Game Of Thrones: How Old Each Character Is Supposed To Be ( Part 3)
Joffrey Baratheon – 16 Years Old
Book Age: 11
Arguably one of the best villains in Game of Thrones, Joffrey is surprisingly young for such a devious troublemaker in Martin’s books — a mere 12 years old. On-screen, Joffrey is a bit older, beginning Game of Thrones season 1 at 16 and dying around age 20. Like the other young actors, Jack Gleeson was a few years older than Joffrey when portraying the young Lannister king.
Unlike the Stark children and the Arya Stark age conundrum, however, Joffrey’s spoiled personality and immaturity may lead viewers to believe the character is actually younger than intended. The younger age in the book make Joffrey’s sadistic behavior more disturbing while also giving him more sympathy when he dies at such a young age.
Jorah Mormont – 44 Years Old
Book Age: 44
Jorah Mormont is another one of the rare cases in which the ages of the Game of Thrones character in the show and in the book align. When Jorah joins Danaerys’ services in the first season of the show, as well as at the beginning of the books, he is a seasoned warrior at the age of 44.
Given the time he lived in Westeros and his years as a sellsword in Essos, his age suggests a low life already lived, while also making his love for Daenerys more uncomfortable. Actor Iain Glen was 50 years old at the beginning of the show, adding to the more grizzled feel of Jorah while being able to convincingly play a younger man.
The Brothers Clegane – 35 & 40 Years Old
Book Age: 28 & 35
Thanks to his ragged appearance and facial scarring, Game of Thrones fans might be surprised to know that Sandor Clegane, aka the Hound, is only 35 or so when the series begins, aging to around 42 over the course of the story. His brother Gregor Clegane, aka the Mountain, is 5 years older than his brother, starting out the series at 40 or so.
In the books, the Hound is supposed to be around 27 or 28, whereas the Mountain is 35. Funnily enough, Rory McCann, who plays Sandor, is around 20 years older than Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, who played Gregor from season 4 onward, when he’s supposed to be his younger brother. Thankfully, Björnsson’s imposing physique sells the age dynamic well enough.
Margaery Tyrell – 18 Years Old
Book Age: 14
Margaery Tyrell is introduced in season 2 of Game of Thrones, but it is season 3 when she begins to establish herself as an intelligent player of the “game” and a formidable opponent for Cersei Lannister. Margaery is depicted as being 18 in the show when she is introduced, adding to the threat Cersei feels from the younger would-be queen.
Actor Natalie Dormer was more than a decade older than the age of her Game of Thrones character when she took the role at the age of 29. Margaery’s book counterpart is only 14 when she is introduced. However, the books are also not quite as effective at depicting her as a true political mastermind and, therefore the older age in the show fits better with this depiction.
Littlefinger – 36 Years Old
Book Age: 29
The whole point of Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish as a character is that no one can ever quite tell when the man is telling the truth, and this extends to his own age. Littlefinger references his childhood on Game of Thrones, but it’s hard to tell whether he’s just spinning a yarn to court favor with others. Baelish is 29 in the novels, but Littlefinger is 36 in the show, still younger than Catelyn Stark, the woman he always loved. Actor Aiden Gillen was 43 when he stepped into the role. The age increase adds both to Littlefinger’s sinister nature and the creepiness of his relationship with Sansa.
Davos Seaworth – 49 Years Old
Book Age: 37
Davos Seaworth, or “the Onion Knight,” is one of the most age-accurate of the Game of Thrones characters ages in terms of the actor playing them. A rare combination of wise and moral, Ser Davos is 49 when first serving as Stannis Baratheon’s right-hand man and 56 when serving as Master of Ships to King Bran.
The Onion Knight’s age closely mirrors the age of the actor, Liam Cunningham, who was 51 when he joined Game of Thrones in the second season. However, when it comes to the book age, Davis is actually one of the least accurate characters. Davos is 37 in the novels, but Cunningham’s age brings a world-weary yet experienced aspect to the character, and these qualities especially work when Davos becomes Jon’s closest advisor.
Samwell Tarly – 17 Years Old
Book Age: 14
Despite how Jon Snow often looks after him like a younger brother, Samwell Tarly is actually one of the Game of Thrones characters who is older than Jon. Sam begins Game of Thrones on the cusp of adulthood at 17 and winds up around 25 years old by the final episode. John Bradley, the actor behind Samwell, is 5 years older than his character in Westeros, but the difference is barely noticeable. The books make Jon and Sam the same age at 14 when the story begins, but the show is still able to maintain that feeling that they are peers.
Varys – Unknown Age
Book Age: Unknown
The ages of most Game of Thrones characters can at least be guessed at and approximated, and the rest tend to be magical beings with inhuman life spans. Varys, in terms of Game of Thrones character ages, is an oddity on both accounts — and it’s almost impossible to pin down how old the mysterious eunuch is. The only clue to Varys’ age is that of actor Conleth Hill, who was 47 years old when he started his run as the character. Given how enigmatic and secretive Varys is, it is fitting that the character likes to keep people guessing whether he is a wise older man, or a swifter younger one.
