Game of Thrones stars who now look unrecognisable including VERY hunky transformation – can you guess who they are? | The Sun

IT'S over a decade since Game of Thrones burst on to our screens… and some of the cast have changed beyond recognition in the years since.

The epic HBO drama made superstars out of the likes of Emilia Clarke and Kit Harrington as they battled dragons, an army of the undead and backstabbing villains scheming to take the Iron Throne.

While some actors were barely teenagers when they joined the show, which was based on George R R Martin's iconic fantasy novels, others went above and beyond to recreate the look of his characters.

As fans return to Westeros for the new prequel, House of the Dragon, can you guess who these now-unrecognisable Thrones stars once played?

Kristofer Hivju – Tormund Giantsbane

Fan favourite Tormund was the towering, straight-talking raider who struck up an unlikely friendship with Jon Snow.

But actor Kristofer Hivju, who played the wildling warrior, left fans stunned when he shared a snap of himself without his trademark ginger beard.

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Taking to Instagram, the 43-year-old said: "The man has no beard… #ThrowbackThursday #bigbeard-VS-nobeard."

It appeared to be a hit with his 3.3million followers, with some even comparing him to a handsome Disney prince.

Conleth Hill – Lord Varys

Conleth Hill was the man behind Lord Varys, the slippery Master of Whisperers who pulled political strings in King's Landing.

Also known as the Spider, the mysterious eunuch advisor was instantly recognisable with his clean-shaven head and beard.

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Since leaving the show, Conleth, 57, has popped up in shows including Doc Martin and left viewers doing a double take when he appeared on Lorraine to promote his new ITV police drama, Holding.

With a full head of grey hair and a bushy beard, he admitted even the Game of Thrones production team sometimes failed to recognise himwhen out of character.

"Even while in the midst of shooting, there was lots of 'can we have that security man less close to the cast'," he laughed.

Hannah Murray – Gilly

Hannah Murray was already known to Brits before Game of Thrones, having starred as Cassie in the classic Channel 4 teen drama Skins.

By the time she popped up in the fantasy drama as wildling Gilly, she had ditched Cassie's trademark blonde locks.

Earlier this year, she looked worlds away from her breakout role as she posed with fans at a comic con event, appearing with brown hair in a Buffy The Vampire Slayer T-shirt.

The clever actress, 33, previously studied at Cambridge University and was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild award for her performance as Gilly.

Lino Facioli – Robin Arryn

Spoiled brat Robin Arryn didn't get much sympathy in the earlier episodes of Game of Thrones.

The sadistic young lord took pleasure in throwing people to their death out of the 'Moon door' and grossed out viewers through his very close relationship with his mum.

In real life, actor Lino Facioli has proved a much bigger hit, with fans describing him as 'doing a Neville Longbottom' after revealing an incredible glow-up.

The 22-year-old hunky Brazilian appears to be going from strength to strength in his career too, after turning up in Netflix's smash hit Sex Education.

Nell Tiger Free – Princess Myrcella

The death of Princess Myrcella is one of the series' most shocking scenes – despite lacking its infamous gore.

The daughter of incestuous siblings Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) met her grisly end after a poisoned kiss from Ellaria Sand.

Since leaving the show, actress Nell Tiger Free, 22, has gone on to star alongside Harry Potter's Rupert Grint in the Apple TV drama Serpent.

And like Hannah Murray, she looks completely different after going from blonde to brunette.

Art Parkinson – Rickon Stark

Remember little Rickon Stark? He's not so little now.

Art Parkinson, 20, who portrayed Ned Stark's youngest child, was just a child when the show started out.

More than a decade later, he's proved his acting chops in blockbusters like Dracula Untold and San Andreas.

And you'd be forgiven for not recognising him in the 2019 ITV murder series The Bay, where he starred as Rob Armstrong.

Harry Lloyd – Viserys Targaryen

Harry Lloyd went out in gruesome style as the petulant prince Viserys, clonking to the ground after having a pot of molten gold poured over his head.

The English star, 38, played the Targaryen in the fantasy epic and was the sibling of Emilia Clarke's Daenerys.

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He had the long, flowing platinum locks and pale skin that were synonymous with the Targaryen family and was hellbent on winning back his father's Seven Kingdoms' throne after 15 years in exile.

Harry has since appeared in hits like Marcella, Wolf Hall and Counterpart – though you might not recognise him without the wig!

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