Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley, 62) still notices that Lord Bolton (Michael McElhatton, 62) is wearing chainmail under his cloak - but it's too late. The Starks are trapped: First, the pregnant Queen Talisa Maegyr (Oona Chaplin, 40) is killed, then Robb Stark (Richard Madden), King in the North, and finally Catelyn herself. Lord Bolton delivers the final blow to Robb's heart: "The Lannisters send their regards."
Fans worldwide know this scene as the infamous "Red Wedding". The brutal triple murder of three central characters ranks among the most haunting moments of the fantasy series - and marks a high point in Richard Madden's career as the tragic King in the North over three seasons.
Born Prince
"Game of Thrones" was undoubtedly Richard Madden's biggest role in film and television up to that point. But the actor from the Glasgow suburb of Elderslie had already gained his first camera experience as a teenager and had a small role in the theatrical film "Complicity" (2000). Already toward the end of his drama studies, he stood on stage at the London Globe Theatre as Romeo in William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" - an early indication of his talent for tragic and complex roles.
The handsome yet reserved-seeming actor seemed practically typecast as a prince at the beginning of his career. In 2015, he portrayed the noble, modest Prince Kit in Disney's live-action version of "Cinderella".
Richard Madden was also central to the emotional impact of the "Red Wedding" described at the beginning in "Game of Thrones". Together with his on-screen mother and on-screen wife, Robb Stark was among the clearly positively portrayed characters of the series - characters who in earlier narrative worlds would probably have overcome numerous obstacles and likely triumphed in the end, but here lose their lives.
Mega-Success "Bodyguard" and Disappointing Marvel Role
But for all his "Game of Thrones" prominence, Richard Madden is anything but a one-hit wonder as an actor. In the six-part BBC series "Bodyguard", described as hyper-tense and available on Netflix in Germany, he takes on the lead role of traumatized war veteran David Budd. He is assigned to protect the British Home Secretary from a series of threats.
Here Madden shows another side of his abilities and portrays a character who, unlike Robb Stark, is constantly simmering beneath the surface. "Bodyguard" developed into one of the most successful British series of recent years. The political thriller series' finale was the most-watched episode in 2018 since the conclusion of the second "Downton Abbey" season in November 2011, as the BBC reported.
Several other roles Richard Madden has taken on in recent years were less well received, however. Marvel Studios had big plans for the superhero team of the "Eternals", but after disappointing box office results by Marvel standards and lukewarm response from fans, it remained at just one film so far.
The lavishly produced Amazon series "Citadel" also failed to gain lasting traction. With a reported budget of around $300 million for six episodes, it ranks among the most expensive series productions in television history, yet fell short of expectations with audiences.
So things haven't been looking particularly rosy for Richard Madden's acting career lately. In this, he shares the fate of many "Game of Thrones" actors who failed to permanently translate their great popularity into a stable film and television career after the series ended.
Private, Reserved and Guarded
Richard Madden consistently keeps his private life out of the public eye. "I just keep my private life private", he told the "New York Times" and added: "I've never talked about my relationships."
He also approaches the paparazzi frenzy with his own strategies. For instance, he sometimes wears the same outfits several days in a row to make it harder to use the photos: "If it looks like it's the same day, they can't publish the pictures", he explained. At some point, there's also a limit: "How many photos can they really take of me walking down the street with a green juice?"
