He played a character that was so despicable, most of the adjectives used to describe him aren't fit to publish. But Jack Gleeson has hordes of fans all over the world that loved his portrayal of Joffrey on 'Game of Thrones.'
The thing is, some people are confused about why people think so highly of Jack Gleeson, and why he got so much media attention after leaving the show upon his character's death.
So what's the deal, and why do people love Jack Gleeson so much?
Jack Gleeson Did His Part On 'Game Of Thrones'
A lot of other actors received as much fanfare when finishing the series, but everyone wants to know what Jack is doing and what playing an evil character did to his psyche. In fact, some suspected that 'Game of Thrones' had sort of ruined acting for Jack, or even ruined the actor himself.
But Gleeson has previously said that he enjoyed playing Joffrey because it gave him a chance to get out of his own head and into someone else's for a while. Since Gleeson also enjoys the creative side of Hollywood (he's in theater productions nowadays), he liked the elaborate nature of the show and its characters' depth.
Which explains, in part, why people are so obsessed with Jack Gleeson.
Fans Say Jack Gleeson's Character Was Challenging
Fans theorize that Jack Gleeson is so revered because his character was especially challenging to play. It wasn't just the fact that he was so convincingly evil as Joffrey, though.
The other thing fans loved was that Jack took a two-dimensional character and totally ran with it; unlike other characters in the original book, Joffrey doesn't have any first-person perspective chapters, fans elaborate.
That meant all anyone had to go off of for Joffrey was third-person accounts, through the eyes of the other characters. Yet Joffrey, on screen, was a three-dimensional villain who was a terror, yes, but also had some interesting depth to him.
Most of the kudos that Jack gets for developing a well-rounded character clearly goes to those who wrote the script, of course. But Jack brought the character to life, and he clearly deserves credit for his contributions.
After all, before Joffrey came alive on 'GoT,' fans called the character "a boring" character that could have wound up as a "typical trope bad character." Yes, they admit, Joffrey does go through many tropes, but Gleeson ensured that it was executed well (while Joffrey was, well, executing people).
Do People Really Love Jack Gleeson Solely For His Acting?
Like any other actor on a noteworthy series (or film franchise), some wonder whether people love Jack Gleeson simply for the show he was on, rather than his actual acting chops.
But fans argue that Jack is a "gifted" actor because he brought a "complex" character to life. Beyond that, he's continued on to develop his acting skills in theater, and didn't just grab the next big project that came along.
There's even a theory out there that Jack Gleeson quit acting because he was "too good" and couldn't match his portrayal of Joffrey in other ventures.
But in fact, fans seem to appreciate how humble Gleeson is, and how out of the spotlight his life seems to be. He really morphs into his characters, does his job, and then ditches out. Except, there's one other tidbit fans had to offer up, and it's another supporting theory that somewhat explains Gleeson's popularity.
Some People Feel Bad About Hating Joffrey, So They Show Jack Love
A lot of actors who portray bad guys -- or just highly disliked characters -- on TV and in films quickly become familiar with fans' sometimes unreasonable reactions to their characters. Remember how much hate Janice on 'Friends' got? The woman who portrayed her was harangued by fans because of her character's behavior.
So, fans suggest, some people might be consciously leaning the other way when it comes to Jack Gleeson.
They surmise that people feel like they need to make the distinction between hating the character versus liking the actor. Although, fans can assume that most actors realize there's a separation between themselves and the characters they portray...
Some suggest that people actually feel guilty about hating Jack Gleeson's character, so they go out of their way to tell him (and everyone else) how great he was as a villain, how well-acted his role was, and just how much they love him.
Because, fans suggest, everyone wants to be appreciated for a job well done, even if they've played someone who's super evil.
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