Game Of Thrones Actors Who Practically Disappeared After The Show Ended

"Game of Thrones" will go down in history as one of the most important television series of the 2010s. Adapted from George R. R. Martin's fantasy novel series "A Song of Ice and Fire," the show follows a diverse group of characters in the fictional land of Westeros as war rages for the Iron Throne. It set new records for HBO in terms of viewership and international success and even led to a popular spin-off in the form of "House of the Dragon." Outside of the controversial final season, it was also critically acclaimed and won dozens of prestigious awards.

With a large ensemble cast, "Game of Thrones" also made many of its actors worldwide stars. The likes of Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, and Rose Leslie have become some of the most in-demand actors in the world, while more established stars such as Charles Dance and Liam Cunningham saw their careers have a resurgence thanks to their roles in the show.

However, there are also some actors from the hit HBO series who haven't been as able to capitalize on the show's success. These actors might have been part of a television phenomenon, but they haven't been nearly as prominent on the screen since "Game of Thrones" ended.

Of all the villains in "Game of Thrones," King Joffrey Baratheon is perhaps the most needlessly cruel and hated by fans. At least, he was until Ramsay showed up. Inheriting the throne following the death of his supposed father Robert Baratheon, he's actually the illegitimate child of Cersei and Jaime Lannister. Although Tywin Lannister is undoubtedly the real power behind Joffrey, the young man isn't afraid of putting his evil nature into action, demonstrating on multiple occasions that he could be completely savage. Joffrey, portrayed by Jack Gleeson, was ultimately killed during Season 4 of "Game of Thrones" after being poisoned at his wedding to Margaery Tyrell.

For those wondering why Gleeson hasn't continued to be a regular actor on television or in movies since his critically acclaimed performance in the HBO series, the answer is a fairly simple one. He purposely chose to step away from acting, with the Irish Independent reporting that he wanted to at least temporarily retire to focus on his studies. As part of the Collapsing Horse Theatre Company, he performed in several productions before the group came to an end in 2019. His only major television appearance since came in the BBC sitcom "Out of Her Mind" in 2020, though he seems to be getting back into onscreen acting, at least a bit.

Vladimir Furdik may not be all that familiar to even ardent fans of "Game of Thrones." That's because he was responsible for playing the villainous character known as the Night King, someone who only appears in heavy makeup and prosthetics to give him his signature icy look. Furdik portrays the villain from the episode "The Door" onwards, with Richard Brake responsible for the character before that time. He also appears as an earlier version of the character before he was the Night King, when he was captured and turned into a White Walker by the Children of the Forest during the age of the First Men.

Although he plays an important role in "Game of Thrones," Furdík isn't actually an actor by trade. He works primarily as a stunt performer and is credited for various stunts throughout the HBO series. Since, he's continued to work on projects such as "The Witcher" and "Headhunters." As an actor, he's only had 13 roles, with two coming after his final appearance in "Game of Thrones" (per IMDb). These include minor parts in both "Strike Back" and "The Princess" in the last three years.

Two different actors took on the role of Tommen Baratheon, one of Cersei and Jaime Lannister's illegitimate sons, in "Game of Thrones." During the first and second seasons, Callum Wharry plays the character, although Tommen doesn't have a major impact on the story at this time and has almost no dialogue.

When Tommen's role expanded in Season 4 with him eventually becoming the king after the death of Joffrey, Dean-Charles Chapman took over. According to producer Bryan Cogman, the show's creators felt a more experienced actor was needed for the character's increasingly dramatic and mature story beats (via Game of Owns). During Wharry's time as Tommen, the character is a very young and innocent boy who doesn't have the same cruel tendencies as his brother and would have likely grown to become a more just ruler.

His part in "Game of Thrones" appears to be Wharry's only major acting role to date. His IMDb page only lists the HBO series, and it's unclear exactly what he's done since he was replaced by Chapman. However, considering his young age, it's likely that he's simply been in school and is completing his education.

First appearing in Season 2 of "Game of Thrones," Josephine Gillan went on to have roles in five additional seasons of the hit show as Marei — a sex worker in one of Littlefinger's brothels who has several encounters with Podrick Payne, Bronn, and Oberyn Martell. Her ultimate fate remains unknown, as she was likely in King's Landing when Daenerys Targaryen destroyed much of the city.

Long before she was cast in "Game of Thrones," Gillan had a role in the short film "Three Way Split." In 2017, right in the middle of her time as Marei, the actor also had a part in "Amy and Sophia," a fantasy film about two troubled friends who create their own imaginary world. After "Game of Thrones" came to a conclusion in 2019, Gillan has had no further acting roles, at least according to IMDb.

However, she did claim earlier that her casting in the series had helped her break out of working as a sex worker and adult film actor, changing her life for the better (via Daily Mail). According to a report by The Independent, Gillan gave birth to a child in 2019 after moving to Isreal, but the baby was later placed in foster care against her will.

Hannah Murray is certainly someone who any "Game of Thrones" fan will instantly recognize, having played the character Gilly through the entire run of the series. Taken directly from George R. R. Martin's novels, Gilly is a wildling who lives north of the Wall. After being befriended by Sam and Jon, the pair free her from Craster, with Sam offering her and her newborn son safe passage to Castle Black. The two develop a close friendship and eventually become lovers as Gilly accompanies Sam to Old Town.

While Murray had a number of high-profile roles during her time on "Game of Thrones," her work has been limited since the series came to a conclusion. In fact, the actor's only credits since have come in the television series "The Expecting" and the video game "Shady Part of Me." She has been pictured at various conventions as recently as 2022, so she's still active in, even if she hasn't had many major film or TV roles recently (via The Mirror).

Ben Hawkey is the actor responsible for portraying the character of Hot Pie in "Game of Thrones." An orphan who becomes a recruit for the Night's Watch, Hot Pie befriends Arya Stark and Gendry, accompanying them as they go on the run from the Lannisters. But in Season 3, he departs the group and becomes a baker at the Inn at the Crossroads, choosing a relatively safe life as war rages on in the Seven Kingdoms. He later meets with Arya again when she returns to Westeros and informs her of the fact that Jon is now King in the North and the Starks have retaken Winterfell.

Before he was cast in "Game of Thrones," Hawkey had already had several roles in television series and films. These included "Beaver Falls" in 2011" and "The Kid" in 2010. However, his only onscreen role as an actor since his final appearance in the HBO series came in the 2021 film "The Drowning of Arthur Braxton." Despite his lack of roles, Hawkey did make headlines in 2018 when he launched a pop-up bakery called You Know Nothing John Dough in London, selling direwolf-shaped bread via the online delivery service Deliveroo (via My Recipes).