Natalie Dormer became a familiar face to television audiences through her memorable performance as Margaery Tyrell on Game of Thrones. Her time in Westeros was filled with political intrigue, dramatic twists, elaborate costumes, and, ultimately, a memorable conclusion to her character's story.
But there is much more to Dormer than her role as the ambitious queen of Westeros. Her career has included major appearances in The Tudors, The Hunger Games, The Forest, and other film and television projects. She has also explored screenwriting and taken on challenging roles that allowed her to move beyond traditional romantic characters.
From an unexpected early-career setback and her experience with bullying to running the London Marathon and drawing inspiration from legendary actresses, Dormer's journey has been anything but ordinary.
Here are 18 fascinating things you may not know about Natalie Dormer and her career.
18. She Knew Her Game of Thrones Story Was Ending
Actors on long-running television series do not always know what is going to happen to their characters. Scripts can be distributed gradually, meaning performers sometimes discover major plot developments only shortly before filming.
For the final season of Dormer's storyline, however, the cast received all 10 scripts at the beginning of production. That meant Dormer knew she was approaching her final chapter with the series and could enjoy her remaining time with the cast and crew knowing it was her last season.
Having that knowledge also allowed her to appreciate her final year on the show in a different way. Instead of wondering what might happen next, she could concentrate on enjoying the experience and saying goodbye to the people she had worked with for years.
17. She Was Happy With Margaery's Final Story
Leaving a successful series is difficult enough, but saying goodbye to a character can be even harder when audiences have followed that character for years. Dormer has spoken positively about the way Margaery's story concluded.
One particularly meaningful aspect of the final filming period was working alongside Finn Jones, who played Margaery's brother Loras Tyrell. Their characters had shared a close sibling relationship throughout the series, making their final scenes together especially emotional.
For Dormer, ending the journey alongside her on-screen brother gave the story a fitting emotional conclusion.
16. The Hunger Games Gave Her A Different Kind of Role
One reason Dormer was drawn to The Hunger Games was that it offered her an opportunity to play a woman who was not primarily defined by a romantic relationship.
Her role as Cressida allowed her to move away from the elegant costumes and romantic storylines associated with some of her earlier characters. Instead, she could portray a determined woman involved in a dangerous and demanding environment.
The physically demanding production required long days in outdoor locations, mud, and military-style clothing. For Dormer, that change of pace was an exciting way to demonstrate her range as an actress.
15. She Sometimes Avoided Reading The Entire Script
Knowing too much about an upcoming storyline can make interviews particularly difficult for actors working on secretive productions. Dormer explained that she sometimes chose not to read the entire script for this reason.
The strategy helped her avoid accidentally revealing major plot points when speaking with journalists and fans. With a series as closely analyzed as Game of Thrones, even an innocent comment could potentially become a spoiler.
Keeping some information away from herself also gave her a convenient way to answer questions without having to worry about accidentally giving away the show's secrets.
14. She Ran The London Marathon
Dormer has also demonstrated her determination away from the film set. She took part in the London Marathon and completed the demanding 26.2-mile race in under four hours.
Her marathon efforts were connected to fundraising for ChildLine, a service supporting young people. Dormer used the event to help raise awareness and support for children who needed someone to talk to.
Taking on a marathon is an impressive challenge for anyone, and Dormer's participation showed another side of her personality beyond acting and entertainment.
13. She Wanted To Explore Smaller Projects
After several years on a major television production, Dormer was ready to change direction. Rather than immediately searching for another huge television role, she wanted to explore independent productions and smaller-budget films.
That approach reflected her desire to keep challenging herself as an actress. After spending years in elaborate period costumes and demanding locations, taking on completely different characters offered an opportunity to expand her range.
For Dormer, variety was an important part of building a long and interesting career.
12. The Forest Was A Major Change Of Pace
In The Forest, Dormer took on the challenging task of playing twins. She portrayed Sara, a woman searching for her missing twin sister in Japan's Aokigahara Forest.
The psychological thriller required Dormer to portray increasingly intense emotions as the story progressed. Interestingly, the movie was filmed in chronological order, which helped the production team gradually transform her appearance as her character's psychological state deteriorated.
Rather than maintaining a polished appearance throughout filming, Dormer's makeup and styling became progressively more worn and disheveled, helping reinforce the character's journey.
11. She Became A Screenwriter
Dormer's creative ambitions extend beyond acting. She also stepped into screenwriting, co-writing the psychological thriller In Darkness with filmmaker Anthony Byrne.
Writing gave Dormer the opportunity to look at filmmaking from a much broader perspective. Instead of focusing only on her own character, she had to think about the structure, story, characters, and overall direction of a screenplay.
That experience helped her understand another side of filmmaking and demonstrated that her ambitions extend well beyond performing in front of the camera.
10. She Spoke Up About A Difficult Game of Thrones Storyline
Dormer was not afraid to express her concerns when a storyline involving Margaery and the much younger Tommen presented a difficult creative situation.
Rather than simply accepting the material without discussion, she spoke with series creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss about approaching the storyline carefully.
Her comments reflected the importance of handling sensitive material thoughtfully while remaining faithful to the world and characters created for the series.
It was another example of Dormer taking an active interest in the way her character was portrayed.
9. She Wants To Act For The Rest Of Her Life
Leaving Game of Thrones did not mean Dormer planned to slow down her acting career. Quite the opposite: she wanted to use the opportunity to explore new types of characters and challenge the expectations audiences had developed about her.
Dormer has expressed a strong desire to continue acting throughout her life. She has also spoken about breaking away from the labels and stereotypes that can sometimes follow an actor after a successful role.
Her willingness to experiment has become one of the defining features of her career.
8. Wigs Gave Her More Freedom With Her Hair
The elaborate hairstyles in Game of Thrones were an important part of bringing Westeros to life. Dormer was particularly grateful that the production used wigs for Margaery, giving her greater freedom to change her appearance for other projects.
That flexibility became especially useful when she took on the role of Cressida in The Hunger Games. Dormer was able to make a dramatic change to her hair for the role without compromising her work on Game of Thrones.
For an actress who wanted to experiment with different characters, having that flexibility was a major advantage.
7. Margaery Was Inspired By Real-World Public Figures
Dormer did not create Margaery's personality without outside inspiration. She has explained that real-world public figures influenced the way she approached the character.
Royal figures such as Kate Middleton and Princess Diana provided useful references, while political figures and prominent first ladies also helped Dormer understand Margaery's public persona.
The result was a character who could appear charming and graceful while also understanding how to use public perception and political relationships to her advantage.
6. A Major Early Career Opportunity Fell Apart
Dormer's first major film appearance came in the 2005 period movie Casanova, alongside Heath Ledger. It looked like the beginning of a promising Hollywood career, but things did not immediately go according to plan.
A planned three-picture arrangement did not materialize, leaving Dormer without the steady stream of opportunities she had expected. She spent a significant period working outside acting, including waitressing and data-entry jobs.
The setback could easily have discouraged an aspiring performer, but Dormer eventually returned to the audition circuit and landed a role in The Tudors in 2007.
Looking back, she has suggested that the difficult period helped her develop patience and perspective about her career.
5. Casanova Gave Her A Defining Career Moment
For Dormer, working on Casanova provided one of her earliest moments of realizing that acting could become her long-term career.
She remembered arriving in Venice for production and being struck by the surreal experience of being paid to act in such an extraordinary location.
That experience was particularly meaningful because actors are often warned during training that the profession can involve long periods of unemployment and uncertainty. Dormer's early career would soon prove that point, but the experience also strengthened her determination.
4. She Draws Inspiration From Classic Hollywood
Dormer's acting influences stretch back well beyond modern cinema. She has spoken admiringly about legendary performers from classic Hollywood, particularly Katharine Hepburn.
She has also expressed an appreciation for actresses such as Gene Tierney and the memorable women featured in classic films from the 1940s.
Rather than focusing exclusively on contemporary performances, Dormer enjoys studying the history of cinema and the actors, writers, and directors who helped shape the industry.
3. She Experienced Bullying During Childhood
Dormer has openly discussed experiencing bullying when she was younger. She described the experience as involving both physical and psychological elements, something that stayed with her as she grew older.
One particular childhood insult concerned her nose. Years later, she was able to draw on that personal experience when discussing Margaery's past in Game of Thrones.
Dormer has explained that incorporating a reference inspired by her own childhood experience felt empowering. It allowed her to transform something painful from her past into part of a character she portrayed with confidence.
2. She Was Already A Game of Thrones Fan
Unlike someone joining a series without knowing much about it, Dormer was already a fan of Game of Thrones before auditioning for Margaery Tyrell.
She had watched the first season and was already invested in the show's unpredictable storytelling. Like millions of viewers, she was shocked by some of the major developments, including the fate of Ned Stark.
That existing appreciation for the series meant Dormer understood the world she was entering when she auditioned. She knew just how passionate the show's audience could be and understood the importance of joining such a closely followed production.
1. She Once Imagined A Very Different Way For Margaery To Die
Dormer eventually seemed satisfied with how Margaery's story ended, but years before her final episode aired, she had already been asked how she would like the character to leave the series.
During an appearance on Conan, Dormer jokingly considered several possibilities. Having already experienced a fictional beheading in another role, she suggested that poison, a White Walker, or even a dragon could make for an entertaining exit.
Considering how unpredictable Game of Thrones could be, a dragon-related ending would certainly have fit the show's reputation for spectacular deaths. In the end, Margaery's actual fate was very different from the possibilities Dormer had imagined.
Final Thoughts
Natalie Dormer's career has been shaped by far more than her memorable performance as Margaery Tyrell. From Casanova and The Tudors to The Hunger Games and The Forest, she has consistently looked for opportunities to challenge herself.
Her story also includes setbacks, unexpected career pauses, personal challenges, charitable work, and a growing interest in writing and filmmaking. Those experiences have helped make her one of the more versatile performers of her generation.
For fans who discovered Dormer through Game of Thrones, these facts offer a broader look at the actress behind one of Westeros' most memorable characters.