TV

'Game of Thrones' Cast: On Screen vs. Real Life

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By Jackie Willis

6:00 AM PDT, March 31, 2013

Lena Headey plays the divisive-yet-graceful, blonde-haired Cersei Lannister on Game of Thrones, but in real-life, she's a brunette, tattooed, Esquire magazine beauty. "All I know is my character isn’t dead yet," she said of the HBO show known for killing off main characters. "And that's great, but I don’t take anything for granted. I’m sort of like a T. rex in the world of female actresses. Every time a job is finished, I look at my car and think, Could I live in it?"

Check out 10 more of our favorite GOT actors as we compare their on-screen costumes to their real-life styles.

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Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey)

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Lena Headey plays the divisive-yet-graceful, blonde-haired Cersei Lannister on Game of Thrones, but in real-life, she's a brunette, tattooed, Esquire magazine beauty. "All I know is my character isn’t dead yet," she said of the HBO show known for killing off main characters. "And that's great, but I don’t take anything for granted. I’m sort of like a T. rex in the world of female actresses. Every time a job is finished, I look at my car and think, Could I live in it?"

Check out 10 more of our favorite GOT actors as we compare their on-screen costumes to their real-life styles.

Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke)

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The "mother of the dragons" looks quite different when she's not sporting a blonde wig and tattered, barely-there clothing.

Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie)

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This may be the biggest makeover of them all! While actress Gwendoline Christie is a vision on the red carpet, her on-screen role as Brienne, the Maid of Tarth (sometimes referred to jokingly as Brienne the Beauty), is considered extremely unattractive and unfeminine.

Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen)

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Alfie plays the brunette and brooding Theon Greyjoy, heir of Lord Balon Greyjoy of the Iron Islands, but off-screen, he's nearly unrecognizable with his blonde 'do. Is it just us, or does Allen sorta look like Brienne of Tarth with his lighter locks?

Ygritte (Rose Leslie)

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Ygritte is a wild woman and spear-wife who becomes a lover to Jon Snow (Kit Harington). Off screen, there's a rumor that Rose Leslie is dating her on-screen love interest in real life.

Melisandre (Carice van Houten)

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Carice takes on the role of the priestess of R'hllor and a Shadowbinder, Melisandre, but is really working to stray away from that persona with this red-carpet look.

Osha (Natalia Tena)

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Many will find it hard to believe that the fiery redhead seen on the GOT red carpet is the same person who plays the Free Folk character Osha, a woman who becomes a captive of Winterfell and later a servant of House Stark.

Robb Stark (Richard Madden)

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Robb Stark, the eldest son of Eddard Stark and Catelyn Tully and the heir to Winterfell and the North, looks good in a suit and with a little more stubble!

Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau)

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No matter the time or place you put Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, he's still a good looking guy!

Tyrion Lannister, Shae (Peter Dinklage and Sibel Kikilli)

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GOT fans will be happy to see that one of the most beloved couples on the show, Tyrion Lannister and Shae, are just as lovable when they're off screen.

Arya Stark (Maisie Williams)

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While Maisie's GOT character has been masquerading around as a young boy to avoid being killed or captured by the Lannister family, on the season 3 premiere party red carpet, she chose a super feminine floral dress.

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