19 Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, “Game of Thrones”
Photo : Courtesy of HBO
HBO, 2011-2019
Yes, “Game of Thrones” had dragons. But what gave the show its era-defining firepower was the distinctive tapestry of ego, humor, desire and rage conjured by its sprawling cast. And Dinklage’s Tyrion Lannister embodied it all. In the early seasons, Dinklage made a feast of Tyrion’s tart tongue and insatiable appetites, compensation for being the only halfway decent member of his venomous, incestuous family. As the show evolved, Dinklage’s performance deepened, exposing Tyrion’s fury over living in a world that sees him as a monster and the anguish of being the smartest person in just about every room he’s in. The moment in Season 5 when Tyrion saw his first dragon, and Dinklage’s face washed over in waves of disbelief, awe and disquiet, was a perfect representation of the hold “Game of Thrones” had on the culture in the 2010s. There’s a reason he was nominated for a Emmy for every season of the show — and won four times.
