Brian Cox rejected Game of Thrones role because the production tried “to get him cheap”

While it may seem like a dream come true to be cast in a fantasy epic like Game of Thrones these days, nobody could have predicted the show’s meteoric rise to fame in its early years. Many famous actors turned down the opportunity to star in Game of Thrones, the best television series of the twenty-first century. Among them is Brian Cox, who portrayed the Roy family’s father in the television series Succession.

Brian Cox didn’t trust Game of Thrones IP back then

It was previously revealed that Cox previously turned down a role in Game of Thrones before starring in Succession. He recounted in his memoir via The Guardian, “I’m often asked if I was offered a role in Game of Thrones – reason being that every other bugger was – and the answer is, yes, I was supposed to be a king called Robert Baratheon. There’s always been a tendency of American productions to treat British actors differently from American actors. In other words, to get them cheap.”

Brian Cox regrets losing his anonymity

Cox further talked about how he misses maintaining his privacy, “I’ve lost my anonymity and I’ve realized that that was what was important to me. I haven’t ever experienced anything like this. I mean, you ask for success in your work, and you get it, and then you have to deal with the consequences. I’ve always valued my privacy, but that’s gone. I’ve been very lucky that I’ve had it for so long. You know, I’ve been doing this for over 60 years. And finally, it’s over.”

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