Game Of Thrones: 20 Greatest Performances

11. Michelle Fairley - Catelyn Stark

Cersei game of thrones
HBO

Catelyn Stark is not one of the more likeable good guys on the show. She's cruel to the beloved Jon Snow and makes some incredibly stupid decisions, but then again, that's a sign of a well-realised, human character; she makes mistakes, just like everyone does. Regardless, she works flawlessly as a character thanks to Michelle Fairley's performance.

Northern Irish actress Michelle Fairley was another perfect piece of casting. She gave a fittingly tough, powerful performance as the steely and strong Catelyn Stark while simultaneously capturing the emotional turmoil of a mother fearing for her children in a deeply moving way.

Her two finest moments on Game of Thrones were, firstly, her monologue about her guilt over being unable to love Jon Snow in season three and secondly, her traumatic death at the Red Wedding. Still, Fairley's whole run was fantastic.

Contributor

Film Studies graduate, aspiring screenwriter and all-around nerd who, despite being a pretentious cinephile who loves art-house movies, also loves modern blockbusters and would rather watch superhero movies than classic Hollywood films. Once met Tommy Wiseau.