Those who religiously watch Game of Thrones have made the fantasy their reality. After spending an hour in Westeros, following Khaleesi and fearing the white walkers, we get so stuck in the fantasy world and its timeline of events, we forget the characters are real people and everything that happens is fake.
It’s time to burst your bubble and shoot you right back to reality. Here are 40 super fun Game of Thrones facts that you probably didn’t know until now…
1. The Iron Throne is Made of Real Swords
Did you think the Iron Throne was made of plastic? Wrong! It took prop maker Gavin Jones two months to build the Iron Throne. It’s eight feet tall and made up of hundreds of heated swords placed on a wooden frame. In fact, you can own your very own mini version of it – as seen in our list of Game of Thrones merchandise…
2. Harry Lloyd is Related to Charles Dickens!
Who wants to be a part of the Targaryen bloodline when you can be a part of the Dickens one? Harry Lloyd who played Viserys Targaryen is the great-great-great grandson of Charles Dickens. Amazing!
3. Jaime Lannister Might be Based on Luke Skywalker
These two characters may be from totally different realms, but that doesn’t stop us from wondering – was Jaime Lannister inspired by Luke Skywalker? George R.R. Martin may or may not have based his character on the Star Wars icon. Coincidentally, the two have a lot in common!
4. Kit Harington and Rose Leslie are a Real-Life Couple
If you still wish that Jon Snow and Ygriette remained a couple on the show – have no fear because the actors are actually married in real life! The two found love on the set of the show all the way back in 2012! “If you’re already attracted to someone, and then they play your love interest in the show, it’s becomes very easy to fall in love”, Kit told Vogue Italia.
5. George W.Bush Starred in Game of Thrones (Kinda)
Here’s a cool Game of Thrones Easter egg! Remember when Joffrey forced Sansa to look at the head of her dead father? One of the many heads in that scene was the severed head of George W. Bush. Political, much? The show-runners explained, “It’s not a choice, it’s not a political statement. We just had to use whatever head we had around.” In fact, so many were offended, that the scene ended up being removed from any future DVD production!
6. Iwan Rheon Almost Played Jon Snow!
Can you imagine if Iwan Rheon (AKA Ramsay Bolton) starred as the beloved Jon Snow instead of the ballistic Ramsay? Nope, neither can we! Thankfully, the showrunners chose Kit Harington! Iwan’s better suited as Ramsay, anyway!
7. Joffrey Baratheon May be the Actor’s Last Ever Role
King Joffrey may never act again. Jack Gleeson announced that he planned to give up acting after Game of Thrones because he didn’t enjoy it as much as he used to. Is it because he had to play an evil and sadistic teenager? That would put anyone off acting, right? LOL, we kid…
See Also: The Most Powerful Game of Thrones Quotes Ever Said
8. Theon Greyjoy is Related to Lily Allen!
The entertainment world is small, indeed! Theon Greyjoy, played by Alfie Allen is Lily Allen’s brother. For those who don’t know, Lily is a famous British pop artist. In fact, she’s a pretty big deal in the U.K. They look alike so much, we can’t believe we never noticed this relation ourselves!
9. Lily Allen Almost Played Yara Greyjoy!
The British singer turned down the role of Theon Greyjoy’s sister as she didn’t like the idea of taking part in incestuous scenes. Although Cersei and Jaime would disagree, Lily’s excuse totally makes sense to us!
10. Oona Chaplin is Charlie Chaplin’s Granddaughter!
She might have had a short time on the show but this actress has an amazing family tree to brag about! Oona Chaplin who played Talisa Maegyr is Charlie Chaplin’s granddaughter. Can you see the resemblance?
11. There Were Different Plans for the Game of Thrones Theme Song
The series co-creator originally wanted The Rains of Castamere as the show’s theme song! For those who can’t remember, that was the haunting song played during The Red Wedding, just before Catelyn and Rob Stark were murdered. Thankfully the co-creator was talked out of it. That song is way too bleak!
12. George R.R. Martin Starred in an Episode
That’s right! Game of Thrones’ very own author featured in one of his show’s episodes! George R.R. Martin had a cameo in the original pilot as a guest at Daenerys and Khal Drogo’s wedding. That pilot episode was scrapped though because it had multiple mistakes!
If only the show ended differently! Here are the best GoT theories we wish were true!
13. One of the Swords on the Iron Throne Belongs to Lord of the Rings!
Here’s some cool Game of Thrones trivia that intertwines two famous fantasy worlds. Can you believe that one of the swords on the Iron Throne is in fact, Gandalf’s (Lord of the Rings) sword, Glamdring?! Only dedicated fans would have spotted this little Easter Egg! You can see the image here.
See more Lord of the Rings facts!
14. The Name “Khaleesi” is Very Popular
It seems the Mother of Dragons inspired many mothers around the world! More than 150 babies were named “Khaleesi” in 2012! You’ve got to admit, it’s a beautiful name!
15. Sophie Turner Adopted Lady!
This Game of Thrones trivia will warm your heart! It’s not everyday that you get to take a direwolf home! Sophie Turner, the actress who plays Sansa Stark adopted her direwolf, Lady in real life after she was killed off by Ned Stark…
16. Peter Dinklage was Pranked by the Producer
Producer David Benioff pranked Peter Dinklage (AKA Tyrion Lannister) by telling him the show had been cancelled after the pilot episode. It took him six hours to learn the truth! We guess Peter isn’t as quick-witted as Tyrion, right?
17. Stephen Dillane has a Harry Potter Connection!
First Lord of the Rings, and now Harry Potter. The actor who played Stannis Baratheon, Stephen Dillane, is the father of the actor who played a young Tom Riddle in the Harry Potter movies. It clearly runs in the family to play villainous characters…
18. Thomas Brodie-Sangster is Older Than You Think
Want to know more facts about the Game of Thrones cast? Jojen Reed may have played a young teen on Game of Thrones but in fact, the actor who played Bran’s 13-year-old friend was 24 in real life whilst filming. Wow!
19. Peter Dinklage was the First Choice for Tyrion Lannister
Apparently, Peter Dinklage was first choice for author George R.R. Martin and the Game of Thrones producers for the role of Tyrion Lannister. We can’t imagine any other actor playing the smart dwarf or anyone else giving us those wise Tyrion quotes!
20. There Was a Roman Emperor Who Eerily Resembled Joffrey
There was a Roman Emperor who looked just like King Joffrey! What’s crazier? He was also a sadistic ruler who was later assassinated for being terrible at his job! There are also rumors he was inspired by Prince Edward.
21. Daenerys Targaryen Looks Different in the Books
In the books, the Targaryens have silver hair and violet eyes. Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) and Viserys (Harry Lloyd) Targaryen originally wore violet contact lenses, but the producers decided this negatively impacted the actors’ ability to portray emotion.
There are many more differences between the TV series and books. The Targaryens aren’t the only ones who look different in the show!
22. Emilia Clarke Really Ate That Heart (Kinda)!
This was probably one of Game of Thrones’ bloodiest scenes. The stallion heart Daenerys ate was a substance that was gummy bear-like, injected with a sugary syrup to resemble blood. Apparently, the prop tasted horrible. Emilia Clarke choking it down was a genuine physical reaction! Wanna know something else? There was so much blood all over the star that she got stuck to a toilet seat!
23. Sophie Turner is a Natural Blonde!
Sophie Turner, who plays Sansa is a natural blonde. She dyes her hair red for the show. We have to admit, red suits you a whole lot better Sansa Sophie!
Brienne and Hodor also look totally different outside the show! See more photos of the Game of Thrones cast in real life!
24. That Wasn’t Lena Hedley’s Body in the Walk of Shame
Lena Hedley (AKA Cersei Lannister) wasn’t really naked during Cersei’s Walk of Shame. It was all screen magic! She had a body double and the awesome scene was touched up with some CGI! According to EW, Lena says she chose not to be nude for the six-minute climactic sequence “for several reasons,” among them that she wanted to focus on the emotions in her performance.
25. Emilia Clarke Wears a Wig to Play Daenerys
Emilia Clarke, who plays Daenerys, doesn’t dye her hair blonde. She wears a wig instead. Just when you thought Dany was hair goals, you find out her gorgeous locks aren’t even real! She did however dye her hair Khaleesi-blonde to film the final series.
26. There are Several Harry Potter Actors in Game of Thrones
Harry Potter fans, rejoice! Walder Frey (David Bradley), Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley) and Osha (Natalia Tena) have all starred in the magical movie franchise!
27. This Actor Played FOUR Roles on the Show
British actor and stunt performer Ian Whyte wasn’t just lucky enough to land one role on Game of Thrones, but four! He has played a White Walker, Gregor Clegane, a giant and finally, Wun Wun!
28. Game of Thrones Was Almost a Movie
Game of Thrones was almost a movie franchise but the writer decided it wouldn’t translate well on the silver screen because of the amount of content that would have to be cut out. Watching it on television is so much better!
29. The Dothraki Language Isn’t Real
The Dothraki language is a made-up language and includes a mixture of Mongolian, American Indian and Arabic. It was developed for the show by linguist David J. Peterson based on the Dothraki words and phrases in the novels. As of September 2011, the language comprised 3163 words!
30. The Mountain Could Actually Crush the Viper in Real Life
Yep, you read that right! According to Time magazine, The Mountain would have the strength and power to crush The Viper’s skull in real life! Here’s to hoping the two actors had a friendly relationship behind the scenes – you don’t want to get on The Mountain’s bad side!
31. There was a Porn Star on the Show!
Here’s a Game of Thrones fact we bet you didn’t know! You’d never have thought it, but the actress who played Shae, Sibel Kekilli began her career as a porn actress! We’ve all got to start somewhere, right? LOL…
32. Cersei and Bronn Dated in Real Life
You may have found it strange by now that characters Cersei and Bronn haven’t been spotted in a scene together – he’s an integral member of the Lannister army, after all. Well, the duo apparently dated in real life years ago and the breakup was so sour that their contract on the show apparently forbids them from being in the same room together. Damn.
33. Peter Dinklage was in a Band
Peter isn’t just an actor. Turns out he’s a singer, too! The little Lannister was the frontman of a punk/rap/funk band called Whizzy in the 90’s! If only we could hear him perform!
34. Tyrion has Starred in the Most Episodes
When you think of this show, Tyrion is indeed one of the main characters who springs to mind. Believe it or not, he has appeared in more episodes than any other character on Game of Thrones!
35. Sophie Turner is Married to a Jonas Brother
Sansa may be very unlucky in love on the show, but in reality, she’s happily married to American singer and heartthrob, Joe Jonas! After being together since 2016, the duo got married in the summer of 2019 in Las Vegas and they’ve had their first baby together, too! If only we could say the same for her television counterpart…
36. Each Episode Costs over $10 Million
With Game of Thrones’ brilliant battle scenes, incredible special effects and costumes worth more than your wardrobe put together, it only makes sense that it’s one of the most expensive TV shows. Apparently, a single episode costs over $10 million and episodes of the eighth season cost a staggering $15 million each!
37. Jon’s Furs Weren’t Really Fur (Thankfully)
Jon Snow is an animal rights supporter (kinda)! His infamous fur cloak is actually…wait for it…made out of rugs from IKEA! You can now grab your very own fur outfit from your local IKEA store – well, kinda! According to costume designer Michele Clapton, the rugs are cut, shaved, waxed and frosted in order to look like the real thing!
38. There’s a Game of Thrones Class
If you’re that obsessed with the show, you can head to Harvard (and spend a fortune) to attend an official Game of Thrones class! Titled “The Real Game of Thrones: From Modern Myths to Medieval Models”, the lecture covers interesting topics like the show’s medieval history. Learning never sounded more fun!
39. Hot Pie’s Real Bakery
Did Hot Pie’s bread look yummy? You can satisfy your cravings at the actor’s real bakery! That’s right! The actor who played Arya’s dear friend, Ben Hawkey has opened his own bakery! The best part about it? He’s named it “You Know Nothing John Dough”. I mean, check out those edible Stark wolves!
40. Charles Dance Skinned a Real Stag
Season one might feel like a long time ago but many fans should remember the moment when Tywin Lannister skinned a stag. As gross as it sounds, actor, Charles Dance was indeed skinning a real life stag during that scene. It looks like he has more skills than just acting!
Can’t get enough of the show? Want to have a laugh? Check out the funniest Game of Thrones memes you will ever see!