The fantasy drama Game of Thrones dominated the TV landscape for a decade. Centered around the outbreak of a civil war in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, it culminated with Bran Stark as King of the Seven Kingdoms, and his sister, Sansa Stark withdrawing from the realm and becoming Queen in the North.
From Emilia Clarke to Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones boasts a terrific star cast. While the former is a British actress, the latter was one of the few American actors on the show. Come to think of it, what if Game of Thrones was remade with an all-American cast? Here are the actors that would fill the shoes.
Jack Nicholson: Lord Varys
Other than the fact that Jack Nicholson's career has spanned over six decades, the man has been an inspiration for both old and new crops of actors like Louise Fletcher, Diane Keaton, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Though the actor is in retirement now, if anyone can be entrusted the job of selflessly serving the realm, it is him without a doubt.
Jack Nicholson would do a phenomenal job playing Lord Varys. It'd be interesting to see him quip in Tyrion Lannister's presence, and look the Mother of Dragons straight in the eye and declare his loyalty to the common people.
Lauren Graham: Catelyn Stark
Ned Stark's wife, Catelyn Stark can be best described as the dutiful Lady of Winterfell and a ferociously loving mother of five children. Though Catelyn was deeply devoted to her family, she certainly had her flaws.
Lauren Graham's Lorelai Gilmore was an equally complex character with incredible depth and personality. Based on the fact that she played a determined mother on Gilmore Girls, she would make an excellent casting choice for the role of Catelyn Stark.
Dylan Minnette: Bran Stark
The Game of Thrones finale saw Isaac Hempstead Wright's Bran Stark elected as the King by the Great Council. Though fans across the globe took issue with the contentious ending, the fact remains, Bran was chosen to serve the realm and lead the Kingdoms to the best of his abilities.
Actor Dylan Minnette, best known for playing Clay Jensen on 13 Reasons Why is no stranger to dramatic roles. He bears a striking resemblance to actor Isaac Hempstead Wright. Of course, it also helps the two actors have a minuscule age difference - 24 and 21, respectively.
Zendaya: Missandei
In Season 3, Daenerys acquired Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel) as part of the deal with the slave-trader master Kraznys mo Nakloz. Before she was taken into service, she was given the well-informed choice to side with her Grace or return home to Naath. Missandei chose her Queen and sided with her until her execution in the final season.
Nathalie Emmanuel showed great conviction while playing the challenging character. American actress, Zendaya takes similar pride in her acting roles. Her Emmy-winning performance as Rue Bennett in HBO's Euphoria proves she is perfectly suited to play the part.
Cersei Lannister: Jennifer Aniston
Lena Headey received praise across the world for playing Cersei Lannister - the only daughter of Lord Tywin Lannister. The character has rightfully earned her place as one of the greatest TV villains of the 2000s. Cersei did unforgivable things to protect herself and the interests of House Lannister. She was a fierce mother and an equally fierce monarch.
Jennifer Aniston's breathtaking performance in 2014's Cake and 2019's The Morning Show make her a perfect casting choice for Cersei Lannister. For playing a powerful anchor named Alex Levy on The Morning Show, she won the 2020 SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series.
Timothée Chalamet: Jon Snow
Jon Snow's fascinating character arc involved him overcoming a great number of obstacles while staying true to his morals. Raised as Ned Stark's illegitimate son, he turned out to be the last male heir of House Targaryen. Played by Kit Harington, Jon Snow was the first to make allies of Wildlings and the Northerners.
He was named the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, and the King in the North because people believed in him. The vibrant American actor Timothée Chalamet has carved a niche for himself. He displayed remarkable emotional complexity in 2018's Beautiful Boy, followed by the historical drama, The King. Surely, Timothée Chalamet would be able to do justice to the iconic role.
Alison Brie: Ygritte
Rose Leslie starred as the Wildling girl and Jon Snow's love interest, Ygritte, until her death in "The Watchers on the Wall." As she lay dying in Jon's arms, she wished to return to the cave where the pair had hidden earlier in their courtship. Rose Leslie's flawless portrayal of an energetic and strong character is etched in the hearts of Jon Snow-Ygritte shippers.
Actress Alison Brie has demonstrated a tremendous range with acting roles such as Annie Edison in Community, Trudy Campbell in Mad Men, and Ruth Wilder in GLOW. With an acting resume as diverse as hers, Alison can ace the role of the feisty Wildling.
George Clooney: Tywin Lannister
The incredible Charles Dance is well-known for playing assertive characters. He is widely remembered for his portrayal of the scheming Lannister Lord on Game of Thrones. As one of the most powerful men in Westeros, there are several life lessons on friendship and family to be learned from his character.
Actor George Clooney landed his breakout role as Dr. Doug Ross on the medical drama ER. He's delivered a number of powerful performances, including winning an Academy Award in the Best Supporting Actor category for Syriana. Considering George Clooney's acting prowess, he's best suited to play the patriarch of the powerful Lannister family.
Elisabeth Moss: Yara Greyjoy
Game of Thrones was packed with powerful female characters, and one of them was Gemma Whelan's Yara Greyjoy. Accustomed to practices of roving, and pillaging, she agreed to give up the Ironborn way of life to join forces with Daenerys.
Actress Elisabeth Moss has an incredible amount of range as a performer. She has a well-earned reputation for playing remarkably strong women who take charge of their destinies. With Elisabeth's Emmy-winning portrayal of June in The Handmaid's Tale, she has become the bellwether of actresses who choose strong roles and therefore could pull off another fearless character.
Scarlett Johansson: Daenerys Targaryen
It's hard to imagine anyone else besides Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen, however, there does arise a strong casting possibility.
Beloved American actress, Scarlett Johansson's illustrious career includes performances on Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Match Point, Lucy, Marriage Story, Jojo Rabbit amongst numerous others. She would fairly represent a character who rules lands, leads armies, and mothers three full-grown dragons.