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Top 10 Game of Thrones Characters, Ranked by Screen Time

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Top 10 Game of Thrones Characters, Ranked by Screen Time


It can be difficult to stand out in a crowd as large as Game of Thrones. There are dozens of characters who each play a vital role in the story, and each requires several scenes to establish their importance in the universe. Even with minor characters, like Lyanna Mormont, taking up space and the spotlight, the main stars might struggle to find a place to shine.




That doesn’t mean the main actors were deprived of screen time, however. Everyone had time to showcase their characters’ unique talents, characteristics, and motivations. The biggest stars, however, had hours to define their roles and establish themselves in front of an enthusiastic audience.


10 Varys spent 4 hours and 27 minutes on screen

Varies at Dragonstone in HBO's Game of Thrones

Character

Actor

Introduced in

Varied

Conleth Hill

Season 1, Episode 3, “Lord Snow”

The Master of Whispers isn’t the kind of character who should get a lot of screen time. Varys the Spider is exactly the kind of seedy character who would just appear in the starts and stops of any other series. In Game of ThronesHowever, the mysterious and cunning politician is a regular star.


Varys’ manipulations were part of the show from the start. He was always ready to train with Littlefinger, rant with Tyrion, or even play with Ned Stark. His ever-shifting allegiances left him with the need to establish himself with various factions, which meant a surprisingly large amount of screen time for the Spider. Varys didn’t accomplish much, but he certainly earned a place in the series’ legacy.

9 Davos Seaworth had 4 hours and 56 minutes of screen time

Ser Davos in Game of Thrones looks worried

Character

Actor

Introduced in

Davos Seaworth

Liam Cunningham

Season 2, Episode 1, “The North Remembers”


Like Varys, Davos Seaworth isn’t the kind of character most would expect to get a lot of screen time. After all, the Onion Knight himself would find it hard to believe. He usually served as an advisor to anyone who earned his loyalty, and his skills as a sailor meant that he always played a role in the narrative.

Fortunately for Davos, he also managed to consistently align himself with popular figures. He was attached to Stannis from the dreary king’s first appearance, and he later aligned himself with Jon Snow. After he became a trusted vassal to both, there were few scenes in their presence that didn’t feature Davos. Even when he didn’t speak, he was always present and always reinforcing his morals and sense of purpose.

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8 Jorah Mormont spent 5 hours and 28 minutes on screen

Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen) looks determined and confident in Game of Thrones

Character

Actor

Introduced in

Jorah Mormont

Ian Glen

Season 1, Episode 1, “Winter is Coming”

Given Daenerys’ omnipresence, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Jorah Mormont got somewhat excessive screen time. Jorah remained attached to Daenerys’ hip as long as he could reasonably hold on. He always insisted on following her across the Dothraki Sea, earning her loyalty despite her betrayal.


As a traitor, Jorah was certainly among Daenerys’ worst advisors, but that didn’t stop him from having his own arcs. His Greyscale arc was a necessary arc for the series and allowed Sam and Jorah to get some much-needed extra attention. It also always had enough focus to easily return to the main narrative, although it often drifted sharply with each deviation from George RR Martin’s books. .

7 Jaime Lannister spent 6 hours and 32 minutes on screen

Character

Actor

Introduced in

Jaime Lannister

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

Season 1, Episode 1, “Winter is Coming”

Considering how important Jaime was to Game of Thronesit is surprising that he is not more prominent. He and Brienne traveled together, which took a lot of time, but he was often separated from King’s Landing. His arc was somewhat isolated, rarely intersecting with others when not returning to Cersei’s side. Although it had the much-maligned Dornish plot, much of it was devoted to the Dornish fighting among themselves.


Jaime’s recovery from his amputation took time away from his appearances, and his frequent absences meant that the character never had much screen time, unlike the other protagonists in Episode 1. He spent much of season 1 as a background characterwhich also limited it. Subsequent seasons saw Jaime shine more, but his periods of inactivity relegated him to the back half of the main characters.

6 Arya Stark spent 6 hours and 33 minutes on screen

Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) holding her sword at the ready in a green field in Game of Thrones.
Image via HBO

Character

Actor

Introduced in

Arya Stark

Maisie Williams

Season 1, Episode 1, “Winter is Coming”


As a character, Arya made her first appearances as a narrative tool to showcase the horrors of the War of the Five Kings. She saw the Lannisters and Starks spill the blood of innocents across the Riverlands, encountered the Brotherhood Without Banners, witnessed the Red Wedding, and suffered the purge of Ned Stark’s House. Even when she didn’t have much agency, she still dominated screen time for years.

In later seasons, Arya finally began to take control of her life. Unfortunately, his arc suffered from a lack of attention in later seasons. Aside from an argument with Sansa in season 7, she never really shined after returning to Winterfell. Those who encountered important characters more often in their stories had much more screen time. This could also explain why the relatively isolated sector Jaime and Arya are almost tied when it came to screen minutes.


5 Sansa Stark spent 6 hours and 58 minutes on screen

Character

Actor

Introduced in

Sansa Stark

Sophie Turner

Season 1, Episode 1, “Winter is Coming”

The eventual Queen in the North needed space to grow from a small bird to a giant wolf. Six hours and 58 minutes of screen time certainly gave it that. As a cast member of King’s Landing, Sansa benefited from constant involvement in politics and narrative crossovers. She had regular scenes with Tyrion, Cersei, Littlefinger, and even Jon Snow later in the run.

Even outside of politics, Sansa’s growth has received significant attention. His time at Winterfell with Ramsay and Theon meant spending time each week planning his eventual escape. She also needed time to find Jon, come up with a plan to liberate Winterfell, and ultimately fight the White Walkers. She’s had a significant arc in each season, which explains why Sansa has had so much screen time.


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4 Cersei Lannister spent 7 hours and 5 minutes on screen

Ser Maryn accompanies Cersei Lannister through the streets of Kings Landing in Game of Thrones.

Character

Actor

Introduced in

Cersei Lannister

Lena Headey

Season 1, Episode 1, “Winter is Coming”

Like Jaime, Cersei benefited from her name. As a Lannister, she was a driving force in Westerosi politics. As Robert Baratheon’s Dowager Queen, she was also a prominent figure in her own right. She even managed to be the mother of two kings and a queen of the Seven Kingdoms.


Cersei suffered greatly in later seasons After Game of Thrones I forgot to finish his story. Her decision to destroy Baelor’s Sept never had any real consequences, meaning she spent much of seasons 7 and 8 waiting for Daenerys to attack. Still, she had frequent scenes showing her patience, and her early seasons propelled her to the forefront from the start. It was inevitable that Cersei would get a lot of screen time.

3 Daenerys Targaryen spent 8 hours and 44 minutes on screen

Dragon on Daenerys Targaryen's shoulder in Game of Thrones

Character

Actor

Introduced in

Daenerys Targaryen

Emilie Clarke

Season 1, Episode 1, “Winter is Coming”


While in Essos, Daenerys was the main character in the history of an entire continent. She was the last recognized Targaryen, the insight of all Essos and the Mother of Dragons. From the moment she awakened the dragons from the stone, she became an iconic face of the franchise. While Game of Thrones While she let Daenerys down when her story took an unexpected turn, she still had plenty of time to prove her worth.

Much of the show’s early seasons focused on Daenerys’ rise to power. She was the main perspective that introduced the Dothraki, Qarth, and the Unsullied. She even interacted extensively with Tyrion, Jon Snow, and the Starks when she finally reached Westeros. It’s only natural that Daenerys gets a lot of screen time.

2 Jon Snow spent 10 hours and 51 minutes on screen

Kit Harington as Jon Snow fighting the Northmen during the Battle of the Bastards at Winterfell.


Character

Actor

Introduced in

Jon Snow

Kit Harington

Season 1, Episode 1, “Winter is Coming”

For much of the series, Jon Snow was portrayed as a potential Azor Ahai. He was a son of the Stark and Targaryen bloodlines – a true promised prince. He wielded a Valyrian steel sword, had the allegiance of a powerful militia, and even managed to capture a dragon. Obviously, Jon was a main character.

With that in mind, it’s only natural that he has the second most screen time out of all the characters. Aside from Sam, Jon was the only major character on the Wall.leaving him as the central character in any scene that takes place there. With so many stories about the Free Folk, the White Walkers, and the Night’s Watch, Jon’s story was essential, giving him enough space to share his story.


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1 Tyrion Lannister spent 11 hours and 19 minutes on screen

Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) stands overlooking the sea in a Game of Thrones film

Character

Actor

Introduced in

Tyrion Lannister

Peter Dinklage

Season 1, Episode 1, “Winter is Coming”

It’s no surprise that Tyrion is the character who appears the most in the franchise. Even though Tyrion has made some terrible decisions in life, he has always been an important and beloved star. He led the King’s Landing storyline in season 2 and ultimately became one of the strongest prospects in Daenerys’ campaign. He was also involved in many Lannister family drama scenes and one-off moments with Varys.


There’s a reason why Tyrion has become the most notable character in Game of Thrones. Dinklage’s performance was charming, nuanced and compelling. Even when later seasons saw Tyrion’s intellectual decline, he remained a top star with many scenes. From season 1 to season 8, Tyrion never wavered. In reality, he cast the shadow of a giant.

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