Photo: Courtesy of HBO1/7Bran Stark, played by Isaac Hempstead-Wright
No one has had a greater physical transformation than Bran Stark’s Isaac Hempstead-Wright. And for good reason: At the start of the book series, Bran is just 7-years-old; Hempstead-Wright, however, was 12-years-old when the television show began and played a 10-year-old Bran. He is now 19.
Photo: Courtesy of HBO2/7Sansa Stark, played by Sophie Turner
Arya’s older sister Sansa was just 11-years-old when the books began and 13-years-old on the show. Supposedly, author George R. R. Martin had originally planned a time jump in A Song of Ice and Fire, but he later abandoned the device. Sophie Turner, however, was 15-years-old during season one; she is now 23.
Photo: Courtesy of HBO3/7Jon Snow, played by Kit Harington
While actor Kit Harington has quite the female following, the character of Jon Snow is hardly out of puberty. The brother of the Night’s Watch is actually 14-years-old when A Song of Ice and Fire begins and 17-years-old on the show. Harington, however, is now the swoon-appropriate age of 32.
Photo: Courtesy of HBO4/7Arya Stark, played by Maisie Williams
At the start of A Song of Ice and Fire, the youngest daughter of Eddard Stark is just 9-years-old. Actress Maisie Williams, who is now 21-years-old, was actually 13-years-old when she first appeared on the HBO show, and Arya was 11-years-old.
Photo: Courtesy of HBO5/7Daenerys Targaryen, played by Emilia Clarke
In the beginning of the book series, the Mother of Dragons is actually just 13-years-old, and they made her 16-years-old for the show. Emilia Clarke, however, was about ten years older than her character; she is now 32-years-old.
Photo: Courtesy of HBO6/7Margaery Tyrell, played by Natalie Dormer
While the character of Margaery is 16-years-old by the fourth book, Natalie Dormer was 29-years-old in 2011, so writers aged her up a few years for the television show. Dormer is now 37.
Photo: Courtesy of HBO7/7Joffrey Baratheon, played by Jack Gleeson
Before Joffrey Baratheon sat on the Iron Throne, he was just a boy of 12 when A Song of Ice and Fire began. Writers made him 16-years-old on the Game of Thrones show, played by Irish actor Jack Gleeson, who was 19-years-old at the time filming started.
