Jack Gleeson became one of television’s most despised villains with his portrayal of Joffrey Baratheon in Game of Thrones.
The Irish actor began his acting career at the age of eight and had small parts in films such as Batman Begins. However, he rose to global stardom as Joffrey.
Despite being at the peak of his popularity, Gleeson stepped away from screen acting in 2014 after finishing his run on Game of Thrones.
At the time, rumors circulated that his decision was prompted by negative fan reactions, with some reports suggesting he had faced hostility during public appearances. Gleeson refuted these rumors during an appearance at the LA Comic Con in 2016.
“Thankfully, I've never had any negative fan experiences or anything,” he said.
In 2023, Gleeson addressed his retirement while speaking at University College Dublin. He reiterated that he quit screen acting because the work “became kind of mechanical” and he had become “less kind of passionate” about it.
The 31-year-old has since returned to television, appearing on shows such as The Sandman and House of Guinness.
The Irish actor began his acting career at the age of eight and had small parts in films such as Batman Begins. However, he rose to global stardom as Joffrey.
Despite being at the peak of his popularity, Gleeson stepped away from screen acting in 2014 after finishing his run on Game of Thrones.
At the time, rumors circulated that his decision was prompted by negative fan reactions, with some reports suggesting he had faced hostility during public appearances. Gleeson refuted these rumors during an appearance at the LA Comic Con in 2016.
“Thankfully, I've never had any negative fan experiences or anything,” he said.
In 2023, Gleeson addressed his retirement while speaking at University College Dublin. He reiterated that he quit screen acting because the work “became kind of mechanical” and he had become “less kind of passionate” about it.
The 31-year-old has since returned to television, appearing on shows such as The Sandman and House of Guinness.