Game of Thrones actor BJ Hogg has died at age 65. The Northern Irish actor was well-known on British television, having appeared in long-running medical soap opera Holby City and the BBC Northern Ireland series Give My Head Peace. His death was announced on social media by his cousin Barry Hall, who says that Hogg was found dead after a sudden illness at his home on Thursday morning. The cause of death is not yet known, but there are currently no indications it’s linked to Coronavirus.
Hogg will be best known to international audiences for playing Ser Addam Marbrand in the first season of Game of Thrones. The character was a bannerman of House Lannister, being a childhood friend of Jamie Lannister.
He appears in Tywin Lannister’s council held after the defeats at the Battle of the Whispering Wood and the Battle of the Camps. In the books, we find that he went on to join the Lannisters in the Battle of Blackwater, before going on to be made Commander of the City Watch. His eventual fate hasn’t been revealed, but his proximity and friendship with the Lannisters means it’s probably not a happy one.
Tributes poured in for Hogg as news of his death broke. His agent Geoff Stanton, for instance, described him as so:
“Such a great man, a big personality and a terrific actor. His family must be devastated and my heart goes out to them. He was just one of the nicest people I know, or knew – he is going to be such a loss.”
His Game of Thrones co-star Ian Beattie, who played Ser Meryn Trant, also paid tribute to him, saying:
“I texted BJ yesterday morning and I’ve been devastated by the news of his death. He was not only an incredibly talented actor but he was also a wonderful human being, a gentleman.”
RIP BJ Hogg 1955-2020
Published: May 1, 2020 07:43 am