Game of Thrones star John Bradley says he struggled to find work after the hit HBO show. Bradley is best known for his portrayal of Samwell Tarly, the scholarly Night's Watchman and best friend of John Snow (played by Kit Harrington). The 33-year-old actor found himself as one of the fortunate few original castmates to survive through season 1 all the way to season 8.
Since his breakout performance in Game of Thrones, Bradley has featured in a number of titles including Grimsby, Patient Zero, and most recently, Moonfall. The new sci-fi feature from Roland Emmerich sees Bradley assume the role of another intellectually inclined character named K.C. Houseman, a conspiracy theorist determined to warn the world of its impending doom. Halle Berry and Patrick Wilson star alongside Bradley as former NASA astronauts Jo Fowler and Brian Harper. Together, the trio set out on a space mission to save the Earth after a mysterious force knocks the moon from its orbit.
Now, in an interview with NME, Bradley reveals that finding work after his eight-year stint in Game of Thrones proved difficult. Stating that he quickly found himself typecast for similar parts, it took Bradley two years to determine his next role. Though he indicated that he had received offers, Bradley says he was determined to play something different.
"Nobody seemed to want to take a chance on me and my confidence began to suffer. Everytime you have a show as successful as Game of Thrones, loads of [similar characters] follow. But I thought: 'I'll resist them'."
In addition to Moonfall, Bradley also snagged the role of Collin Calloway in the new romantic comedy Marry Me, which released on February 11. Helmed by Kat Coiro and starring Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson, the new feature certainly marks a drastic change of genre for Bradley. Revealing that he was hand-picked for the role by Lopez based on his performance in the hit HBO fantasy series, Bradley credited the superstar with saving his confidence and showing that the series demonstrated he could succeed in other genres.
With two new films out in 2022, both wildly different from his work in Game of Thrones, Bradley can perhaps rest assured that he has escaped the clutches of typecasting. With talent such as Lopez proving that his gifts as an actor have not been overlooked, audiences should expect to see Bradley featured in an array of exciting future projects. Though Game of Thrones fans may long for the return of Tarly, even in a spiritually similar production, Bradley seems determined for the time being to prove he isn't just a one-trick pony.
Source: NME