Given his character's wicked ways, it would be no surprise if Game of Thrones fans didn't take kindly to seeing Joffrey Baratheon in the flesh, but Gleeson has made it clear that isn't the case. As reported by Entertainment Weekly, Gleeson spoke about his interactions with fans at the inaugural Game of Thrones Convention in Los Angeles last week, stating that he's had nothing but positive experiences. When it comes to what those fans quote back at him, he singles out three of Joffrey's lines: "I'm not tired!"; "Kneel before your king"; and "Bring me his head."
Joffrey Was One Of Game of Thrones’ Best Villains
Game of Thrones fans are notoriously divided on many major points of the series, but hatred of Joffrey is something that unites viewers, to the point that his death in season 4 is considered one of the most satisfying scenes in the show. His death scene is so amusing to fans of the series that is has become a popular gif to share, demonstrating just how little viewers care for the character. Despite the universal distaste for Joffrey as a person, he is not the most evil Game of Thrones villain, which makes him one of the most interesting.
While Cersei sought to control nearly everyone around her, Joffrey presented a unique challenge as he grew out of her grasp and simultaneously frustrated and sickened his mother with his actions. Cersei's influence on Joffrey was significant, showing he wasn't fully beholden to his own agenda and often didn't realize he was a pawn in the plot of others, like his mother and his grandfather Tywin (Charles Dance), due to his stubbornness and strong ego. Despite being used and often manipulated, Joffrey was never predictable or boring due to his reckless and unpredictable nature.
Joffrey wasn't as shockingly evil as another infamous villain, Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon), neither was he as dangerously entitled as Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbæk) nor as masterfully strategic as his mother. He stands out as one of the most memorable villains in the series due to his age, casual cruelty, sadism, irritating nature, and petulance, as well as his tendency to act based on his own will and not always adhere to an overarching agenda. While Game of Thrones had its share of famously bad apples, Joffrey is one of the show's best-written villains, so it's a relief to hear that fans in public don't equate Gleeson to his terrible character.
