One Casting Decision Could’ve Doomed ‘Game of Thrones’ Right at the Start If the Actor Behind the Show’s Most Loathsome Character Took Centre Stage

Even after years since the show came to an end, Game of Thrones continues to be one of the most popular fantasy drama shows of all time, and with good reason. Some of the actors who appeared in this show also achieved unparalleled fame through its international popularity.

While some of the characters on the show were absolutely beloved, others attracted a lot of hate. However, as they say, there is no such thing as bad PR, and if the viewer hates the evil character, the actor portraying the character must have done a good job.

One such actor is Iwan Rheon, who portrayed Ramsay Bolton, one of the most hated characters in GOT. However, some might be surprised to find out that he had auditioned for an entirely different character. Had he been chosen for that one, the show might simply have been doomed!

Iwan Rheon Almost Portrayed a Different Character in Game of Thrones

Rheon appeared in quite a few stage plays before he landed a role in the British sci-fi comedy-drama TV series Misfits. He parted from the show in 2011, and went on to star in several other projects before he was cast as the villainous psychopath Ramsay in 2013.

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Back in April 2016, The New York Times reported that Rheon had originally auditioned for the role of Jon Snow, which eventually went to Kit Harington. Only a couple of days later, in an interview with Interview magazine, the actor confirmed that it was true.

When the pilot first came it was a general audition. I think it was for Viserys, Daenerys’s brother. And then they were like, ‘Can you come back in and read for this other character, Jon Snow?’ At the time I didn’t know much about it. So I auditioned for Jon Snow, but so did a lot of other people probably. 

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Considering how everything played out at the end, it goes without saying that the casting directors made the right choices. There was a good chance that if Rheon had been cast as Jon, viewers would not have sympathized with the character as they did with Harington.

That would have not boded well with the show since Jon is a central character. Maybe it is the looks, or maybe their respective acting brilliance, that made these two actors suitable for their respective roles.

Ramsay Bolton Was Once Voted the Most-Hated TV Character

In 2015, in a survey run by The Atlantic, Ramsay was voted the most-hated TV character ever, leaving behind the likes of GOT’s Joffrey Baratheon, Breaking Bad‘s Todd Alquist, Mad Men’s Pete Campbell, Veep’s Jonah Ryan, and Hannibal‘s cannibalistic sociopath Hannibal Lecter.

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Throughout the show, Ramsay is nothing but cruel to everyone, and his actions are triggered by his hunger for power. From torturing Theon Greyjoy into near-oblivion and r*ping and torturing Sansa Stark after forcing her into marriage, he has proved that there is possibly no one else who can be worse than him.

Game of Thrones is available for streaming on Max.