10 Actors Who Were Recast After The Pilot Episode

For all that fans may have decried the character development of Daenerys Targaryen in the final seasons of Game Of Thrones, there is no denying that Emilia Clarke is synonymous with the role - and even those who have transitioned to George R R Martin's impressively exhaustive A Song Of Ice & Fire book series can't help but feel echoes of her in it.

It is then no surprise that showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss saw the same essential Daenery-ness in Clarke early on, recasting their original choice for the pilot.

Tamzin Merchant (known at the time for period work in The Tudors and Pride & Prejudice) was originally chosen for the dragon queen but, after the (unaired) pilot was very poorly received by test audiences, the studio demanded an overhaul.

The original director was replaced, much of the episode was reshot and a handful of the cast were let go, including Jennifer Ehle (Catelyn Stark), Jamie Campbell Bower (Ser Waymar Royce) and, of course, Merchant herself.