Game Of Thrones actor Andrew Dunbar died suddenly at his home in Belfast on Christmas Eve, it emerged last night.
The actor, who was the body double for Theon Greyjoy who is played by Alfie Allen in the hit show, was in his thirties and also worked as a DJ.
Andrew, from Portrush, Northern Ireland, also worked on hit TV shows such as Line Of Duty and Derry Girls during his career.
Tributes have poured in for the actor, who also worked as a Game of Thrones tour guide, with colleagues praising a ‘beautiful soul’.
Paying tribute to Andrew, his friend and fellow actor Andy McClay said he was always fun to be around and a ‘kind and decent man’.
He told Belfast Live: ‘I’ll never make any sense of it. He was a true person, a talent, kind and decent man and he had a full and good heart.
‘His DJ sets were amazing and when he did one set for Game of Thrones, he ended up doing them all for the end of season parties.’
Andy also revealed that Andrew worked as a Game of Thrones tour guide and could have been a professional actor, but wanted to focus on art and DJ-ing.
While Pamela Smyth, Head of Crowd Makeup Game of Thrones, said that although the show saw thousands of extras Andrew stood out.
She said: ‘Always professional and mannerly with a big broad beaming smile. A beautiful soul – he will be missed by all the GOT family.’
As well as being a body double for Theon Greyjoy, Andrew was also a Northern Ally on John Snow’s side of the Battle of the Bastards.
His other acting work included extra roles in Derry Girls, Krypton and as a corrupt police officer in Line of Duty.
The Extras Dept, who worked with Andrew, posted a statement about his death on social media and said he will be ‘remembered by his kind soul’.
They wrote: ‘ To say we are shocked and saddened at the passing of Andrew Dunbar is an understatement.
‘We have so many fond memories of the years Andrew worked with us. He was so versatile we could cast him in anything, he was such a talented performer he would always end up being featured, and he was so adored that he was always requested by productions again and again.
‘He’ll be remembered in his roles as a Stark and Theon Greyjoy’s Double on Game of Thrones, a corrupt Police Officer on Line of Duty, the poor fella cornered by Colum on Derry Girls, and a Rebel on Krypton to name a few.
‘But most of all he’ll be remembered by his kind soul and infectious personality.Thank you for all you did for us Andrew. We will miss you dearly.’
A funeral notice revealed that a service of thanksgiving in Ballywillan Presbyterian Church, Portrush, will take place on Monday.
It described Andrew as: ‘A dearly loved son of Edna and the late Roy, loving brother of David and Alan and a much loved brother-in-law, uncle, nephew and cousin.’
