8 Game Of Thrones Actors Who Originally Auditioned For Different Roles

3. Alfie Allen - Jon Snow

Theon Jon Snow
HBO

Although both outsiders brought up at Winterfell under the guiding hand of Ned Stark, Theon Greyjoy and Jon Snow couldn't be more different when we first meet them at the start of the show.

Where Jon is reserved, Theon is brash; where Jon is honourable, Theon is arrogant and vain. Alfie Allen does an excellent job of capturing that side of Theon, and even better is the way his performance has grown over the years, but he could've been doing the quieter work of Jon Snow instead.

Like Iwan Rheon, Allen initially went for the plum role of Ned's bastard. According to showrunners Dan Weiss and David Benioff, after he read for the part they thought "well he's great ... he's not quite Jon Snow." Allen really brought to life the confidence and swagger of Theon, and is one of the show's best performers. It would've been a shame to lose that for him to play the brooding Jon Snow.

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Contributor
Contributor

NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.