One of Game of Thrones’ longest-running bad guys remained a mystery to readers and viewers until the HBO series’ eighth and final season: the Night King, the ancient creature who created and led the formidable Army of the Dead. We still don’t know much about the White Walker king, but from behind-the-scenes tidbits to fan theories, here’s the untold truth of this menacing bad guy.
Slovakian actor Vladimir Furdík might be the most recognizable face of the Night King at this point, but the truth is, he only started playing the character in the show’s sixth season, prior to that, the role was played by Richard Brake, best known for films like Batman Begins or Kingsman: The Secret Service. Brake and Furdík actually overlapped: while Brake was playing the Night King, Furdík played the high-ranking White Walker that Jon Snow shatters to pieces with his Valyrian steel sword. The transition between the two actors was so seamless that many may not have noticed, though some fans found Brake’s appearance even more frightening.
Furdík was an indispensable part of the Thrones team long before he stepped into the Night King’s frozen shoes. He worked on everything from the fight scene at the Tower of Joy as well as performing and working on everything from high falls to intense sword fights. When it came time to recast the Night King, there was no better choice than Furdík, who knew the show’s action set pieces inside and out. Keep watching the video to see the rest of the untold truth of the Night King!
#GoT #GameOfThrones #NightKing
Played by a stuntman | 0:20
One of the First Men | 1:12
Unintended consequences | 2:03
Late in the Game | 2:31
Different from the books | 3:10
Erase the world’s memory | 3:53
The Night Bran? | 4:48
A Night nobleman | 5:36
Not much to go on | 6:24
You’re fired | 7:11
Night King dethroned | 7:56
One last, long night | 8:49