Game Of Thrones: 20 Greatest Performances

Scottish actor Rory McCann wasn't a widely-known actor before Game of Thrones and his tremendous performance as the morally complex, deeply tragic Sandor Clegane/The Hound made one wonder where the hell he has been hiding for all these years.

Rory McCann was a perfect Hound. He not only fit the part brilliantly, but his tortured, layered performance made him a deep, affecting character long before his development in the later seasons.

He was also a complete badass with many beautifully-delivered one-liners to his name, so it's not surprise that he became such a firm fan favourite. The Hound also got a genuinely strong ending and, unlike many of the other characters, wasn't totally screwed over in the painfully rushed final season, so he remained every bit as good from start to finish.