Game Of Thrones: 20 Greatest Performances

16. Sean Bean - Eddard Stark

Cersei game of thrones
HBO

Sean Bean was the biggest name to ever feature on Game of Thrones. Unfortunately, this was only a one-season run, but he was still perfectly cast as Eddard Stark and was a wonderful lead to guide viewers through the show's masterful first season.

Aside from Hodor, Ned Stark is possibly the nicest, most decent character ever to feature in Game of Thrones, but Ned was never, ever two-dimensional or dull. Bean gave a nuanced and always compelling performance as a man trying to maintain honour and decency in a world where neither concept really existed and his shocking demise was pretty heart-breaking.

Out of all the performers who've left the show, Sean Bean was one of the most missed by far and in spite of how long it's been since Bean was actually in it, he's never been forgotten.

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.