'Game of Thrones' cast then and now: Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington and more stars' transformations from season 1 to season 8

After eight years of sex, war and gore, "Game of Thrones" is finally coming to an end.

While it'll be hard to say goodbye to fan-favorite characters, the actors certainly aren't going anywhere: "Game of Thrones" launched its leading cast into superstardom, putting names like Kit Harington and Emilia Clarke on the map. (Not the map of Westeros. The real map.)

Several stars were just kids when they joined the HBO hit, like Maisie Williams, who was 13 when she was first cast, and Isaac Hempstead-Wright, even younger at 11.

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Although "GoT" kick-started a number of careers when it debuted in 2011, producers wisely also recruited a select few already-famous faces. Creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss knew from the start they wanted Peter Dinklage, who'd already made a name for himself on the Hollywood scene. Dinklage then suggested that they consider Lena Headey for another leading role, and she was plucked to play Cersei Lannister.

As the show draws to a close, several of its stars are making clear efforts to broaden their careers beyond their most-known characters. Clarke starred in 2016's "Solo: A Star Wars Story," adding another massive franchise to her resume, while Jason Momoa joined the DC superhero universe with "Aquaman."

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