However, that does not mean that the main actors didn’t have much screen time. Each had some time to showcase their characters’ unique talents, characteristics, and motivations. The top stars, however, had hours to define their roles and establish themselves for an eager audience.
15. Sandor Clegane Was a Fierce Warrior Who Eventually Did Some Good
Total Screen Time: 3.85 Hours
He first attempts to take Sansa back to her family, but she refuses. Eventually, he stumbles upon a different Stark sister, Arya, and attempts to help her return to her family. This plan is interrupted by Brienne of Tarth, who nearly kills him, leaving Sandor to pick up the pieces. His brush with death changes Sandor, and while still incredibly violent, he no longer directs his anger towards innocents.
14. Bran Stark Underwent a Massive Transformation Throughout the Series
Total Screen Time: 3.98 Hours
Bran Stark begins Game of Thrones as a precocious boy full of curiosity and wonder. However, his childhood comes to a screeching halt when, in the show’s first episode, Jamie Lannister pushes him out of a window, paralyzing him from the waist down. While it seemed Bran wasn’t long for this world after this incident, fate had other plans for him.
With the help of Osha, Hodor, Meera and Jojen Reed, Bran makes it to the Three-Eyed Raven. This mysterious figure can see into the past and future, and helps train Bran to do the same. These powers become critical to the events of Game of Thrones and make Bran more powerful than any fan who witnessed his beginnings would suspect, even if his character arc frustrated fans.
13. Brienne of Tarth Was as Loyal as Anyone in the Seven Kingdoms
Total Screen Time: 4.02 Hours
Brienne of Tarth is not only a groundbreaking figure in the history of Westeros; she’s one of the most powerful fighters in the Seven Kingdoms. Moreover, her fierce loyalty and upstanding moral code made her a fan favorite. The series introduces Brienne as a member of Renly Baratheon’s forces in the War of the Five Kings. After winning a tournament and becoming one of Renly’s Kingsguard, Brienne has to face the horror of witnessing a shadow-creature murder Renly before her eyes.
12. Theon Greyjoy Descended Into Villainy Before Redeeming Himself
Total Screen Time: 4.35 Hours
Theon Greyjoy is one of the most interesting, if also detestable, characters in Game of Thrones. He begins the series as a ward of Lord Eddard Stark, after his father gave him over following a failed rebellion. However, despite the Starks treating him like one of their own, Theon holds a grudge against his adoptive family. This grudge becomes full-blown contempt when he betrays his “brother” Robb during the War of the Five Kings and takes Winterfell.
11. Lord Varys Was Influential as the Master of Whisperers
Total Screen Time: 4.45 Hours
The Master of Whispers is hardly the sort of character that should receive much screen time. Varys the Spider is exactly the sort of seedy character that would simply appear in starts and stops in any other show. In Game of Thrones, however, the mysterious and cunning politician is a regular star.
Varys’ manipulations were a part of the show from close to the very beginning. He was always ready to spar with Littlefinger, lament with Tyrion, or even toy with Ned Stark. His ever-shifting allegiances left him with the need to establish himself with various factions, which meant a surprisingly large amount of screen time for the Spider. Varys did not accomplish much, but he certainly earned a place in the show’s legacy.
10. Samwell Tarly Eventually Found His Bravery
Total Screen Time: 4.48 Hours
Samwell Tarly is a rarity in Westeros, as someone who doesn’t just avoid violence, but seems to detest it. As one of Jon Snow’s best friends, Sam often serves as a confidante and advisor to Jon, helping him through some of his tragic life’s most difficult moments. Still, Sam uses his intelligence to serve a greater purpose than just being Jon’s friend.
9. Davos Seaworth Was a Complicated but Overall Decent Man
Total Screen Time: 5.05 Hours
Like Varys, Davos Seaworth is not the sort of character that most would expect to have much screen time. After all, the Onion Knight himself would hardly believe it. He generally served as an advisor to anyone who earned his loyalty, and his seafaring talents meant that he always had a role in the narrative.
Luckily for Davos, he also managed to constantly align himself with popular figures. He was attached to Stannis from the dreary king’s first appearance, and he later aligned with Jon Snow. After he became a trusted vassals for both, there were few scenes in their presence that did not feature Davos. Even when he was not speaking, he was always present and always reinforcing his morality and sense of purpose.
8. Sir Jorah Mormont Was in Love With Daenerys, Even If He Wasn’t Always Loyal
Total Screen Time: 5.47 Hours
Considering how ubiquitous Daenerys was, it should not come as much of a surprise that Jorah Mormont had somewhat excessive screen time. Jorah remained attached to Daenerys’ hip for as long as he could reasonably hold on. He always insisted on following her across the Dothraki Sea, earning her loyalty even despite his treachery.
As a traitor, Jorah was certainly among Daenerys’ worst advisors, but that did not keep him from having arcs of his own. His greyscale arc was a necessary arc for the show and allowed Sam and Jorah to have some much-needed extra attention He also always had enough focus to return to the main narrative with ease, despite often drifting heavily with every deviation from George R. R. Martin’s books.
7. Jaime Lannister Was a Wicked Man Who Fans Grew to Love
Total Screen Time: 6.58 Hours
Considering how important Jaime was to Game of Thrones, it is surprising that he is not more prominent. He and Brienne traveled together, which took up ample time, but he was often separated from King’s Landing. His arc was somewhat isolated, rarely crossing over with others when he was not returning to Cersei’s side. Though he did have the much-maligned Dorne plot, much of that was devoted to the Dornishmen fighting among themselves.
6. Arya Stark Became One of the Deadliest Warriors in the Seven Kingdoms
Total Screen Time: 6.75 Hours
As a character, Arya spent her earliest appearances as a narrative tool to showcase the horrors of the War of Five Kings. She saw the Lannisters and Starks bringing bloodshed to innocents across the Riverlands, met the Brotherhood Without Banners, witnessed the Red Wedding, and suffered through the purging of Ned Stark’s House. Even when she did not have much agency, she was still leading screen time for years.
5. Cersei Lannister Was One of Game of Thrones’s Ultimate Villains
Total Screen Time: 7.08 Hours
Like Jaime, Cersei benefited from her name. As a Lannister, she was a driving force in Westerosi politics. As the Dowager Queen to Robert Baratheon, she was also a prominent figure in her own right. She even managed to be the mother to two kings and a Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.
Cersei suffered heavily in later seasons after Game of Thrones forgot to finish her story. Her decision to destroy the Sept of Baelor never had any true consequences, which meant that she spent much of seasons 7 and 8 standing around and waiting for Daenerys to attack. Still, she had frequent scenes showcasing her patience, and her earliest seasons catapulted her into prominence from the very beginning. It was inevitable that Cersei would have serious screen time.
4. Sansa Stark Grew Into a Strong and Intelligent Leader
Total Screen Time: 7.13 Hours
The eventual Queen in the North needed space to grow from a little bird into a direwolf. Six hours and 58 minutes of screen time certainly gave her that. As a member of the King’s Landing cast, Sansa benefited from constant involvement in politics and narrative crossovers. She had regular scenes with Tyrion, Cersei, Littlefinger, and even Jon Snow later in the run.
Even outside of politics, Sansa’s growth received significant attention. Her time in Winterfell with Ramsay and Theon meant dedicated time each week to planning for her eventual escape. She also needed time to reunite with Jon, forge a plan to liberate Winterfell, and eventually fight the White Walkers. She had a significant arc in every season, which explains why Sansa had so much screen time.
3. Daenerys Targaryen Rose to Power Only for it Overwhelm Her
Total Screen Time: 8.8 Hours
When she was in Essos, Daenerys was the main character for an entire continent’s worth of storylines. She was the last recognized Targaryen, the insight into all of Essos, and the Mother of Dragons. From the moment she woke dragons from stone, she became an iconic face in the franchise. While Game of Thrones let Daenerys down when her story took an unexpected turn, she still had extensive time to showcase her worthiness.
Much of the early seasons of the show focused on Daenerys’ rise to power. She was the main perspective that introduced the Dothraki, Qarth, and the Unsullied. She even interacted heavily with Tyrion, Jon Snow, and the Starks when she finally reached Westeros. It is only natural that Daenerys would have serious screen time.
2. Jon Snow Was Game of Thrones’s Fan-Favorite Hero
Total Screen Time: 11.22 Hours
For much of the show, Jon Snow was portrayed as a potential Azor Ahai. He was a son of the Stark and Targaryen lines — a literal promised prince. He wielded a Valyrian steel sword, had the allegiance of a powerful militia, and even managed to claim a dragon. By all rights, Jon was a main character.
With that in mind, it is only natural that he would have the second-most screen time of any character. Aside from Sam, Jon was the only major character on the Wall, leaving him as a central figure in any scene set there. With so much narrative about the Free Folk, the White Walkers, and the Night’s Watch, Jon’s story was essential, granting him ample space to share his story.
1. Other Characters Often Overlooked Tyrion Lannister’s Brillance
Total Screen Time: 11.42 Hours
It is no great surprise that Tyrion was the character that appeared the most in the franchise. While Tyrion made terrible decisions in life, he was consistently an important and beloved star. He ran the King’s Landing storyline in season 2 and eventually became one of the strongest perspectives of Daenerys’ campaign. He was also involved in numerous Lannister family drama scenes and one-off moments with Varys.
There is a reason that Tyrion became the biggest standout of Game of Thrones. Dinklage’s performance was charming, nuanced, and compelling. Even when later seasons saw Tyrion’s intellectual decline, he remained a prominent star with numerous scenes. From season 1 to season 8, Tyrion never faltered. Truly, he cast a giant’s shadow.
