‘Game of Thrones’: A Celebrity Played 5 Different Roles in the HBO Series
For eight mostly beloved seasons, fans of Game of Thrones witnessed a huge number of characters live and die in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and areas beyond the Narrow Sea. Good and evil, these characters clashed, loved, and betrayed one another to accomplish their respective goals. While a majority of these characters are human, there are a number of non-human races.
These other-worldly characters help create a sense of increased magic and danger in the show. This mix of realism and magic was part of the show’s massive success.
Another reason for the show’s popularity is its incredible style and visual elements. Game of Thrones is considered by many to be a marvel of modern visual film-making, shown in the show’s computer-generated imagery (CGI), and practical effects and costume. One of the actors that helped create a number of the realistic-looking characters was Ian Whyte, who played a total of five roles in the show.
What is ‘Game of Thrones’ about?
Despite a controversial series finale, Game of Thrones is one of the most popular and critically-acclaimed television shows of all-time. The show’s mix of thrilling political maneuvering, taboo romances, and destructive violence resulted in an epic and unforgettable story.
The main focus of the show is the physical and mental battle for the Iron Throne between the Stark, Arryn, Baratheon, Tully, Greyjoy, Lannister, Tyrell, Martell, and Targaryen families of Westeros. The ones that play the game and win the throne have full control of the Seven Kingdoms, while the ones that play the game and lose, die.
Besides the human characters, Game of Thrones also features more magical elements including fire-breathing dragons, the mythical Children of the Forest, northern fearsome giants, and the terrifying undead army of White Walkers. These elements are brought to life by the show’s excellent production team, and portrayed by a number of actors including the multi-talented Whyte.
Who is Ian Whyte?
Born in Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales, Whyte was a professional basketball player before his career in the entertainment industry. Standing at over seven feet tall, Whyte’s characters were mostly giants and other dangerous creatures in various fantasy and fiction films.
The Welsh actor and stuntman is known for his mountainous size and athletic ability to perform jaw-dropping stunts. Whyte’s roles include appearances in such high-profile properties as Alien vs. Predator, Clash of the Titans, Prometheus, Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens, and the recently released Peacock original series Brave New World.
Whyte also played a number of characters in the popular fantasy series Game of Thrones.
What characters did Whyte play on ‘Game of Thrones?’
According to Mental Floss, Whyte played an impressive five different roles in Game of Thrones. These roles spanned over all eight seasons of the show, beginning with Whyte’s portrayal as one of the fearsome White Walkers in the series’ first two seasons.
The next role Whyte played was that of The Mountain Gregor Clegane. Whyte is not the only large-bodied actor to play the brutal and gigantic Clegane, as fellow massive men Conan Stevens and Icelandic strongman Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson have also shared the role of the evil Mountain.
Whyte’s final three characters in Game of Thrones were all giants, who are introduced to the show while Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) and the Night’s Watch ventures beyond The Wall. Whyte’s giant characters include two of the most prominent members of the species in the series, Dongo the Doomed, and Wun Wun.
Whyte’s final role in the series was as the unnamed and undead wight giant that kills and is killed by the brave and fierce Lyanna Mormont (Bella Ramsey). Whyte’s portrayals of these five roles helped to create realistic-looking and moving creatures, which in turn helped the beloved series overall look and success.
