Cast of HBO Fantasy Drama Series 'Game of Thrones'

Mark Addy | Biography

Made his TV debut in 1987

• By Anil Pradhan
• Update : January 31, 2022

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Mark Addy is a renowned English actor who is best recognized for his appearance as King Robert Baratheon in the HBO TV series Game of Thrones.

Short Bio

Mark Addy is a well-known television and film actor. He was born Mark Ian Addy in York, England, on 14 January 1964.

Addy attended the Joseph Rowntree School in York from 1982 to 1984. Later, he studied acting and drama at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England.

He debuted on TV in 1987 as the character Tony in the TV series The Ritz. It helped him land parts in several other TV shows, including A Very Peculiar Practice (1988), Married…With Children (1992), Band of Gold (1995), and The Thin Blue Line (1996). 

Later, in 1997, he earned his first-ever role in the film. He was cast as Dave, an amateur male stripper in the film The Full Monty. However, he has primarily gained worldwide fame as Bill Miller's character in the CBC TV series Still Standing. From 2002 to 2006, he appeared in around 88 episodes of the show.

In addition to that, Addy has garnished his 34 years long acting career with varied roles in around 68 TV series and films. His most notable performances include Bonkers (2007 TV series), Game of Thrones (2011 TV series), Atlantis (2013-2015 TV series), Wasteland (2018 film), The Runaways (2019 film), The Murders at White House Farm (2020 TV series), and many more.

'Game of Thrones'

Game of Thrones is an HBO fantasy drama series roughly based on the novel by George R. R. Martin A Song of Ice and Fire. The series first aired on the HBO channel on 17 April 2011 and broadcasted 73 episodes in 8 seasons through 19 May 2019.

Also Read: Emilia Clarke- Game Of Thrones, Movies, Dating

Addy was part of this successful TV series in the first season in 2011, where he appeared in seven episodes as King Robert Baratheon. However, according to a January 2022 article on Variety, Addy's character Robert Baratheon was initially offered to Succession (2018-2021 TV series) star Brian Cox.

Brian Cox turned down the role as he felt the pay was unsatisfactory. Moreover, the character was supposed to die early in the series, giving him no long-term success benefits. Thus, he passed on the role, which Addy later collected.

Honor Famous Cat

Gerald, a famous cat known as York's Minister Cat, was found dead in August 2020. The cat's fame was primarily because of its regular appearance around the Minister's building in York, England. 

It became so popular among the people visiting the York Minster Cathedral that the Dean ordered its burial in the park beside the cathedral.

Several people worldwide, along with its owner, Justine Spencer, started a fundraising campaign to immortalize Gerald after its death. They used the fund to hire a local sculptor named Anthony Bartyla to make a clay statue of the cat.

In May 2021, the Game of Thrones alum Addy unveiled the sculpture of Gerald to the world. While removing covers from it, Addy said, "It gives me great pleasure to unveil Gerald. I've not seen him—very few people have! So here we go."

Is Mark Addy Gay?

There are no rumors or news on the internet about him being gay. Instead, Addy has been married to his wife, Kelly Johnson, since 1996. From the pair's 25 years of marriage, they are parents to their three children, Ruby, Charlie, and Oscar Addy. 

While not much information about his personal life is undisclosed, his wife Kelly gave birth to their first daughter Ruby in 2000.