Game of Thrones actor Neil Fingleton (Mag the Mighty) dead at 36

More sad news coming in today following the Bill Paxton news. Neil Fingleton, Britain’s tallest man and a Game of Thrones alum, is dead at the age of 36. The actor reportedly suffered heart failure.

Fingleton drew a tremendous amount of fame just for his height alone at 7’7”, and prior to become an actor, took part in collegiate basketball. He played professional basketball briefly, which is understandably given his size. Men this tall are heavily sought-after, but it looks as though he eventually found his true calling more in the world of performance.

Fingleton’s notable Game of Thrones role was Mag the Mighty (otherwise known as Mag Mar Tun Doh Weg), a giant who was killed during “The Watchers on the Wall.” He was one of the more notable giants on the series alongside Wun Wun. Unfortunately, giants do not have a long life on this show, but they make the most of their screentime and are incredibly memorable. There is even a supersized Funko Pop! figure out there for the character, even if his total time on the show was fairly limited.

Aside from this role, Fingleton also appeared as the Fisher King on this past season of Doctor Who, and his stature made him the subject of many stories and documentaries. He also appeared in a number of different feature films, including X-Men: First Class and The Avengers: Age of Ultron. His height enabled him to take on a variety of roles in a number of different genre projects, ones that love that idea of having such a larger-than-life man on screen.

All indications are that he was a very nice, kind man loved by many people. As a performer, we know that he was gracious and willing to adorn whatever costume or prosthetic needed for the role. These are sometimes the sort of actors who never get the attention that they so deserve, who are the unsung heroes of much of what they are a part of time and time again.

Our thoughts go out to Fingleton’s loved ones and everyone who knew him through what has to be a very difficult time. (Photo: HBO.)