25 April 2016

Who is the “most evil” character in Game of Thrones?

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73% of YouGov’s First Verdict panelists don’t watch HBO’s Game of Thrones but 1,285 of those who voted in Saturday’s survey do and therefore had an opinion on which of the worldwide hit’s characters topped the list of nastiest, most villainous characters. The top five were:

  • Ramsay Bolton, the sadistic torturer of Theon Greyjoy and Sansa, his wife, was voted top (or do I mean bottom?). He won 18% (panelists were able to name three “most evil” characters);
  • Joffrey Baratheon, the young (now deceased) king – and who should never have been given a crossbow – won 12%;
  • Joffrey’s mother, Cersei, scored 7%;
  • Lady Melisandre, the “Red Priestess” and dabbler in both regicide and infanticide, scored 6%; and
  • Roose Bolton of “Red Wedding” fame won just 4%. Although, surely the evildoer behind the Red Wedding – one of the most extraordinary moments in TV history – deserved a higher vote? That’s my opinion, anyway!

The New York Times has interviewed the Welsh-born-and-bred actor Iwan Rheon who plays Ramsay Bolton – who it described as “arguably the most hated man on television”. The NYT found that he “admits he’s concerned about being narrowly defined by an indelible character”. But what is his next role? ““I’m playing a young Hitler,” he replied, referring to the British television movie “Adolf the Artist.” Then realization took hold, and his face crumpled in mock despair: “Oh, I’m typecast already!”” Yep!

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Tim Montgomerie is Portrait of America