Game of Thrones has given us some of the most iconic moments in television history and has become an icon that many new fantasy films and series around the world look up to for inspiration. It gave us politics, conspiracies, blood and gore, shock and awe, and big battle sequences aplenty with some of the best CGI and special effects that would put even Hollywood films to shame. With a taut and interesting screenplay, the series kept us hooked till season 7, with season 8 being an exception when it came to the writing although the visuals still remained A-grade. One of the factors that had attained permanence in the series was the performances. Despite being separated by centuries, the characters still felt relatable and the viewers were more or less divided in their loyalties towards various houses — the actors and the characters they played had a lot to do with it. As a Thrones addict, I had a diverse set of characters who I liked although strictly being a Targaryen fanatic. Here are my favourite actors from Game of Thrones. The dragons and their mother, Daenerys Targaryen were the primary factors that drew me into this series. Emilia Clarke became synonymous with Daenerys and one could no longer imagine anyone else in that role but her. A little shaky at first, Clarke came into her own in episode 4 of season 3 when she took down the slaves of Astapor as her teenage dragon Drogon burnt the walls and towers of the slave city. That entire speech in High Valyrian, ending with “Zaldrizes buzdari iksos daor” (A dragon is not a slave) gave me chills! It was in her journey that I had been most invested in the entire series as Dany, an underdog took control of her fate and rose up the ladder into a prominent, endearing, and feared character in Westeros. All through her travels from Vaes Dothrak to Qarth to Yunkai to Meereen to Dragonstone, Daenerys became the flesh and blood character that she was, owing to the commanding screen presence of Clarke whose evolution as an actor could be seen season after season. Though her character went full Mad Queen in the final season (owing to a rushed, unsubstantiated writing from D&D), Clarke still made us believe in the transition of Daenerys from a saviour to a destroyer, from Mhysa (mother) to a monster. That scene where she sits atop Drogon and goes through a whirlwind of emotions — enjoying the victory and the power it brings and at the same time feeling the rage to burn everything down — was a brilliant piece of acting. If only the writers gave the characters their proper due, it would have been a fitting sendoff to the iconic character. Post Game of Thrones, I have only watched Clarke in Last Christmas which was a cute, fun time at the theatre but would love to see her in even stronger roles befitting the mother of dragons. It’s hard to choose between the two queens of the series. The show came down to the question — Daenerys or Cersei — a twoway race. Unlike Clarke, Lena Headey had a solid command of the character of Cersei Lannister right from the first episode and as episodes went by, she did not place one foot wrong, giving us iconic scenes and dialogues throughout the eight seasons. Headey gave Cersei the right amount of toughness that made us believe in everything she did and believed in — a no-nonsense character aware of how to manipulate her way through a patriarchal family and kingdom. She knew she had it in her what it took to be a ruler. We felt bad for her when she had to walk through the streets of King’s Landing as a punishment which she was subjected to by the zealots. We felt mad at her when she was stubborn about getting Tyrion executed at any cost during the latter’s trial. She came out as a tough survivor until she could take it no longer and the world collapsed on her head. (Who is your favourite Game of Thrones actor?... June 7) Indranil Ghosh

Game of Thrones is one of the most creative and fascinating series ever created. It catapulted the fantasy genre to a completely new level. Although the entire cast impressed me during its eight seasons run, I think Jamie Lannister played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau was the most spectacular one. Being the elder son of Tywin Lannister and a charming, skilled swordsman, his character was highly intricate. One of his famous quotes from the series was, “There are no men like me. Only me. “On the basis of the aforesaid quote, I perceived him as an arrogant, cynical, ruthless, disdainful and narcissistic person but as the series progressed, every layer of his character was exfoliated and his softer side was soon exposed. He was never politically ambitious and preferred to carry out his duties as a soldier whenever and wherever required. When everyone mistreated his younger brother Tyrion, he was the only one who showered him with love and kindness. His gallant spirit made him so strong and composed that he was not afraid of anything, even death. But as we know, every strong person has an Achilles heel that can result in his downfall and defeat. The loss of his sword hand foresaw his downfall. He grew stressed and tensed reevaluating his past, present and probable future. The curtains of his life were pulled down when the dungeon collapsed, killing him instantly in his attempt to save King’s Landing and Cersei’s execution from Daenerys’ army. In the end, Brienne, who was once saved by Jamie, jots down his achievements and mentions, “he died protecting his queen”. I feel Jamie was one of the most magnificent characters ever. Nikolaj literally set the screen on fire with his top-notch performance which earned him several awards and nominations. His magnetic presence gave a great impetus to the show contributing to its prolonged cult status. Aayman Anwar Ali

My favourite Game of Thrones actor is definitely Lena Headey but Peter Dinklage is unforgettable too. Although all actors in Game of Thrones are so adept in their craft, Lena and Peter left an indelible mark through their characters Cersei and Tyrion Lannister, respectively.

Lena Headey has been very instrumental in garnering the mixed emotions of love-hate for her negative yet poignant character, Cersei Lannister, who proves “Power is power” even though she follows the pattern of Greek tragedy with her hubris being the very obsession for power. Lena’s acting is so intense that she brings Cersei to life from the books, her regal qualities and aptly timed expressions have added the multilayered depth to Cersei’s character. Game of Thrones cannot be imagined without Lena Headey’s face looking out with pride and vigour. Similarly, Peter Dinklage has won the world with his aptly timed acting along with great monologues that will be remembered through the ages. Himel Ghosh

There is a reason why Game of Thrones has the most Emmy awards of any TV show ever created. All the characters were so talented and experienced that it’s so difficult to choose a favourite actor. But my all-time favourite is Jon Snow played by Kit Harington. Although he was an outsider, he made his place in the Night’s Watch. He was not the legitimate son of Ned Stark; that’s why he was not really of the Stark family. His prowess and his courage made him one of the best soldiers of that time. His skill with the sword and his wit made him a place as Commander Mormont’s successor-in-training. He was considered privileged and different in Night’s Watch. He was also very helpful towards his friends like Sam. Jon was very self-reliant and knew how to fend for himself in every situation. He was very responsible towards his family, brothers and sisters. There is no doubt that Jon Snow was one of the best characters in this epic web series portrayed magnificently by Kit Harington. Debojit Swarnaker

My favourite actor from Game of Thrones is Alfie Allen. I could write endlessly about him because he is one of the best actors out there and totally underrated just because his role hasn’t gained that much attention and favour! Theon Greyjoy had a character development like no one else. He started off as a cocky boy, transformed into an emotional wreck and into Reek, an entirely new personality. Also, the torture, the suffering and the identity loss were really hard to portray and Allen acted it out brilliantly for the audience to understand and did the character justice. In this case, I have to say that I prefer Show Theon over Book One which is pretty rare! In lots of scenes, we can follow Theon’s emotions and thoughts just through simple face expressions, which is incredible. No actor can portray an entire storyline just through blank stares! So many people hate Theon, which is also proof of Alfie Allen’s great acting skills. Roshni Ojha

My favourite Game of Thrones actor undoubtedly is Peter Dinklage, who brilliantly portrayed the role of Tyrion Lannister, which is one of the most well-known characters of that immensely popular HBO television series. With his captivating performance in that show, the American actor mesmerised and won the hearts of innumerable viewers across the globe and I am one of them. Plus, Peter also clinched prestigious Emmys for his fantastic act in the series. Not only that, he won the Golden Globe Award as well for his brilliant acting in the show. It could be said for sure that Game of Thrones fans could never ever forget Peter’s outstanding work as Tyrion. According to me, Peter was the biggest and brightest star of that fantasy epic from HBO. Sourish Misra