj, which is to say: SEXY.

Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer)

Transformation: 10. Skrillex hair, people, Skrillex hair. (Natalie Dormer sported it for another role, but still.)

Trystane Martell (Toby Sebastian)

Transformation: 4, because what is UP with his skin tone on the show? Toby Sebastian is so hot in real life. But on the show he was...kinda ghostly looking?

Gilly (Hannah Murray)

Transformation: 7. Amazing what a blowout and a coat of red lipstick can do, right?

Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie)

Transformation: 5. The makeup's different, but height is the British actress' most marked physical characteristic (she's 6'3"), and that goes with her everywhere, on set and off.

High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce)

Transformation: 7. Sure, Jonathan's real-life glasses change things, but dude? He doesn't even really look like the same person in the show. (The eyebrows, the facial hair...the dapper gent vs. the disenfranchised, doesn't-care-about-material-possessions man.)

Myrcella Baratheon (Nell Tiger Free)

Transformation: 5, because in real life the actress has naturally straight hair. It takes tiiiiime to get perfectly wavy waves, as we all know.

Oberyn Martell (Pedro Pascal)

Transformation: 4, because the facial hair changes up his game.

Wun Weg Wun Dar Wun (Ian Whyte)

Transformation: 10, for obvious reasons. It takes acting chops and a serious amount of time spent in the hair and makeup chair to play a giant.

Nymeria Sand (Jessica Henwick)

Transformation: 3.6...all because of the brows. The arched, semicircle brow shape she prefers in real life gives her face a much different look than the

Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson)

Transformation: 10, but only because he's smiling. JOFFREY NEVER SMILES (unless he's torturing a kitten).

Olenna Tyrell (Diana Rigg)

Transformation: 4, only because we never actually see Olenna's hair, just those scarves.

Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane)

Transformation: 2, which is probably pretty arbitrary, but the real-life facial hair sort of made me think Stephen Dillane was Steven Spielberg.

Melisandre (Carice van Houten)

Transformation: 8, because if Melisandre were THIS gorgeous on the show, it would be too distracting.

Tyene Sand (Rosabell Laurenti Sellers)

Transformation: 2. Rosabell, a season 5 addition to the cast, has a totally different eye makeup game in real life...but the rest? Yep, pretty much the same.

Obara Sand (Keisha Castle Hughes)

Transformation: 3. Keisha Castle Hughes is so much more feminine and smiley in real life than her GoT character was.

Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson)

Transformation: 4. 1 point because he doesn't keep his hair shorn so short in real life, and 3 points because he is allowed to wear sleeves! (Did I mention this system was arbitrary?)

Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen)

Transformation: 8, but only because Alfie Allen doesn't have the look of someone tortured until his breaking point. (Good thing it's not the other way around?)

Doran Martell (Alexander Siddig)

Transformation: 0.5. For Alexander Siddig, even the stubble was the same on the show.

Shae (Sibel Kekilli)

Transformation: 5, because of the switch from long, flowy waves to a sleek lob.

Ygritte (Rose Leslie)

Transformation: 6. 3 points because dannnnng, that ain't no Wildling, and 3 points for fashion.

Podrick Payne (Daniel Portman)

Transformation: 1? Did this guy even have to stop in the hair and makeup trailer, like, ever?

Mance Rayder (Ciarán Hinds)

Transformation: 2. I hope this isn't mean to say, but Hinds is just a formidable guy! Foreboding presence? Stern face? Check. Check. Everywhere. Okay, he's much more clean.

Areo Hotah (DeObia Oparei)

Transformation: 0? Same thing as Jon Snow: For DeObia, his transformation was all in the wardrobe.

Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish (Aiden Gillen)

Transformation: 4, because Littlefinger's mojo was in his goatee.

Samwell Tarly (John Bradley)

Transformation: 3, because minus facial hair and permanently clueless expression, he's basically the same.

Sandor "The Hound" Clegane (Rory McCann)

Transformation: 10, because HIS ENTIRE FACE LOOKS DIFFERENT.

Eddison Tollett (Ben Crompton)

Transformation: 3, but that's mostly because IRL Ben Crompton looks like he's on vacation compared to the Night's Watch's Edd.

Lord Varys (Conleth Hill)

Transformation: 5, because of the addition of hair, and also because Conleth Hill looks like someone you can actually trust.

Gregor Clegane (Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson)

Transformation: 5. Gee, Hafþór, you sure look different without giant scratches on your face! Also, this looks like the angry emoji and the slightly smiling emoji put next to one another.

Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen)

Transformation: 5. Having greyscale really took its toll on a poor old Jorah, but Iain Glen looks the picture of health. Plus, facial hair.

Ellaria Sand (Indira Varma)

Transformation: 2. Both women are glamazons, but Varma's on-screen counterpart went a bit harder on the eyeliner.

Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead-Wright)

Transformation: 6, because when the glasses come off, the Three-Eyed Raven stare comes on.

Bronn (Jerome Flynn)

Transformation: 1. These two men look exactly the same. Fine, Bronn's hair might be a bit darker.

Gendry (Joe Dempsie)

Transformation: 1...800-CALLME. Sorry.

Tormund Giantsbane (Kristofer Hivju)

Transformation: 2. Hivju's incredible beard is even more luxuriant than Tormund's, but to be fair, there probably wasn't a lot of beard-grooming product in Winterfell.

Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham)

Transformation: 3. Liam Cunningham doesn't have the Khal Drogo problem, exactly, but Sir Davos did keep his face a bit warmer than the actor does.

Drogo (Jason Momoa)

Transformation: 7. Whether he's in an epic fight scene as Drogo or posing on the red carpet, Jason Momoa is a complete badass. His heavy makeup and hair extensions add a lot to his character, though.

Daario Naharis (Michiel Huisman)

Transformation: 6. Different hair, different facial hair. But both extremely hot.

Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel)

Transformation: 3, for Missandei's practical hairstyle.

Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbæk)

Transformation: 7. Euron's wooden crown was very...fetching(?) but wouldn't fly for the more clean-cut Pilou Asbæk.

Beric Dondarrion (Richard Dormer)

Transformation: 8, thanks to Beric Dondarrion's missing eye.

Ned Stark (Sean Bean)

Transformation: 10. Sean Bean still has his head. Sorry!

Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith)

Transformation: 6. Well, they do say blondes have more fun. The Crown actor has long hair that looks straight out of a shampoo commercial as Daemon Targaryen in the GoT prequel, House of the Dragon.

Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock)

Transformation: 4. Besides the platinum hair and a little less makeup, Milly and her House of the Dragon character, a young Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, aren't drastically different. Funky beaded jewelry? Check. Steely gaze? Also check.

King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine)

Transformation: 6. One word: Hair. That long, gray wig totally changes Paddy's entire look for House of the Dragon. It ages him and gives off a mystical vibe that the actor doesn't have outside of the show.

Lady Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno)

Transformation: 3. Besides a different haircut, you can totally tell who the House of the Dragon star is out of costume. Between her natural makeup and dark hair, Sonoya's look in real life isn't all that different.

Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke)

Transformation: 5. There isn't that much that differs between Olivia and her House of the Dragon character, but there are two big contrasts. 1) Her hair color and 2) her bangs. Love both!

Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy)

Transformation: 8. Emma looks completely different from Rhaenyra in House of the Dragon—from their bold makeup to their shorter (and darker) hair.

Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans)

Transformation: 3. Other than his facial hair, there's no real difference between Rhys and his character of Otto in House of the Dragon. Sure, the modern clothing helps him appear a bit younger, but no crazy transformation here.

From: ELLE US