Facts about Game of Thrones Series:

If you’re a fan of Game of Thrones, check out the most interesting facts about this television series.

1. HBO’s T.V. Show Game of Thrones is based on a series of books by author George R. R. Martin known as the Song of Ice and Fire series.
2. When making an ideal cast, Martin and producers David Benioff and Dan Weiss had only two definite actors in mind. These being Peter Dinklage (Tyrion) and Sean Bean (Eddard).
3. In the original pilot “Winter is Coming” for Game of Thrones there are several actors who were replaced later on, including those that originally played Catelyn Stark and Daenerys Stormborn.
4. MagistarIllyrio’s manse across the Narrow Sea is actually the summer palace of Malta’s president. Although camera crews were not permitted to film inside, the palace was also used as the Red Keep’s gardens in King’s Landing.
5. All of the snow and ice that is seen on-set is created for the use of Game of Thrones.
6. After the filming of the third episode, Sophie Turner (Sansa) adopted the dog that played Sansa’s direwolf Lady.
7. The first season of Game of Thrones premiered on April the 17th, Sean Bean’s birthday!
8. Shortly after the filming of the Dothraki wedding was completed, Malta was hit by one of the worst storms in their history, causing many of the props to be lost at sea!
9. HBO commissioned the Dothraki tongue through the Language Creation Society and created by linguistics expert David Peterson. At the start of filming there were approximately 1700 words, and there are now 3000.
10. Actor Liam Burke was cast as Aerys II Targaryen, the ‘Mad King’, in flashback scenes but these scenes were cut from filming.
11. Actress Maisie Williams is right-handed, although her character Arya is left-handed, so she learnt all her fight scenes with Syrio left-handedly.
12. In his audition tape, Jason Momoa (KhalDrogo) performed the Haka dance, an ancestral war-cry, dance or challenge of the Maori people from New Zealand.
13. Most cast members haven’t read the books that the series is based on so as not to find out their characters’ fate as some think this will affect their acting.
14. In a letter to actor Jack Gleeson (Joffrey), author Martin complemented him on his acting saying “Congratulations on your marvellous performance, everyone hates you.”
15. There are more words within the Dothraki tongue for ‘kill’ than there are for ‘love’.
16. The part when Ser Hugh of the Vale dies – including the falling horse, the spurting blood and other effects – was kept as a secret from the likes of Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams (Sansa& Arya) to create a genuine reaction.
17. The crypts beneath Winterfell and the dungeon beneath the Red Keep in King’s Landing are the same set.
18. During the scene where Daenerys eats the horse’s heart, actress Emilia Clarke was chewing for filming all day – her retch at the end of the scene was genuine!
19. During the scene in which Ned is seen in a fever dream after his clash with Jamie Lannister, actor Sean Bean caught the flu in order to look as feverish as possible for this scene.
20. Winterfell’s courtyard may look realistic enough but it is actually set within a car-park to allow for 360 degree shots.
21. Actress Carice van Houten was previously asked to audition for a role within season one, but couldn’t due to schedule conflicts. She was asked to audition for a different role within season two and was later cast as Melissandre.
22. The pool within the godswood of Winterfell is actually filled with black paint in order to make it as reflective as possible.
23. The armourer seen crafting the sword Needle for Jon Snow in the T.V. show is Tommy Dunn, and he is the smith who creates all the weapons used in the show.
24. One of the production artists who helped design Pandora within Avatar also worked on Game of Thrones, with their influence seen especially through the Vale of Arryn and the Eyrie.
25. Jon Snow’s night-time chase towards the end of season one lead to a stunt-woman needing eight stitches after the set’s generators crashed and she ran into a tree.
26. The sky-cell of the Eyrie where Tyrion is kept was in the parking lot facing the trailers of the rest of the cast. It also over-looked the same place where James Cameron built his gigantic replica of the Titanic.
27. The actor who plays the character Theon Greyjoy is Alfie Allen, Lily Allen’s younger brother who her song ‘Alfie’ is wrote about.
28. The dead stag at the opening of season one on the road is no prop – in fact it was killed by local hunters and gutted by an animal handler Kenny after being left for a few days to ripen.
29. After the pilot episode many people believed the girl nailed to the tree was a doll and it was criticised for this. The facts are that it was actually a 19 year-old actress, Claire Wright.
30. The title sequence, by Angus Wall of E52 Elastic, was based on the notion of a raven flying over a map. Martin said that “because geography is very important, getting in the map was a good idea” and was pleased with Wall’s opening title sequence.

“When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground.”