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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Kyle O'Sullivan

Game of Thrones star Jack Gleeson's transformation, quitting acting and wedding

Game of Thrones star Jack Gleeson has just got married - and fortunately it was nothing like Joffrey Baratheon's deadly wedding day. The 30-year-old Irish actor, who starred in the first four seasons of the epic fantasy series, has tied the knot with actress and comedian Roisin O'Mahony.

Their intimate ceremony, which was decribed as 'simple' and 'dignified', was the complete opposite of Joffrey's extravagant affair, which ended with the evil boy king being poisoned. Jack decided to retire from acting after leaving Game of Thrones - and now he looks almost unrecognisable with long hair and a moustache. Having started acting at the age of eight, Jack made his debut in Matthew McConaughey and Christian Bale's 2002 movie Reign of Fire.

Jack Gleeson played evil boy king Joffrey Baratheon (PA)

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He also had a role in 2006 blockbuster Batman Begins, where he played a little boy who speaks to Bale's Caped Crusader.

But he really rose to fame when he was cast as spoilt brat Joffrey in Game of Thrones - and received much praise for his portrayal of the main villain of the early seasons.

Jack, who was 19 when the show began, knew that his character was doomed from day one after searching online for what happened in the books.

Fans were thrilled when his nasty character finally got his comeuppance and was poisoned on his wedding day, which just proves how convincing Jack was in the role.

After Joffrey's dramatic death, Jack decided to step away from acting because he was not enjoying it as much as he previously had, saying that making a living off what he loved damaged his relationship with it.

Discussing his early retirement from acting in 2014, he told Entertainment Weekly: "The answer isn't interesting or long-winded. I've been acting since age 8.

Jack briefly gave up acting (AFP/Getty Images)

"I just stopped enjoying it as much as I used to. And now there's the prospect of doing it for a living, whereas up until now it was always something I did for recreation with my friends, or in the summer for some fun.

"I enjoyed it. When you make a living from something, it changes your relationship with it. It's not like I hate it, it's just not what I want to do."

Jack went back into education to study Philosophy and Theology at Trinity College, Dublin - but it didn't take long for him to be bitten by the acting bug again.

Revealing how he tried to keep a low profile, Jack said in 2016: "I've tried to live as normal a life as possible, almost to an extreme extent. My flat in London where I live alone is really not very lavish."

After six years away, Jack returned to TV in six-part BBC Two comedy Out of Her Mind, which was written by Sara Pascoe, where he played the ghost of her abortion.

Also in 2020, the actor worked on a stage version of novel To Be a Machine and his next role will be in Netflix thriller The Land of Saints and Sinners alongside Liam Neeson and Ciarán Hinds.

This week, it was announced that Jack had married long-term girlfriend Roisin in an intimate ceremony in Co Kerry on Saturday.

Parish priest Fr Patsy Lynch shared the good news on Twitter with a sweet snap of the happy couple and a small collection of their loved ones.

The newlyweds couldn't stop smiling - with the priest describing the Game of Thrones star as "a very down to earth, simple and relaxed person".

Alongside the snaps, Fr Lynch wrote: "Very simple, prayerful and dignified marriage ceremony for Film Celebrity Jason Gleeson and Roisin: The Glen Church.

Going into more details, he added: "It was an amazing celebration. Everyone was so relaxed. I will treasure so many memories of this special day.

"This simple wedding ceremony was amazing because of its simplicity and families coming together to celebrate."

Speaking to The Irish Independent, Fr Lynch said the nuptials were a 'pre-wedding' as the couple plan to have a second ceremony in England.

"Jack texted me this morning to say that it was such a wonderful, moving ceremony and afterwards they went for a meal," he said.

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