The fantasy series was gold for nearly every person, place, and broadcaster involved.
But who came out on top?
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For nearly a decade, fans obsessively followed the question of who would win thegame of thrones.
This summer, we finally found out: It was …Bran?
But, as in Roberts Rebellion, the spoils were not split evenly.
Some in the shows sprawling cast won trophies or became movie stars;otherswerereplacedafter a season or two.
Even the HBO executive who green-lit the show, Richard Plepler, eventually fell victim tocorporate politics.
ConsideringGOTs popularity, those who did win often won big.
Get ready: Rankings are coming.
(In the music video, he was played by an aggressively masturbating puppet.)
Compared to some of the actors on this list, Allen played a small role on the show.
People are super-interested in him, says one publicist.
He is someone whos probably a little bit untapped.Nate Jones
23.
HBO comedies
Outside some quips from Bronn or Tormund, theres nothing funny about a typicalGame of Thronesepisode.
The ratings performance ofBarrythis spring underscores just what aGOTlead-in can do.
But it would be wrong to measure the boostGOTgave these shows simply by looking at linear ratings.
It got the expected ratings spark: Same-day audiences nearly tripled.
Kit Harington
Yes, he was the only person onGame of Throneswhose name viewers actually remembered.
First, he had to deal with the widespread opinion that Jon was, well, boring.
It has not been easy being Jon Snow.
Hes not capitalizing on the moment, says an influential Hollywood talent manager.
Kits in the doldrums.
(That bathtub monologue!)
He has those B-list action movies he does that people actually like, says one awards publicist.
He might just be a poor mans Jon Hamm, but theres a charisma to him.
No surprise that she has five Emmy nominations to show for it.
I think shes going to have the Julia Louis-Dreyfus second leg to her career, says the awards publicist.
But Arya, another name thatappeared abruptly on the baby-name charts, remains a pretty solid pick.
However, according toHarpers, Emmanuel remains a certified yoga instructor just in case.
We stan a pragmatic queen!Nate Jones
17.
And sometimes, like Ian McElhinney inDerry Girls, they even pop up in comedies!
I get a special thrill out of theThrones-adjacent projects that venture to collectGOTcast members like Pokemon.
A joint tour alongsideHodor.Craig Jenkins
15.
He may be destined to get a Supporting Actor nomination somewhere down the line, says the awards publicist.
I dont think hell ever be a star, but hes always adding value.
Bryan Cogman
Bryan Cogmanhad only two minor writing credits and very little experiencebefore David Benioff and D.B.
Weiss hired him to help them break the story for the shows first season.
Pop-Culture Websites
For those of us in the content industry,Game of Thronesseason was our Black Friday.
The analytics company Parse.lysayssites it tracks collectively published over 90,000 posts on the series in 2019 alone.
The best thing is, theThronestent was big enough to provide shelter for writers of all stripes.
Did you want to take part in well-reasoned textual debates?There wasa placefor you.
Did you want to ask stupid questions of the shows cast members?There was a place for you.
(There was a place forsmart questions, too.)
Did you want to bolster your nascent presidential campaign byblogging about the show?
There was a place for you, too, weirdly enough.
Let us pray, for all our sakes, that the culture finds something else to replace it.
I dont want to go to grad school!Nate Jones
12.
Dinklage masterfully navigated Tyrions nuances and was rewarded with some of the shows best dialogue.
Hes been able to transcend his physical limitations by being a great actor, says our talent manager.
Hes seen as a really talented actor with an audience.
Hes chosen very well.
Hes got an esteemed body of work.
OnGame of Thrones, Tyrion rarely was given a proper seat at the table of power.
Dinklage likely has a place wherever he wants from now on.Jen Chaney
11.
Maisie Williams
Think of Aryas dramaticmoment of heroisminGame of Thrones final season as a coronation.
Shes probably the most impressive actor on the show.
Jason Momoa
Alongside Dinklage, Jason Momoa was one of only two American actors allowed inThronesfirst season.
Hes one of those guys who just exists as the thing he is, you know?
says the awards publicist.
Khal Drogo and Aquaman and Jason Momoa that all seems like one person to me.Nate Jones
9.
Over email, I asked the Croatian National Tourist Board how it thought the wholeThronesexperience had affected Croatias reputation.
In the near term, the shows cast is doing its part to help spread the word.
Theyve both done stupid action movies we regret and fabulous things were proud of.
When it comes to non-Westeros productions, Clarke hasnt shared the same string of victories as her character.
But she still has a shot.
NovembersChristmas rom-com with Henry Goldingwill be Clarkes next crack at movie stardom.Nate Jones
7.
Its been brilliant for Northern Ireland, says Richard Dormer, who hails from Portadown.
Its given Belfast a lot of pride back.
Now we have something that hasnt sunk!
Aside from pride, there have been cold, hard benefits.
(The coming spinoff will also film in Belfast.)
Sophie Turner
Sophie Turner did not get a breather.
Thats probably a hell of its own, but on the plus side, its solid public-image diversification.
Industry types tend to agree.
I actually think for the length ofGame of Thrones, she wasnt overexposed, says the publicist.
She certainly wasnt a presence.
It seems like she and her team are being very smart.
She hasnt done a lot of celeb profiles.
Theres a lot of press still to do on her.
Now, someone, anyone: kindly cast her in a comedy.Jackson McHenry
4.
Richard Madden
To quote a recentNew YorkTimesheadline, its going great for Richard Madden.
Figuring out just how muchGOThas boosted HBO beyond growing its audience base is a bit trickier.
ButGOTdid give HBO a major boost during a period when the web connection was under attack on multiple fronts.
Martin
In 1996, when George R.R.
Martin publishedA Game of Thrones,he was hardly a nobody in the fantasy world.
Now try picturing Brandon Sanderson, or Rachel Caine, or Nnedi Okorafor.
Theres acclaim, and then theresfame.
(Neil Gaiman offered a succinct rejoinder to these people:George R.R.
Martin is not your bitch.)
But the author also had the luxury of distancing himself from the less-than-satisfying aspects of the shows final seasons.
While he gave showrunners Dave Benioff and D.B.
His own conclusion remains perfectly intangible and intangibly perfect.
HBO essentially A/B tested Martins ideas, leaving him free to tinker.
That redo of the final season that some viewers are clamoring for?
It exists its calledThe Winds of WinterandA Dream of Spring.
All Martin has to do is finish the dang things, a not-inconsiderable task.
Its the end for a lot of people, MartinsaidofThrones final season.
Its not the end for me.
Hillary Kelly
1.
David Benioff and D.B.
Weiss
Ten years ago, David Benioff and D.B.
Weiss were working screenwriters of varying levels of success.
As our producer puts it, Benioff was a superstar writer beforeGame of Thrones.
Martin, and Tom McCarthy, who would direct the original pilot.
But constructing televisions most intense attention-generating machine brings with it an equally intense level of scrutiny.
(The project is apparently still happening.)
But the industry seems to have few doubts about their competency.
It doesnt make an impact, says a top executive of the backlash against the showrunners.
Fans are nuts and its a great show.
All they have is theStar Warsmovie, the agent says.
TheGemini Manscript is from 15 years ago; its been sitting around for years.
Theyre hot because the show is the shit.
But I dont think theyre in the film business outside theStar Warsfilm.
Chris Lee
