Board 8 > Solfadore ranks 43 Game of Thrones actors

(+) Yeah! (+)

That said, maybe she does all that precisely because she resembles Arya a lot. Maybe I’m giving her too much credit and she’s simply playing herself in Arya’s boots. Maybe. I’m willing to suppose that she might (might) be a stubborn, headstrong, bratty tomboy in real life. However, I’m absolutely not ready to admit that she’s also a traumatized rebel whose daddy got beheaded. Thing is: she plays the latter facet of Arya’s personality as well and naturally as the other stuff she was given.

Remember the scene with Arya and Yoren back in EP3 before the Lannister attack? Precisely. It’s not even supposed to be an Arya scene – it’s basically a Yoren monologue. She’s just there listening. And yet, without saying anything, just by cleaning her blade and listening, she has this overwhelming presence that’s just a marvel to see. When she raises her eyes and meets Yoren’s, you can feel all her anxiety and vulnerability. When she turns them back to her blade, you can sense that she’s deep in thought. And she’s not even doing anything!

I am, of course, glossing over all the other great stuff she does – perfect poise, delivery, screen presence, etc. I have yet to mention the excellent, excellent scenes between her and Tywin – the fact that she manages to act on an even footing with such an incredible actor is amazing in its own right. These scenes carried half of the season for me (the other half is coming up next), and the quality of the acting is one of the big reasons why they were so successful.

That said, and that might be the big question in your mind, she’s not first. Indeed, in spite of everything she does, I can’t rank her ahead of the other guy. I think part of the reason why she’s so acclaimed is precisely because she’s so young. People weren’t expecting such talent from such a young age, and so they were surprised – that surprise is part of the reason why they might rank her #1, I think. Well, I try not to take these points into consideration (or else Bran would’ve ranked much higher) – besides, she’s 16, not 9. Albeit young, she’s old enough to be able to act like an adult – and as such should be treated like an adult. It’s amazing that even after all that, she still manages to outclass all the other actors.

All the other actors save one.

Best scene: For once, I’m not going to pick any specific scene, and just give the kudo to her overall performance during all these scenes with Tywin. These came completely out of left field, even for book readers, and they were highly impressive, for both of the actors involved. Such great acting all around.

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When you have nothing to say, quote yourself ~ Solfadore

So yeah, it’s one thing to be witty and charming. It’s quite another to be able to bring this facet of Tyrion’s personality and these emotions on screen. Dinklage does so brilliantly. You’ve seen me ramble on about certain actors’ eyes before, and you’ll see it again, because a lot of what the actor brings to the table is through the eyes. See, to be able to play Tyrion effectively, you’ve got to be able to convey either of his two facets (the bitter snarker and the caring nice guy) – or both – at the drop of a hat.

An example of this would be from Tyrion’s very first scene of the season: he starts off by barging into the tourney, mocking Joffrey’s cowardice to his face (“I had thought to find you on the battlefield”), and then immediately switches gears by showing genuine friendliness to Myrcella and Tommen. A few seconds later, he mocks the Hound in a very straightforward tone, and then turns to Sansa, showing her compassion and empathy. When he reprimands Joffrey afterwards – the King reminds her that Ned was a traitor, and Tyrion reminds the King that the latter has lost his own father quite recently – you see that this time, it’s the nice guy being pissed at a heartless fool. Dinklage conveys all of these little nuances and shifts seamlessly – you always know what he feels, why he says the things he says, whether he cares for people or just making fun of them. Sometimes, it’s both at the same time (ohai Bronn/Lancel).

Here again, just like Williams, you never get the sense that he’s really trying. He never does something like “*takes a breather* Alright, I am now switching into ‘Caring nice guy mode’.” It just feels natural. When he asks Bronn if he’d be willing to kill an infant girl still at her mother’s breast, he looks genuinely distraught and shocked with the latter’s lack of empathy and care.

Sure, some of his ‘witty lines’ and funny insults seem a bit forced at times, but that’s precisely the point. Tyrion isn’t both a nice guy and a snarker: he’s a nice guy who makes quips to hide the fact that he cares so much about everything. Of course some of it is going to feel forced at times, and it would be wrong if it didn’t.

And there you have it. Dinklage has shown tremendous skill all throughout the season – and the series as a whole – adding a memorable human touch to a very cynical series (cynicism being a good thing in this setting). Even through all the lulls and blander stretches of the mid-season, you could always count on Tyrion and Dinklage to raise the episode’s quality, and while the writing for Tyrion is really great, Dinklage is phenomenal as well. It all culminated in the final two episodes, as Tyrion’s role as Hand finally comes to a close, and the build-up and emotion finally lets loose. That final scene, as Tyrion cries in Shae’s arms, after receiving words of comfort from Varys (of all people), is heart-wrenching.

Give the man his Emmy.

Best scene: Oh man. Such a tough choice. You’ve got the political manoeuvring of the early season, the witty banter with Bronn, the hammy shout-out with Joffrey after the riot (such a fantastic scene), the spite/resentment with Cersei, the rousing speech in Blackwater or the final scene with Shae. I think I’m going with the very last scene, just because it served as such a perfect send-off for his character arc this season, but there’s just so much to choose from.

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When you have nothing to say, quote yourself ~ Solfadore

THE POINTS (final tally)

Rex: 14 points (Tyrion, Arya [+2], Tywin, Cersei, Theon ; Joffrey [+3], Varys [+2])
ML: 13 points (Tyrion [+3], Arya [+2], Cersei, Theon ; Joffrey, Varys [+2])
Kaxon: 13 points (Tyrion [+3], Arya [+2], Tywin [+1] ; Joffrey [+3])
EO: 9 points (Tyrion, Arya, Tywin [+1], Cersei, Theon ; Varys [+2])
LOTM: 9 points (Tyrion, Arya, Tywin, Cersei, Theon ; Joffrey, Varys [+2])
Alec: 5 points (Tyrion, Arya, Cersei, Theon ; Varys)

Rex retains the first place and wins the contest! Congratulations to him! Additionally - you may recall me saying that if Kaxon or Rex won the competition, the best of the first four entrants would also get a piano remix. Well, Rex did win, and MarquessLaus achieved a 2nd place tie with Kaxon, so ML: you also get a prize! Congratulations to you both!

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When you have nothing to say, quote yourself ~ Solfadore

*stands up*

*claps*

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Sir Chris
The Cult of Personality.

THE FINAL LIST

Lead Actors

Aegon Targaryen Tier of World-Conquering
1. Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister)
2. Maisie Williams (Arya Stark)
3. Charles Dance (Tywin Lannister)
4. Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister)
5. Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy)

Tyrion Lannister Tier of Schemes, Plots and Broken Things
6. Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark)
7. Stephen Dillane (Stannis Baratheon)
8. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister)

Margaery Tyrell Tier of Political Seduction
9. Gethin Anthony (Renly Baratheon)
10. Michelle Fairley (Catelyn Stark)
11. John Bradley (Samwell Tarly)
12. Isaac Hempstead-Wright (Bran Stark)
13. Richard Madden (Robb Stark)

Eddard Stark Tier of Political Savviness
14. Kit Harington (Jon Snow)
15. Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen)



Supporting Actors

Arthur Dayne Tier of Kicking Just About Everybody's ***es With a Hand Tied Behind his Back
1. Jack Gleeson (Joffrey Baratheon)
2. Conleth Hill (Varys)
3. Jerome Flynn (Bronn)

Jaime Lannister Tier of Twincest, Child-Crippling and Westeros-Trolling
4. Liam Cunningham (Davos Seaworth)
5. Donald Sumpter (Maester Luwin)
6. Iain Glen (Jorah Mormont)
7. Rory McCann (Sandor Clegane)
8. Gwendoline Christie (Brienne of Tarth)

Bronn Tier of Honourless Pig****-Throwing
9. Francis Magee (Yoren)
10. Julian Glover (Grand Maester Pycelle)
11. James Cosmo (Jeor Mormont)
12. Tom Wlaschiha (Jaqen H'ghar)
13. Patrick Malahide (Balon Greyjoy)
14. Joe Dempsie (Gendry)
15. Eugene Simon (Lancel Lannister)
16. Ben Hawkey (Hot Pie)

Jon Snow Tier of Knowing Nothing, yet Still Being Competent with a Sword
17. Aidan Gillen (Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish)
18. Carice van Houten (Melisandre of Asshai)
19. Michael McElhatton (Roose Bolton)
20. Gemma Whelan (Yara Greyjoy)
21. Finn Jones (Loras Tyrell)
22. Robert Pugh (Craster)

Arya Stark Tier of Pointy End-Sticking
23. Natalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell)
24. Dominic Carter (Janos Slynt)
25. Natalia Tena (Osha)

Bran Stark Tier of Combat Prowess
26. Sibel Kekilli (Shae)
27. Kerr Logan (Matthos Seaworth)
28. Esme Bianco (Ros)

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When you have nothing to say, quote yourself ~ Solfadore

Man so many points riding on the correct placement of Williams/Dinklage! Oh well, I was having a hard time choosing a song anyway.

Great list, I really enjoyed the writeups. This was a great distraction from all of the work I'm supposed to be doing! Out of curiosity, if you had included S1 characters, around where would Sean Bean have placed?

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No I'm not a damn furry. Looney Tunes are different. - Guiga

From: LordoftheMorons | #358

Out of curiosity, if you had included S1 characters, around where would Sean Bean have placed?

That's a good question! Hrmmm... probably between Allen and Turner. If I were ranking simply based on S1 material, though, he'd definitely make the top tier (since Headey/Turner weren't as good in S1 and Allen had nothing to work with - Dance had very little material as well).

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When you have nothing to say, quote yourself ~ Solfadore

2. Maisie Williams (Arya Stark)

Where do they find them? GoT has to have at least 4 or 5 child/young actors, and they’re all crazy good. How HBO does it, I have no clue, but I know at least that their casting directors deserve tons of kudos. So far, we’ve seen Hawkey, Hempstead-Wright, Turner, and a bunch of other, less important characters. I think it’s about time we tackle the best of them all.

Arya Stark. A very likeable character, to be sure (definitely in my top 5-10 or so, where the books are concerned), but not one with a whole lot of diverse and complex material. All in all, she’s pretty straightforward: she’s stubborn, headstrong, courageous, a bit bratty on the side, mature beyond her years at times, yet pretty childish most of the time. It must be really fun to play this character, but you don’t really get much of the angsty/tormented/complex stuff that usually gives you an Emmy or critical praise. The fact that Arya is remembered so well and liked by pretty much everyone, doubled with the praise her actress got from viewers and critics alike, is a testament to Williams’ skill. She doesn’t have quite enough material to compete with Allen, Headey or even Turner... and yet she does. Very impressive.

What I like most about her performance, I’d say, is how real it seems. I don’t know Williams much, but every time I see Arya in a scene, I absolutely can’t help but feel that she’s not playing a character. She’s just Arya. It’s as if she’s not even trying. Even when she’s not doing anything relevant – cleaning stuff by the river along with Hot Pie, Lem and Gendry in EP2 – she has this glint in her eye that seems entirely genuine. And that’s surely after 26 cuts of the same damn scene – how she still manages to have this genuine glint over that is beyond me.

Other actors on the top tier were also, of course, exceedingly good. Despite all that, though, you always had the sense that they were working on their emotions, presence, little gestures. The little side glare that Headey/Cersei gave back in EP1 that I’ve been heaping so much praise on? It’s awesome, but she obviously worked on it. The small, nervous posture of Allen/Theon during his little talk with Bran right after he took Winterfell? An inspired choice... but still a choice – something he practiced and practiced until he got it just right.

With Williams, though, she doesn’t seem to be even trying. She’s got little gestures of her own – very small stuff: for instance the shrug she gives to Gendry as he swings his sword around, trying to appear cool, detached and knowledgeable about swordplay (while still basically just repeating Syrio’s teachings). That shows us a lot about her character, and hints at potential developments between the two in the future. Thing is, it’s perfectly downplayed and casual: nothing like the “Yo, I’ve been looking at you for all of ten seconds but I’m deeply infatuated with you” stuff Robb gave us. It’s more like she doesn’t even know she likes Gendry, but still unconsciously wants to act detached and, well, cool in these few scenes. Aww. My point is that here again, she does that while seemingly not even trying.

(cont'd in next post)

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When you have nothing to say, quote yourself ~ Solfadore

1. Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister)

Well, this is it. The end of the road. At last. A bit conventional, perhaps, but there’s really no way around it. That man carried the second season, just as Tyrion carried the Lannisters through the Battle of Blackwater Bay.

Incredible presence. Amazingly wide range of interpretation, from bombastic to withdrawn, from snark to tears. A very human performance. Dinklage taking first prize should be entirely expected, and expected it was. The guy deserves all the praise he gets, and then some more.

Now that we’re done throwing (entirely deserved) heaps of praise on Dinklage, let’s try to figure how he does it. Tyrion, obviously, is a very peculiar character in the show. He’s extremely likeable (from a reader’s standpoint), funny, charming and a blast to read. He’s also one of the most fully fleshed-out characters in the series. All of that means he’s got an abundance of material to work with – probably the best material out of all the characters. Don’t get me wrong, though: Tyrion is by no means an easy role.

See, it’s one thing to be snarky and witty. Tyrion has great lines, and I’m convinced many, many professional actors could give quite a memorable performance just running on that. It’s actually quite tempting to just give in on the ham and play Tyrion as a full-fledged comic relief, sort of the only sane man in the midst of snakes and power-hungry madmen. That’s not Tyrion, however. See, the half-man’s role in the series isn’t just to be comic relief (although he is one of the funniest characters): it’s also to bring an incredibly human and personal touch to an array of political manoeuvring and backroom dealings.

Tyrion’s a character you can empathize with: brought to life without a mother, constantly degraded and reprimanded by a father who resents him, scorned and mocked by a bitter older sister, not to mention the world at large (demon monkey!). Where sons of lords are usually given land, a sword or a battalion to command, Tyrion was awarded the drains of Casterly Rock. We’ve all seen just how much recognition he got from Tywin and Cersei for his courage and sagacity during the events of the second season. Basically, strip all the witty lines/snark armour away from him, and you’ve got a distraught human being craving for his father’s and the world’s approval. Don’t let his spiels from the first season about embracing his “dwarfedness” fool you: I’m convinced that at the core, he’s just a guy who wants to be loved.

(cont'd in next post)

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When you have nothing to say, quote yourself ~ Solfadore

Great list. I really enjoyed keeping up with it the past few weeks. I must agree with the choice of Tyrion as #1.


RX7

Surprise favourite acting pair/best on-screen chemistry ranking (AKA disguised bump):

1. Maisie Williams and Charles Dance (Arya/Tywin)
2. Peter Dinklage and Conleth Hill (Tyrion/Varys)
3. Peter Dinklage and Lena Headey (Tyrion/Cersei)
4. Peter Dinklage and Jerome Flynn (Tyrion/Bronn)
5. Lena Headey and Sophie Turner (Cersei/Sansa)

6. Peter Dinklage and Jack Gleeson (Tyrion/Joffrey)
7. Alfie Allen and Donald Sumpter (Theon/Luwin)
8. Maisie Williams and Tom Wlaschiha (Arya/Jaqen)
9. Stephen Dillane and Liam Cunningham (Stannis/Davos)
10. Jack Gleeson and Sophie Turner (Joffrey/Sansa)

HM to Jaime/Brienne, Arya/Gendry and Sansa/Shae (lolwut).

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When you have nothing to say, quote yourself ~ Solfadore

great rankings

great write-ups

great topic

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all you need

More people must know.

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When you have nothing to say, quote yourself ~ Solfadore

From: TVontheRadio | #362

great rankings

great write-ups

great topic

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"Link has spoken for years. And music is his language" -YoBlazer

That look Tyrion gives Cersei after she reminds him about his mother, most seriously I've ever taken a little person in my life. I was afraid and in awe.

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http://www.wellhappypeaceful.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/nuclear_disaster.jpg

I'm one of those people who would put Williams over Dinklage.

Not to knock Dink----he's everything you wrote about and more---but Arya Stark's character is such a demanding one and Williams pulls it off with the effortless charisma of a young Kate Winslet(Go watch Titanic again, Winslet plays the haughty, over privileged under-valued woman without even trying).

Arya has to be a strong tomboy, a bratty little girl, an actual boy, vulnerable...when Littlefinger shows up she has to be engaged while being as absentee as possible...all these things with half the scenes of every other "major character".

Those scenes with Tywin are incredible because of all the things Williams has to do: she has to show her respect for a man she could see herself looking up to while barely withholding her contempt and hatred for him and his family. She's trying to be childlike and oblivious but episode after episode more of the facade leaks out and eventually her and Tywin can barely pass their intentions off as subtlety.


She does so much with so little that it's quite hard to fathom.

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Realo won gold at the Sex Olympics with a BROKEN FRIGGIN NECK.-Voltch

Once again, great topic. Really enjoyed the write-ups. I must say, I definitely did not think I would win, especially when my Rank 1(Theon) placed fifth, but I guess I got lucky.

As for the end placing, I still believe Alfie Allen is the most deserving of an Emmy nomination, but you at least acknowledged him as top tier, and the rankings between the top 5 really were so close. Just curious, assuming Joffrey were considered a lead, where would he rank??

Oh, as for the piano arrangement, and this is comepletely off the top of my head, but the song 'Paradise' by Coldplay has been stuck in my head these past few days, it would be great if maybe you could give it a try.

Again, much kudos to you for this topic!

You might've actually convinced me of Dinklage > Williams with those write-ups, when (as my predictions might suggest) I previously felt the other way round. That's presumably a sign you're doing something right!

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James - Board 8's Resident Warm And Safe, Slipper-Wearing User
& The Cream of Porcupine Tree Fanboyism