10 Games Of Thrones Actors You Recognise But Can't Place

By Audrey Fox /

9. Rose Leslie - Ygritte

Rose Leslie, the Scottish redhead who plays Ygritte, has a very unique screen presence. She's Jon Snow's Wildling girlfriend, who makes him temporarily forget about his vows to the Night's Watch and teaches him the type of naughty, R-rated stuff that George R.R. Martin loves so much. She has a vivacious air, but one with a bit of an edge, and her interactions with Jon have been the highlight of the occasionally dry Night's Watch subplot. But what do you know her from? Her distinctive look is somewhat disguised by heavy Wildling furs and some good old-fashioned smears of dirt. The Aberdeen native had a featured role on the first season of Downton Abbey, where she played Gwen Nelson, a young maid with the lofty aspirations of leaving service and becoming a proper secretary during the pre-war era. Undoubtedly playing into the confusion is the fact that her work as the Edwardian hired help couldn't really be further than the savage archer from beyond the wall that she plays in Game of Thrones.