Who would have won Best Performance As A Youth in Seasons 1-3?

One of the main reasons I decided that the WiCnet awards should include voting by actor in thematic categories instead of the traditional Emmy concept of “supporting actor” divided by gender is this Best Youth category. The actors playing the adolescents and children of Game Of Thrones have done a wonderful job, especially given all the pitfalls of child actors—they can age out of their roles, for one thing, or they can be inconsistent. But Game Of Thrones has made to find a collection of children, or actors playing kids, who are at least competent the vast majority of the time, and with a few who challenge the adults with the best performances on the show.

With the Best Performance As A Youth category, I wanted to highlight the children and adolescents who’ve made this often-child centered show work so well. They’ll get their chance to compete against the adults in the full Best Actor/Actress category at the conclusion of the awards, but for now, its their chance.

But first, since this is a new category, I wanted to take a look at who I think would and should have won in previous seasons….

Season 1: This one’s just not close….

Maisie Williams as Arya Stark has perhaps the defining face of Season 1 in the same way that Iain Glen had the voice. She was almost silent through the pilot, but her wide, wiser-than-her-years eyes watching the king’s procession, or her little curtsy after embarrassing Bran with the bow, or her glee turning to anger after she launches food at her sister instantly set her apart as the Stark kid to remember.

And it’s not like she disappointed once she did start talking. Williams, like most of children on the show, can occasionally a little bit too modern when she gets excited. However, what her gifts—physical acting and ability to play serious, tense scenes—bring to show more than made up for a few minor flaws.

Season 2: Maisie Williams’ Arya Stark certainly didn’t miss a beat in this season, but I’m still giving the nod to her on-screen sister, Sansa Stark, as played by Sophie Turner. After Ned Stark’s death at the end of the first season, Sansa’s realization that Joffrey wasn’t her dream prince marked a big improvement for her character, which coincided with an improvement from Sophie Turner. Turner was perhaps too effective at playing Sansa’s petulance in the first season, but that character trait faded quickly.

Turner’s scenes with Lena Headey—herself with another tremendously improved performance in Season 2—were some of the best that Game Of Thrones ever did. I’d still put their interaction with the frightened women in the Red Keep, with Cersei tossing down wine abdicating responsibility and Sansa showing her Stark-ness. A great moment for the show and a great performance from Sophie Turner.

Season 3: HOT PIE!

More seriously, in a vote, I suspect Maisie Williams wins again here. (I suspect she wins popular votes for all three seasons), but it’s hard to pick a specific reason she, or Sophie Turner, would stand out. So I’m going to spread the wealth a little and reward a character and actor who had strong, difficult work across all three seasons: Jack Gleeson as King Joffrey.

The shadow of Joffrey Baratheon (Lannister) hangs over the entire series of Game Of Thrones, but it’s mitigated in the first two seasons. First, he’s the heir, perhaps cruel, but not in charge until the end. In the second season, the imminent threat of Renly, then Stannis’ approach prevents Joffrey from fully exercising his power. But by Season 3, King’s Landing is comfortable and the Lannisters are, if not necessarily winning the war until the end, not under direct threat. Everyone in King’s Landing, and even people outside of it, walk on pins and needles to avoid incurring his capricious wrath. And this needs to be held together by Jack Gleeson’s performance. Joffrey is a larger-than-life character, a collection of cruelty and whim, but Gleeson managed to make him also seem human, petty, and scared.

Season 4: This one’s up to you. Remember to vote!

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• Published on 10/06/2014 at 9:15 PM CDT
• Last updated on 10/21/2016 at 12:40 PM CDT