Game of Thrones Author Sent Joffrey's Jack Gleeson a Note; Here's What It Said

And it's natural that George RR Martin should have wanted to thank the actors in Game of Thrones for bringing to life the characters he had so painstakingly created. And so it was that the author wrote to Jack Gleeson (who played Joffrey Baratheon) to say,

'Congratulations on your marvellous performance, everyone hates you.'

Gleeson's portrayal of the boy king was widely acknowledged to be something special. And for his nasty character to stand out among so many others was testament to Gleeson's acting ability and understanding of his character.

At the time of Joffrey's death early in season 4, viewers had already been introduced to plenty of vile characters. And many of them were played by seasoned actors.

You didn't need to look too far from Joffrey to find his manipulative mother Cersei Lannister, played by Lena Headey, who had already had nearly 20 years at the top of her game and starred in movies such as The Jungle Book and Ripley's Game. Indeed, she appeared as Colette in BBC's Band of Gold when Gleeson was just 4 years old.

And let's not forget there was acting royalty in the Lannister family. Charles Dance OBE has done pretty much all there is to do in the worlds of television, film and theatre – and Tywin wasn't the easiest character to like.

Other actors that had been around the circuit and are highly respected in the industry include David Bradley (Walder Frey), Owen Teale (Alliser Thorne) and Robert Pugh (Craster). And the immensely terrifying Gregor Clegane was played by former professional wrestler Conan Stevens.

All of these were big names with big reputations. And it would have been so easy for Gleeson to feel overawed by being around such stars. And yet he turned in a performance that had millions hating the baby-faced king.

In truth, Gleeson's portrayal was probably helped by his youthful looks. Now in his early thirties, the Irish actor was just 19 when he took on the role of the 13-year-old Prince Joffrey. Right from the start, Joffrey was a power-hungry bully.

From the moment he sliced open the cheek of the butcher's boy, we knew we were watching a sadist at play. And his subsequent treatment of Sansa, Tyrion, women sent to his chambers, and pretty much anybody else he felt like toying with was just evil.

For Jack Gleeson to have played the most hated character in the show up to that point – and still one of the most evil characters seen on TV – among such esteemed company, shows just how powerful his performance was. And it was only right that George RR Martin commend him for it.