Game of Thrones star Jack Gleeson has revealed that he's never had any negative interactions with fans of the franchise despite his portrayal of the ever-hated Joffrey Baratheon. Introduced in Game of Thrones season 1, Joffrey is the youngest son of King Robert Baratheon and heir to the Iron Throne. After Cersei Lannister orchestrates the accidental death of Robert when he is gored by a boar during a hunting trip, Joffrey becomes King of the Seven Kingdoms. However, his sadistic nature makes him an unfit leader, allowing Cersei to garner power in Westeros while her son acts as the figurehead for the nation.
According to Entertainment Weekly, while speaking about his role as Joffrey in Game of Thrones at the first official fan convention in LA, Gleeson said that he had never had a bad interaction as fans despite his hateable role in the show. He said that part of the reason why fans were so nice to him all the time was because of a rumor that other fans were mean to him. Check out what Gleeson had to say below:
"Thankfully, I've never had any negative fan experiences or anything.... There's still a chance, if anybody wants to throw a punch.
"A lot of people come up to me because I guess this rumor started that people were horrible to me on the street or I get attacked… whereas I've never had one negative experience. I feel like people are extra nice to me because they think people attack me, so maybe I should keep the rumor going."
Why Joffrey Was Game Of Thrones' Most Hated Character
The contrast between how fans treat Gleeson and how they feel about Joffrey Baratheon might help to underscore how much of a hated character the former King of Westeros was. One of his first atrocious actions comes in Game of Thrones season 1, episode 2, when Joffrey is bitten by Arya Stark's direwolf Nymeria after acting cruelly toward Arya's commoner friend. Because of his whining demands for justice - and because Nymeria had fled soon after biting him - Sansa Stark's direwolf, Lady, is killed in Nymeria's stead, alongside the commoner, Mycah. Later, in season 1, episode 9, Joffrey order to the execution of Ned Stark after previously promising to spare him, essentially killing the protagonist of season 1 of the show.
Joffrey's sadistic side would continue to flourish throughout season 2 and season 3 of the series. From torturing and killing the prostitute Ros in his bed chambers to ordering the execution of all of King Robert's bastards, Joffrey continually committed to actions that would make him the most hated character on any show. Joffrey eventually becomes betrothed to Margaery Tyrell, with the pair's wedding day in season 4, episode 2 filled with moments of Joffrey belittling Tyrion Lannister, forcing him to be his cupbearer. During the wedding's feast, Joffrey is killed with poison, but points accusingly toward Tyrion as he dies - one last spiteful action from the show's most hated character.
In reality, Joffrey had no proof Tyrion had poisoned him, with the real culprit later being revealed as Lady Olenna Tyrell, who didn't want her granddaughter, Margaery, suffering at the hands of the sadistic king any longer. However, despite his death, Joffrey's presence remained throughout the rest of the show, his demise setting off a series of events that would lead Tyrion to Daenerys Targaryen's side. While Game of Thrones' Joffrey Baratheon is perhaps one of the most hated in the entire show, it's still reassuring to know that Gleeson was never attacked for the actions of the character he brought to life.
Source: EW