20 TV characters shockingly recast during the show's run

Game of Thrones underwent many recasts during its eight-season run, one of the most notable being Daario Naharis. The character, who would become Daenerys Targaryen’s advisor and lover, first appeared in season three and was played by Ed Skrein. In season four and onwards, Daario was played by Michiel Huisman. Skrein says politics drove him to leave GOT, allowing Huisman to embody the character as he became more significant in the storyline.

Amy Farrah Fowler’s mother on The Big Bang Theory first appears via video chat in the show’s fourth season. For a single episode, she is played by Annie O’Donnell. The character was replaced by legendary actress Kathy Bates, who first appears in the season 11 finale when Sheldon and Amy get married. Bates was chosen due to her existing relationship with producer and co-creator Chuck Lorre, and the character is given more to do in the show’s last two seasons. 

It came as a shock when Henry Cavill revealed he would not be returning to play Geralt of Rivia in the fourth season of The Witcher . A known super fan of the original games, Cavill famously played the brooding and powerful Geralt for three seasons. Becoming closely associated with the character, it surprised fans when Liam Hemsworth was announced as the new Geralt. It is unknown why Cavill left, but it will be interesting to see Hemsworth's take on the character. 

Reggie Mantle, jock and frenemy of Archie Andrews, was played by Ross Butler in season one of Riverdale. When writers envisioned the character to become more prominent in season two, Butler could not commit due to his role in 13 Reasons Why. As a result, he was replaced by Charles Melton, who played Reggie until the show’s seventh and final season. Melton’s performance made the character a fan favorite, and most viewers forgot another actor had even played him. 

Friends was a worldwide comedic hit thanks to the perfect casting of its core six characters. However, one supporting character was indeed recast. Ross’s ex-wife, Carol, is played by Jane Sibbett for the show’s entirety, excluding the second episode. When viewers first meet Carol, she is played by Anita Barone. Barone left because she wanted to pursue larger roles. Due to her only appearing in one episode, many viewers can’t even remember the change. 

Viewers were first introduced to Jerry’s parents in the second episode of Seinfeld , although the Morty Seinfeld there was not the one fans would remember. In the episode, Jerry’s father is played by Phil Bruns. Afterward, he was replaced by Barney Martin for the remainder of the series. Creators Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David wanted the character to be harsher and thought Bruns was too laid back. Most viewers aren’t aware the character was played by two actors due to Bruns only being in one episode so early on. 

Once Upon a Time featured many classic storybook characters and legends, including Robin Hood. The character first appeared in an episode in season two and was played by Tom Ellis. With Hood eventually becoming a major recurring character, Ellis only appeared in one episode and couldn’t commit to the part. He was replaced by Sean Maguire, who would play the character from seasons three to seven. Ellis went on to play the titular role in the hit series Lucifer.

The character of Vivian Banks was an integral part of the ensemble of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Janet Hubert originally played Aunt Viv to Will Smith from seasons one to three. While the story for years was that Hubert was fired from the series due to an on-set feud with co-star Will Smith, it was later revealed that she left on her own terms. Hubert was replaced by Daphne Maxwell Reid, who played the character for the rest of the show’s run.

Arrested Development features a cast full of eccentric characters, including the hilariously bland Ann Veal. When the character was introduced in the show’s first season, she was played by Alessandra Torresani in only one episode. The creators wanted to replace Ann in each season as a gag because she is so forgettable. Mae Whitman was cast in season two and was so good in the role that the creators decided to keep her on. She would continue to play Ann for the show’s remaining seasons.

Pam’s mother in The Office infamously went on to date Michael Scott with cringe-worthy results but made a prior appearance in season two. When viewers see her for the first time, Helene is played by Shannon Cochran. The character returned in season six for her awkward romance and was replaced by Linda Purl. Cochran was unable to return to the show due to touring with a theater at the time of filming, although the series creators wanted to keep her on.

Dıckon Tarly, the favored brother to Samwell Tarly in Game of Thrones, first appeared in the show’s sixth season and was played by Freddie Stroma. Stroma did not know if his character would be recurring or not, and as a result, he committed to filming the TV series Time After Time. Once it was decided that Dıckon would return in season seven, Stroma could not reprise the role and was replaced by Tom Hooper. Hooper would go on to star in The Umbrella Academy on Netflix.

Luke Grimes played James Kent on HBO’s vampire drama True Blood during its sixth season. While it was initially thought that Grimes left the show due to scheduling issues, his co-star Nelsan Ellis revealed the actor left because he didn’t want to play a gay character. Nathan Parsons played the role for the show’s seventh and final season and, like a pro, had no problem filming intimate scenes with his male co-star. 

The character of Becky Conner from the hit sitcom Roseanne was hard to keep up with in terms of casting. In seasons one to five, she was played by Lecy Goranson, who left the show to go to college. Goranson was replaced by Sarah Chalke for seasons six and seven. However, in a strange twist, both Goranson and Chalke played the character in season eight, with Chalke filling in for Goranson when she was at college. After that, Chalke played her for the rest of the series’s original run. 

In Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, the character of Greg Serrano was played by Santino Fontana during seasons one and two. Due to only being given a one-year contract, Serrano had signed on for other projects and could not commit to further seasons. The character was written out of the show but returned for its sixth and final season with a new face. Greg was now played by Pitch Perfect actor Skylar Astin, who makes his way back into the main character Rebecca’s life. 

The CW’s Batwoman was not a particularly well-received show, and its casting process was also tumultuous. Ruby Rose played Kate Kane/Batwoman in season one, with sources claiming that Rose left the show afterward due to toxic working conditions. Wallis Day was cast as the new Kate, but she would no longer be Batwoman. That title went to new character Ryan Wilder, played by Javicia Leslie. Leslie would play the superhero for the show’s remaining two seasons. 

Bewitched is known for having one of the most famous character recasts in television history, and not necessarily for the better. Dıck York famously played Darrin, Samantha’s husband, in seasons one to five of the iconic series. Due to worsening health issues, York had to depart the show and was replaced by Dıck Sargent for its remaining three seasons. Many viewers struggled to accept Sargent as the character, given York had played Darrin brilliantly for over half the series.

In ABC drama The Fosters, the character of Jesus Foster was played by Wizards of Waverly Place actor Jake T. Austin in seasons one and two. Austin left the show believing his role in season three would be significantly reduced and was replaced with To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before actor Noah Centineo. It turned out Jesus would still very much prominently feature, and Centineo would play him for the show’s remaining seasons before becoming a Netflix teen rom-com star. 

Jane’s adorable son Mateo in Jane the Virgin, the result of her accidental insemination, was a major highlight of the show. In season three, Mateo was played by Joseph Sanders. The fourth season’s poster revealed a new face for Mateo: Elias Janssen. Sanders left due to being too busy with schoolwork, which might be the most admirable reason to leave a series! Janssen played Mateo for the show’s remaining three seasons. 

Modern Family has already cemented itself as one of the most iconic comedy shows of the 21st century, thanks to its stellar writing and characters. Lily, Cam and Mitch’s adopted daughter, was originally played by baby twins Ella and Jaden Hiller. It turns out the twins simply didn’t enjoy acting and left the show. They were replaced by Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, who made the character of Lily her own and played her until the show’s finale. This allowed Anderson-Emmons to grow up right before our eyes. 

It feels appropriate to end with another Game of Thrones recast, and there were many others that weren’t even featured on this list. Ser Gregor Clegane, known to most as The Mountain, is a violent and barbaric knight who serves the Lannisters. The mountain was played by not two but three actors. Conan Stevens first played the character in season one and was replaced by Ian Whyte in season two. From season four onwards, he was most notably played by strongman Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson.