The hit television show Game of Thrones has a tendency to use either very well established actors with dozens of high profile credits to their name, or virtual unknowns who barely have their SAG cards. Most of us know Sean Bean from his dozens of other onscreen deaths, and can be counted on to remember Mark Addy from The Full Monty or Lena Headley from 300. But there are still a handful of actors on the show who fall somewhere in the middle: they look familiar, and you know that you've probably seen them in something before, but you can't for the life of you figure out what it was. Adding to the confusion is Game of Thrones' penchant for using extensive wigs, makeup, and a healthy layer of dirt that make it even harder to recognize actors that you've likely only ever seen in contemporary garb. Consider the Hound, for example. You might know Rory McCann as the Porridge Oats man, but if you didn't know that going into it, would you really be able to identify the actor beneath the heavy scarring and spirit gum? Here are some of the recurring actors who appear on Game of Thrones that you've likely seen before, even if you're not sure what movie or TV show they were in.
10. Pedro Pascal - Prince Oberyn
When you see Pedro Pascal, the man who plays Prince Oberyn, you likely picture him as a Spaniard like the great Inigo Montoya he has so often been compared to. But just like Mandy Patinkin, the actor who brought Inigo to life in The Princess Bride, Pascal actually grew up in the United States. Texas, in fact. The Chilean-born actor made his rounds on the American television circuit for a number of years before receiving the role of a lifetime on Game of Thrones. For those of you who are big Joss Whedon fans, back in 2001 he was featured on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He played Eddie, a college student with a penchant for Of Human Bondage who was lost on campus, in the season four premiere The Freshman. You might also know him from his work as Juan Badillo on Graceland, a USA drama about a group of young undercover FBI agents, or Agent Marcus Pike on CBS's The Mentalist. These are recent television productions, so in theory it shouldn't be too hard to place him, but Pascal looks a mite different with a bit of stubble and the overwhelming stench of vengeance.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
