Samuel Okoruwa
If you’ve watched Game of Thrones, you would probably despise Joffrey Baratheon, the tyrannic king who reigns terror on the people of King’s Landing. He is overbearing, ruthless and has a penchant for evil. Jack Gleeson, the actor who played this character, has garnered many fans because of how well he depicted Joffrey.
Learn some interesting about the actor including why he retired early from acting and how the other members of the cast of GOT perceive him:
1. Just when he was at the peak of his career, Jack Gleeson quit acting so he could focus on his academics. The actor now studies Philosophy and Theology at Trinity College in Dublin. It is interesting to note that he was willing to forgo the fame and a lofty career for a more fulfilling path.
Admitting that he had lost his passion for acting, he said:
“I just stopped enjoying it as much as I used to. And now there’s the prospect of doing it for a living, whereas up until now it was always something I did for recreation with my friends, or in the summer for some fun. I enjoyed it. When you make a living from something, it changes your relationship with it. It’s not like I hate it, it’s just not what I want to do.”
2. As a young boy, Jack Gleeson was Cast in the 2005 Batman Begins. Many know him for his adorable performance in the movie. However, little did they know that the child prodigy will grow up to play the role of the despised King Joffrey. Here is a short clip of some of his scenes in the movie:
3. After his performance as King Joffrey, he suffered severe criticisms from overzealous fans. Perhaps, his acting was so good that the these fans could not separate the actor from the character.
4. Unlike Joffrey who murders prostitutes and calls for people’s heads, Jack Gleeson is actually a very nice guy. According to him, he was always showing gratitude to security guards who protected him while he was on campus.
“I loved the security guards when I was living on campus … I tried to be nice to them and bring them coffee and pizza and stuff to try and curry favor with them. It went okay. I think it was more that I was famous rather than the coffee or the pizza that swung it for me,” he said.
His Game of Thrones co-stars have also described him as the nicest person ever.
READ ALSO: Checkout Nollywood Actors Who Have Acted In Hollywood Movies
5. He has one of the most dramatic – spoiler alert – death scenes in television history.
6. According to the show-runners of Game of Thrones, Benioff and D.B. Weiss, they were relieved when the actor’s character died. This is because they feared he would get into trouble off-screen with overzealous fans who hated him on the show. “We’re always worried about him,” Benioff said.
7. He once admitted that he doesn’t watch Game of Thrones. On top of that, he also criticised the show for “unjust” misogyny.
8. Jack Gleeson was originally supposed to play Joffrey’s double in Game of Thrones. However, the showrunners were so impressed with his performance that they considered him for the role as Joffrey himself.
“When it came time for the audition, it was like he flipped a switch and he became the most despicable teenager on the planet,” said Benioff, speaking about choosing Gleeson for the role. “He’s genuinely one of the sweetest guys I’ve ever met.”
9. The actor is also known for his sense of humour.
10. Jack Gleeson started acting around the age of 8. He has appeared in movies including Batman Begins, Shrooms, Reign of Fire and the widely-acclaimed Game of Thrones.
Comments