Jack Gleeson: Joffrey from “Game of Thrones” is almost unrecognizable

First major role in nine years
Known as King Joffrey: Jack Gleeson returns to “Game of Thrones” – this is how he has changed

As the young King Joffrey, Jack Gleeson spread fear and terror in “Game of Thrones”. Then he withdrew. Now he is celebrating a comeback after a nine-year break – and is hardly recognizable.

Most people know him as the brutal prince and later King Joffrey Baratheon from “Game of Thrones”: In the series, which is not lacking in unscrupulous characters, the character of Jack Gleeson stood out. But after that it became quiet about the Irish actor.

The milk-faced ruler died in the fourth season of “Game of Thrones” in 2014. Afterwards Gleeson, then 22 years old, announced that he wanted to retire from the acting business. For a long time little was seen or heard from the Irishman; he avoided public appearances and only gradually took on smaller roles again. Now Jack Gleeson can be seen again in a well-known production. He takes on a role in the Netflix series “Sex Education” nine years after leaving “Game of Thrones”. The actor has changed a lot over that time.

Jack Gleeson: No major role for more than nine years

In his new role, Gleeson will probably not be recognizable to many viewers, as almost nothing reminds of the young man with the delicate face. Gleeson now has a rustic mustache on his face and a mat on his head. The actor’s return caused astonishment, but also joy, for many fans. With his looks he now seems even more like a born villain, someone wrote.

In the fourth (and final) season of “Sex Education,” released on Netflix last week, the 31-year-old plays Mo, a friend of Sean, the older brother of teenager Maeve.

Jack Gleeson took on his first role at the age of nine. After his departure from “Game of Thrones” it was reported that he wanted to end his career because acting had always been just a hobby for him. Gleeson later made it clear that he had just wanted to take a longer break. He had grappled with the question of whether he really wanted to be a full-time actor.

Gleeson returns to acting

For a long time, Gleeson hardly appeared in public; there were only isolated appearances, for example at Comic Con. He studied theology and philosophy at Trinity College in Dublin and even briefly considered an academic career. He returned to the television screen in 2020 with an appearance in the BBC sitcom Out of Her Mind.

In “Sex Education” Jack Gleeson can be seen again for a larger audience. Apparently he is now turning more to acting again. The thriller “In the Land of Saints and Sinners” premiered at the beginning of September, in which he can be seen together with Liam Neeson. The film is scheduled to hit theaters this year. He is also involved in the BBC/ZDF adaptation of the adventure series “Five Friends”.

Sources: Netflix