Given that most TV shows represent multi-year commitments for actors, it makes sense that their characters will sometimes outlive them (not in a literal sense, mind you, but that sadly is the case sometimes too). Depending on how important the character is to the ongoing plot, many can be written out of the show but for situations where this just isn’t possible, recasting is the inevitable result. This is always a risky proposition, as fans become attached to the actors playing their favorite characters and if a new actor comes along and gives a performance that is too different (or, in some cases, too similar) to what came before, it can be an alienating experience. Fortunately, there have been a number of recasting decisions that have been smooth transitions, with the following 12 actually arguably working out better than expected.
12. Daario Naharis – Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones has become somewhat notorious for its recasting decisions. While some have been barely noticeable (Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane comes to mind), others have been quite prominent. Perhaps the biggest actor swap belongs to Daario Naharis, the sellsword who becomes an ally and lover of Daenerys Targaryen. Introduced in the show’s third season, Daario was originally played by Ed Skrein, who left between seasons to play the lead role in The Transporter: Refueled (2015). Michiel Huisman took over in Season 4 and played Daario as more of a hunky warrior with a chip on his shoulder than the amoral mercenary presented in George R. R. Martin’s source material. While there are still fans of Skrein’s interpretation, most Game of Thrones viewers have long accepted Huisman as the definitive Daario.
HBO
