‘Game of Thrones’: What The Mountain Looks Like Now Following Body Transformation

Game of Thrones star and professional strongman competitor Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson has Instagram in awe with photos of his 110-pound weight loss. Last month, Björnsson revealed that he had lost over 100 pounds after retiring from the sport of strongman. Now, his followers are clamoring for tips to achieve his unbelievable physique.

Björnsson played Ser Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane on HBO’s Game of Thrones, and he is one of the most famous World’s Strongest Man competitors in the world. After winning the title of Iceland’s Strongest Man yet again this year, he announced his retirement from the sport, freeing him to reduce his calories and shed some pounds in favor of a slimmer physique. Still, all that muscle left him with a shockingly shredded look. On Instagram he wrote that he had gone “from 205kg to 155kg,” which translates to about 450 pounds to 342 pounds.

Björnsson retired from those competitions last year after winning Iceland’s Strongest Man for the 10th year in a row. At the time, he wrote: “Great way to finish my strongman career. Now a different journey starts and I’m super excited. It’s been a great time in the sport of strongman but I’ve decided that I’m going to take a long break from the sport.”

“Maybe I’ll never return but never say never right,” he continued. “I’m still only 31 years old and could come back in few years if my heart wants it! Right now my heart tells me that I need to be healthy for my family and do what’s best for them!”

Outside of his niche sport, Björnsson is best known for portraying Ser Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane on HBO’s Game of Thrones. He took on the role starting in Season 4 of the series and portrayed him through the end, even when The Mountain was a zombie-like abomination made with dark magic. He faced off with his character’s younger brother, “The Hound” (Rory McCann) in the end, after years of fans clamoring for the showdown.

Although he is primarily a professional athlete, Björnsson has had more acting roles over the years. He played Mongkut in the 2017 action movie Kickboxer: Retaliation, and then played Frank in Pharoah’s War in 2019. He has had a few other appearances in shorts and reality TV over the years, but his next major role is coming up soon. It’s an action movie called The Northman, written and directed by Robert Eggers and starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Alexander Skarsgård and Nicole Kidman, among others. The movie is slated for release in April of 2022.