Joffrey Baratheon on HBO's "Game of Thrones" has become one of television's most despised characters, though if you met 21-year-old actor who plays him, Jack Gleeson, you'd be surprised to learn that unlike the cruel and merciless villain, he's quite a charming young man.
In fact, Gleeson spends much of his time doing charity work, having recently returned from a trip to Haiti with aid agency Goal, which he called "inspiring."
When his role as Joffrey is finished, as Gleeson recently told the Independent, he may quit acting and instead devote his time to humanitarian efforts.
"It was always a recreation beforehand, but when I started doing 'Game of Thrones' perhaps the reality was made too real for me," he said. "The lifestyle that comes with being an actor in a successful TV show isn't something I gravitate towards."
Gleeson was cast on "Game of Thrones" at the age of 17, his work playing the sadistic Joffrey over the years earning him rave reviews from fans and critics alike.
"It's bizarre when you see clips," he said of watching himself onscreen, though he doesn't do it often. "You tend to abstract yourself from the creepiness of it when you're playing it, but when you see it on television it sends shivers down my spine."
"Since going to Trinity and garnering an interest in philosophy and with Goal and my theater company I've kind of just re-evaluated what I want to do," Gleeson added. "I'm 21, so it's hard to decide what kind of course life will take. "I'd been looking to use the celebrity I've got from the show to bring awareness for causes Goal supports. I had the connection with the organisation through my uncle, Tim Gleeson, and he worked with Goal in the 1980s."
You can catch more of Jack Gleeson as Joffrey Baratheon in the upcoming season 4 of "Game of Thrones," which premieres spring 2014.
