
Age: 67
male
Shaun Mark Bean (born 17 April 1959) is an English actor. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Bean made his professional debut in a theatre production of Romeo and Juliet in 1983. Retaining his Yorkshire accent, he first found mainstream success for his portrayal of Richard Sharpe in the ITV series Sharpe, which originally ran from 1993 to 1997. Bean's film roles include Patriot Games (1992), GoldenEye (1995), Ronin (1998), Don't Say a Word (2001), The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–2003), Equilibrium (2002), National Treasure (2004), Troy (2004), Flightplan (2005), North Country (2005), The Island (2005), Silent Hill (2006), Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010), Black Death (2010), Jupiter Ascending (2015), and The Martian (2015). His television roles include the BBC anthology series Accused, Broken, Game of Thrones, and the ITV historical drama series Henry VIII and Legends. As a voice actor, Bean has been featured in the video games The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Sid Meier's Civilization VI, and the feature films Wolfwalkers and Mummies among others. Bean has also been the main voice over for O2 and their adverts for over 20 years having originally taken the job in 2002. In 2022, Bean won the British Academy Television Award as Leading Actor in Time, a BBC One drama.

Game of Thrones follows the power struggle for the Iron Throne of Westeros as multiple noble families vie for control across eight seasons. In a medieval fantasy world threatened by an ancient supernatural evil awakening beyond the Wall, ambitious lords and ladies navigate treachery, war, and political intrigue. Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, and the Stark family emerge as central figures in an epic saga where no character is safe from death. The series weaves together dozens of interconnected storylines across continents, exploring themes of honor, ambition, survival, and the corrupting nature of power. Dragons return to the world, magic resurfaces, and the line between hero and villain blurs as characters make impossible choices. With shocking character deaths, complex moral ambiguity, and stunning production values, Game of Thrones became a cultural phenomenon that redefined television storytelling, though its final season proved divisive among fans.

