Jon Snow was originally offered to a different Game of Thrones star, details explored 

Game of Thrones is one of those rare shows with perfect casting choices that have chosen the perfect actors for these challenging roles. Even then, it seems, roles did not always belong to who ended up getting them, and the best example of this is the role of Jon Snow.

Snow, who was the main character of the show, was played by Kit Harrington across all the seasons. However, another Game of Thrones actor initially stepped up to play the role, and it's none other than Iwan Rheon.

Rheon originally wanted to play Snow, having auditioned for the role, as he revealed in an interview with Interview Magazine. Speaking to the outlet, he said,

"So, I auditioned for Jon Snow, but so did a lot of other people probably. I think they made the right choice; it would've been a very different Jon Snow if I'd played him. I don't think there's much point in dwelling on these kind of things."

Rheons went on to play Ramsay Bolton on the show, as he auditioned again for the antagonist's role. Along with that, he also auditioned for the role of Daario Naharis but ended up going for the former.

"I thought they'd forgotten all about me. I actually auditioned for Ramsay. I was working on a film in Spain, and I had to send in a tape. I don't really know what the initial reaction was. Luckily, I was back in London for a week in the middle of shooting, and the guys happened to be there so I could go in and meet them for an audition. I was going in for two roles even then, Daario Naharis was the other one, I think."

More details about Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones dominated pop culture in a way no other show has been able to do, as it rewired television shows and became a cornerstone that fans still compare other shows to. Based on George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, the HBO fantasy epic ran from 2011 to 2019, spanning eight seasons and 73 episodes that were equal parts political chess match, family tragedy, and dragon-fueled spectacle.

Set across the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos, the series follows a sprawling ensemble of nobles, warriors, exiles, and outcasts, all orbiting the Iron Throne. At its core, the story splits into three massive threads: ruthless power struggles among the great houses of Westeros, the rise of a displaced Targaryen heir across the sea, and the looming existential threat beyond the Wall.

The show went on to win numerous awards, including eight Golden Globe Awards, winning one; multiple Writers and Directors Guild of America awards; and a Peabody Award. It has also received 164 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, including eight Outstanding Drama Series nominations back-to-back, out of which the show has 59 wins. On the other hand, it has remained a fan-favorite show, with multiple spinoffs contributing to the franchise's legacy.

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Game of Thrones is available to stream on HBO Max.

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