Ian Whyte

  1. Hafpór Júlíus Björnsson, Game of Thrones, TV, 2013-2014.   Whyte, a Welsh-born  ex-basketball player ((2.16m tall at 17!) , was the  second giant actor (after Australia’s Conan (!) Stevens) to portray Ser Gregor ‘The Mountain That Rides’ Clegane in the second season of the HBO smash.  “I came under quite a lot of criticism, not for my performance, but for daring to take over the part in the first place!”   Then, HJB,  the (shorter) Icelandic basketball player, made it his own… as  Whyte became different characters in each season: Giant Wight  Dongo the Giant and, of course,  the giant Wun Wun, fighting in the biggest battles  in Season  5 and 6. “I would have been happy to just play one role, but to have the opportunity to play multiple parts is a joy and a privilege. They… all die of course!” He later became Peter Mayhew’s stunt double as Chewbacca (and other other creature SFX roles) in Disney’s  Star Wars franchise – and even the lamentable Solo.

 Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls:  1