‘Game of Thrones’ season 4: Jack Gleeson may quit acting after playing Joffrey
When it comes to “Game of Thrones” characters who most likely take a beating from the public, there is probably no one higher up on the list than King Joffrey. This is a truly awful young man who torments women and men, acts like a jerk most of the time, and also shows little interest in actually being a king at all.
But for the man who plays him in 21-year old Jack Gleeson, he is already starting to think about a career that does not include acting in any shape or form. In a new interview with the Independent, he confirms that he is considering stepping away from acting at the end of his time on the show in order to focus on other endeavors:
“It was always a recreation beforehand, but when I started doing ‘Game of Thrones’ perhaps the reality was made too real for me … The lifestyle that comes with being an actor in a successful TV show isn’t something I gravitate towards.”
From Gleeson’s perspective, we could definitely understand some of how he feels here. While being an actor surely brings you fame and a reasonably amount of fortune, you also have to deal with the backlash of playing such an evil character. It cannot be easy for Jack to go out to dinner or even walk down the streets of a major city without someone shouting something terrible at him, with most of them likely making the common mistake of thinking that he is automatically identical to the man that he plays on television.
As for how long Joffrey could last on a show like this, we’re of course not going to give anything away; but when you are a character like him who is so loathed by so many, odds are that you’re going to carry with you a pretty substantial target on your back. He’s going to have to continue to navigate some difficult obstacles, and also a Royal Wedding that could be either very great or very terrible for him.
What do you think about Jack’s comments, and would you be thinking some of the same thing were you in his shoes? Be sure to share your thoughts below!
Photo: HBO
GOT Fan
November 26, 2013 @ 7:29 pm
Well the job of the actor is to represent on screen the emotions and actions of the character. I would say that Jack is doing a phenominal job in the series! He shouldn’t quit, but afterwards find alternative acting jobs that present him in a different light. I would think he could do well at comedy.