She walked into the Renly Baratheon camp with a smirking confidence that immediately told us one thing: Sansa Stark was out of her depth. Most people remember Margaery Tyrell as the girl who wanted to be the Queen, not just a queen. But behind that perfectly maintained Highgarden poise was the margaery game of thrones actor, Natalie Dormer, who basically did the impossible by making a calculating social climber one of the most beloved characters on television.
Honestly, it's wild to think about how much Dormer changed the DNA of that role. In the books, Margaery is mostly seen through the eyes of others. She’s a bit of an enigma—maybe a pawn, maybe a player, but we never quite know. Dormer sat down with the showrunners, David Benioff and Dan Weiss, and made it clear she didn't want to play a "virginal teenager." She wanted a woman who knew exactly how to weaponize her charm.
The Smirk That Launched a Thousand Theories
You know the look. That lopsided, slightly mischievous smile that made Cersei Lannister’s blood boil. It wasn't just a character choice; it’s actually a natural part of Natalie Dormer’s anatomy (she’s joked about having a "crooked mouth" before), but she used it to build a wall around Margaery. You never knew if she was being sincere or if she was three steps ahead of you.
She played Margaery from 2012 to 2016. That’s five seasons of navigating the most toxic relationships in Westeros. Think about her track record:
- Married Renly Baratheon (who was in love with her brother).
- Married Joffrey Baratheon (a literal psychopath).
- Married Tommen Baratheon (a sweet kid she manipulated with a kitten).
It’s easy to call her a villain, but fans didn't see it that way. She was a survivalist. Unlike Cersei, who ruled through fear, Margaery understood that the "smallfolk" were a power base. When she stepped out of her carriage to visit an orphanage in King’s Landing, she wasn't just doing charity; she was building an army of public opinion. Dormer played those scenes with such warmth that you almost forgot she was doing it to spite her mother-in-law.
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Life After the Sept of Baelor
When Cersei blew up the Great Sept in the Season 6 finale, the collective internet scream was deafening. Margaery was the only one who saw it coming. "Forget about the gods and get out of here!" she yelled. It was the perfect, tragic end for the smartest person in the room.
But what happened to the margaery game of thrones actor after she left the Seven Kingdoms?
Natalie Dormer didn't just fade away into the "where are they now" category. She went straight into The Hunger Games: Mockingjay as Cressida, shaving half her head for the part. That’s a bold move for someone who just spent years wearing elaborate medieval wigs. Since then, she’s been incredibly busy, though she’s notoriously picky about her scripts.
What is Natalie Dormer Doing in 2026?
If you haven't kept up, you've missed some of her best work. She’s moved into producing, which makes total sense given how much input she had on her characters.
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- The West End Dominance: Just this year, she’s been receiving rave reviews for her role in Anna Karenina in England. Critics are saying it’s the most "visceral" take on the character in decades.
- Netflix's Extraction Series: This is the big news for 2026. Dormer has officially joined the cast of the Extraction spin-off series (codenamed Mercenary). She’s reportedly playing Clayton Wisper, a high-stakes CEO of a private military group. It’s a far cry from floor-length gowns and rose embroidery.
- Audrey's Children: She recently starred as Dr. Audrey Evans in this biographical drama. It’s a heavy, emotional film about the woman who revolutionized neuroblastoma treatment and co-founded Ronald McDonald House.
Why We Can’t Let Go of Margaery Tyrell
There’s a reason people still ask Natalie Dormer about Game of Thrones ten years later. It’s because Margaery was the "anti-Sansa" at a time when we needed to see a woman winning the game without a sword. Dormer brought a modern, PR-savvy energy to a fantasy setting.
In a recent 2025 interview, she admitted she’s finally "at peace" with the fact that she’ll always be the Little Rose to some people. She’s grateful for it. She’s even defended the show's controversial ending, suggesting that it was an "impossible task" to satisfy everyone, but that the journey was the point.
The Real Skill Behind the Role
Dormer is a classically trained stage actor. She studied at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, and you can see that discipline in her movement. Every tilt of the head, every graceful walk through the Red Keep gardens was choreographed. She once mentioned that playing Margaery was like playing a "shrewd politician in a silk dress."
She’s also a bit of a nerd for the source material. While the showrunners told her she didn't have to read the books (since the show was taking the character in a different direction), she did anyway. She wanted to understand the Tyrell family history so she could bring that weight to her performance.
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How to Keep Up With Her Career
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the work of the margaery game of thrones actor, don't just stop at the HBO archives.
- Watch "The Wasp" (2024): It’s a psychological thriller where she stars opposite Naomie Harris. It’s dark, twisty, and shows off her range beyond the "regal" roles.
- Check out "White Lies": A South African thriller series she executive produced and starred in as an investigative journalist.
- Follow her production company: Dog Rose Productions. They have a first-look deal with Fremantle and are currently developing a series about Vivien Leigh (the legendary actress from Gone with the Wind).
Natalie Dormer has managed to do what very few actors from massive franchises do: she escaped the shadow of her most famous character by simply being too good to ignore in everything else. She didn't try to "run away" from Margaery; she just added more layers to the foundation that the Queen of Highgarden built.
To truly appreciate her trajectory, start by revisiting "The Winds of Winter" (Season 6, Episode 10) to see her final, brilliant realization of Cersei's trap. Then, move immediately to her work in Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, where she plays four different characters in one show. It’s the ultimate proof that while Margaery Tyrell was a masterpiece, it was only the beginning of what Natalie Dormer can do.