What 20 Game of Thrones Characters Actually Look Like, According to the Books

The world of Westeros is most commonly associated with the Game of Thrones television series, as well as its prequel, House of the Dragon, but its original manifestation was in printed form, in the A Song of Ice and Fire saga of epic fantasy novels. The book series consists of 5 volumes, boasting an impressive amount of almost 800 characters of relevance.

Some of these characters remained faithful to the way they were depicted in the books when they made the jump to the screen, while others were subjected to creative liberties. Below is a list of 20 of the most important characters that appeared in Game of Thrones and how they were described in the books.

1. Daenerys Targaryen

Dany is a woman in her early teenage years. As is customary for members of the Targaryen family house, Daenerys has violet eyes, a distinguishing feature that is accompanied by her silver-blonde hair and pale skin.

2. Jon Snow

Despite being the illegitimate son of Ned Stark, he has more Stark-like features than all of his brothers. This translates to a long face, dark brown hair, and gray eyes. Much like in the TV series, Jon grows a beard later on.

3. Tyrion Lannister

Tyrion shares some of House Lannister’s most distinguishable features, such as golden hair and green eyes, albeit a bit differently than the rest of his family. His hair, for example, is so blond that it looks white, and he also has mismatched eyes, given that one of his eyes is black. This is said to make people uncomfortable.

4. Ned Stark

In the first book, Ned is 35 years old, though he looks older due to the recent graying in his beard. He has the long face, dark gray eyes, and the brown hair of the Starks.

5. Jaime Lannister

Jaime also has the typical features of a Lannister, though as opposed to his brother Tyrion, he is widely considered a handsome man. He is tall and blond, with curly golden hair and green eyes. He is also described by Jon Snow as “what a king should look like.”

6. Cersei Lannister

Cersei and Jaime are twins, and they visibly resemble each other, even as adults. Just like her twin brother, she stands out because of her looks, particularly her fair skin, golden hair, and emerald-green eyes.

7. Brienne of Tarth

Brienne is not considered attractive, according to Westerosi beauty standards. She is a tall woman with broad features and is covered in freckles, boasting crooked teeth, swollen lips, and a nose that looks as if it has been broken multiple times.

8. Arya Stark

At the beginning of the book series, Arya is a skinny 9-year-old girl. She takes after her father, having features proper of a Stark, such as a long face, gray eyes, and brown hair. She is often mistaken for a boy and is also mockingly called “Arya Horseface” by the other girls at Winterfell.

9. Sansa Stark

The eldest Stark daughter inherited most of her features from House Tully, her maternal side. She has high cheekbones, deep-blue eyes, and the house’s characteristic auburn hair, though it’s a bit lighter than her mother’s. She is described as being beautiful.

10. Joffrey Baratheon

The insufferable King Joffrey is tall for his age and only displays physical traits from his mother’s side, the Lannisters, such as his blond hair and green eyes. Just like Jaime, he is considered handsome, so much so that Jon Snow initially mistakes him for a girl.

11. Oberyn Martell

Oberyn has the same features as many of his fellow Dornishmen do, such as olive skin, black hair, and dark eyes. He is a slender, graceful man with thin eyebrows, a sharp nose, and viper-like eyes. His hair is lustrous and long, and it recedes in the shape of a widow’s peak.

12. Margaery Tyrell

Much like Sansa, Margaery Tyrell is also widely regarded as beautiful in Westeros. She has pale, unblemished skin and curly brown hair, as well as big brown eyes. She is also said to have a sweet smile.

13. Varys

The Master of Whisperers at King’s Landing is a mysterious man, capable of heavily altering his physical appearance. However, when Varys isn’t in disguise, he is a plump, bald man with effeminate mannerisms. He also tends to powder his face.

14. Jaqen H’ghar

Jaqen H’ghar is a mysterious man who often smiles and carries himself with a polite demeanor. His most noticeable feature, aside from his handsomeness, is his hair. He has shiny straight locks that are colored white on one side and red on the other.

15. Tywin Lannister

Tywin is a strong man at the helm of the Lannister family. He represents the Lannister physical standard of having blond hair and green eyes, though he started to shave his head when he began balding, keeping facial hair on the sides.

16. Jorah Mormont

Daenerys’s trusted companion is described as a large, hairy middle-aged man. He is balding, but he makes up for it by having a black beard. He is shorter than other knights, but he is also muscular and fit.

17. Catelyn Stark

She looks very similar to her eldest daughter, Sansa, because of the Tully genes running through both of their blood. Much like her daughter, she has high cheekbones, auburn hair, and deep-blue eyes. The only difference between the mother and daughter is that Catelyn’s hair is a shade darker.

18. Melisandre

The shadowbinder and servant of the Lord of Light is described as a beautiful yet intimidating woman. Her hair is of a burnished copper hue, which compliments her pale skin and red eyes, all of it framed by a heart-shaped face.

19. Daario Naharis

The sellsword is fond of dressing up in loud colors and outfits, a tendency that can also be attested in his beard, which is dyed a bright blue and cut into 3 prongs. He also has deep-blue eyes and curly hair.

20. Stannis Baratheon

Stannis follows the Baratheon tradition of being tall and having a powerful build. He has a tight-looking face and his family’s dark blue eyes under a heavy brow, accompanied by hollow cheeks and a short beard. He only has hair on the sides of his head.

Which actor was perfectly cast for the TV series? Which character surprised you because of how different they were in the book?