Game of Thrones’ King Joffrey may be one of the nastiest characters on television today, but it turns out that actor Jack Gleeson is nothing like the character. The 21-year-old said in an interview that he enjoys being a humanitarian and may even quit acting after GoT ends.
Gleeson just returned from Haiti, which had been devastated by an earthquake in 2010. According to TheWrap, he was there with Goal, an international organization helping in the rebuilding process.
After the trip, he spoke with the Irish Independent, and even though he has earned acclaim for his performance on the HBO show, he said that he thought acting was just a hobby at first.
“It was always a recreation beforehand, but when I started doing Game of Thrones perhaps the reality was made too real for me,” Gleeson said. “The lifestyle that comes with being an actor in a successful TV show isn't something I gravitate towards.”
Gleeson said that he can’t watch his own performance, calling it “bizarre” and notes that even he can’t defend Joffrey’s actions. “I would like to try and defend him, but I would have a pretty hard job doing it,” he said. “I suppose he's the product of his context and his family. In terms of redeemable qualities, there wouldn't be many.”
He is currently studying philosophy at Trinity College and has been in a theater company. “I've kind of just re-evaluated what I want to do,” he said. “I'm 21, so it's hard to decide what kind of course life will take.”
As for his time in Haiti, Gleeson said he was impressed by the progress. “It was inspiring to see the improvements being made in Haiti, to see the motivation of the people to improve the quality of life,” he said. People are eager to get on with their lives and be resilient.”
image: YouTube