as Joffrey Baratheon
Character Overview: Joffrey Baratheon is the eldest of the royal Baratheon children, and heir to the throne. Joffrey was strong-willed already as a child and has an uncontrollable temper not unlike his mother’s and an unchecked sadistic streak. Like his Lannister relatives, he is tall, blonde, and handsome. –Wikipedia
Recent Events: Joffrey travels with his family to Winterfell when his father King Robert goes to recruit Ned Stark as Hand of the King. He has no sympathy for Bran following his fall from the tower, nor for Arya when he and Sansa stumble upon her dueling with a baker’s boy on the road back to King’s Landing. He appears charming to his bride-to-be Sansa Stark, playing the role of the handsome prince in her fairy tales, but he learns from his mother Cersei that “everyone who isn’t us is an enemy” and that he should exercise caution and goodwill towards Sansa. When Robert Baratheon dies, Joffrey takes the Iron Throne as the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. Believing the Starks to be traitors to his crown, particularly when Ned starts spreading rumors about his true parentage (the Lannister twins Jaime and Cerse), he forces Sansa to swear loyalty to him and to denounce her father and brother as traitors in exchange for keeping the imprisoned Ned Stark alive. He reneges on this promise at Ned’s public trial on the Sept of Baelor, ordering Ser Ilyn Payne to cut off Ned Stark’s head.
Tyrion attempts to rein in his nephew when he comes to the capitol as acting Hand of the King for his father Tywin. Joffrey, however, continues to rule with cruelty and malice. Every failure by the Lannisters to defeat the Starks results in pain for Sansa; every effort made by Tyrion (including prostitutes, whom he orders to do merciless acts of violence to each other) is fruitless for the Imp. He is challenged by various people to fight on the front lines at the Battle of Blackwater Bay, but during the battle he retreats to the Red Keep.
He is persuaded to set aside his marriage to Sansa, instead preparing to marry Margaery Tyrell. Margaery is quick-witted, able to charm Joffrey despite his cruel tendencies–but not enough to stop him from murdering Ros when Littlefinger finds out she has been spying on him for Varys. He is gleeful at finding out that Robb and Catelyn Stark have been betrayed and murdered by the Freys, an act which his grandfather, Hand of the King Tywin Lannister, is largely responsible for. Unfortunately, his joy as the apparent victor of the War of the Five Kings is short-lived; he is poisoned at his wedding to Margaery Tyrell. With his dying action, he points to Tyrion Lannister, apparently naming him as his killer. He dies in his mother’s arms.
Actor Bio: Jack Gleeson started as a member of The Independent Theatre Workshop when he was seven years old and has appeared in many stage productions put on by the group. He received his first major film credit in the 2005 hit Batman Begins. Since then he has received rave reviews for his roles in the indie films, A Shine of Rainbows and All Good Children. Gleeson will be temporarily retiring from acting after his role on Thrones is done. -Various
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