(Credits: Far Out / YouTube Still)
Sun 15 February 2026 12:30, UK
It’s been interesting to examine the impact that Game of Thrones had on the entertainment industry, and which of its stars have gone on to have the most success in the aftermath of the show’s conclusion.
Despite being only in the show for less than a season, Pedro Pascal has become one of the biggest stars on the planet, while, on the other hand, longtime cast members like Maisie Williams and Isaac Hempstead Wright have been seen less frequently, but of them all, Sophie Turner may have had the toughest position.
Sansa Stark is a character who is initially quite vexing and is later subjected to some horrific experiences after she’s separated from the rest of her family. Although some of the storylines involving her proved to be divisive, Turner’s performance was never up for debate as being anything short of excellent, yet her transition into cinema has been a bit rocky, to say the least.
While she did fit the bill when cast as the mutant Jean Grey in Fox’s Marvel universe, she had the misfortune of being in X-Men: Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix, two of the worst superhero films ever made, but nevertheless, she has not been deterred in her goal of taking on more cinematic roles, and has even expressed a desire to do more ambitious projects.
This ambition makes sense as when working on Game of Thrones, Turner was frequently in the company of great actors, including Max von Sydow, Diana Rigg, Charles Dance, Peter Dinklage, Sean Bean, and Jonathan Pryce, just to name a few, which definitely urged her to broaden her horizons.
However, in a slight twist, not unlike the ones served up in the show, Turner singled out one international star in particular with whom she hasn’t worked yet but has been a major inspiration. “Shah Rukh Khan is the Goat, right?” Turner said, “I love Deepika Padukone, I think she’s amazing. I loved watching RRR“.
While English-language viewers may not be as familiar with his work, Khan is perhaps the most successful Indian actor in all of Bollywood, which earned him the nickname ‘King Khan’. In addition to starring in massive action films like Pathaan and Jawan, both of which became some of India’s highest-grossing titles ever, he has shown his range with the comedy Happy New Year and the period drama Devdas. Known as the quintessential romantic hero still today, even though his breakthrough came with 1992’s Deewana, which brought him global recognition, Khan continues to be a massive draw and is an important producer, presenter, and creative figurehead in the Hindi film industry.
It’s evident that Turner has an affinity for Indian cinema, given that she also mentioned Padukone’s work in RRR, the rare Bollywood film that seemed to become a major crossover hit in the United States, even worming its way into the Oscars to win ‘Best Song’. At a time where American studio films have started to look and feel the same, RRR combined romance, comedy, adventure, action, and music into an unforgettable showcase of originality.
While the acquisition of Warner Bros by Netflix and the underperformance of major titles mean that it might be a tough few years for Hollywood, Bollywood, in being exempt from the shackles binding its English-language counterpart, is in a position to grow exponentially more popular. It seems like it’s only a matter of time before the cultural exchange turns wind and more English-language actors start lending their talents to Bollywood, and Turner might be first in line to do so.