4. Michelle Fairley Catelyn Stark
A lot of people dont like Catelyn Stark, and I guess I can see where theyre coming from. Shes a bit serious, prone to rash decisions and occasionally just a complete buzz-kill. This was certainly true throughout season two, when she sort of moped around Robb like a sad puppy and occasionally decided to punch Jaime Lannister in the face. But this season, Michelle Fairley came out all guns blazing. Mistaken in the belief she had lost all her children bar Robb, Fairley was given an absolute goldmine of feeling to work with a mothers guilt. She proved herself worthy of the material, giving monologues rife with pathos and acting maudlin without coming across as pathetic. This was a formidable woman brought low, and Fairley captured it brilliantly. It also helped that we got to see the Tully family this season, allowing Catelyn to break out of her role as Neds wife/Robbs mum. Yet what elevates her to such a high position on this list is the Red Wedding. Fairley played a masterclass from start to finish as her character was put through the emotional wringer, beginning the episode full of righteous fury but ending it utterly destroyed, her every spark of defiance snuffed out. Her scream at the end alone was bone-chillingly tragic, and the fact it looked like Catelyn aged 10 years during the whole scene was a testament to Fairleys ability as an actress.