Actor John Stahl passed away this week at the age of 68. Stahl was best known around the world for playing Rickard Karstark on HBO’s Game of Thrones. His agent, Amanda Fitzalan Howard issued a statement on his passing to Deadline, which did not specify his cause of death.
Howard described Stahl as “an actor of remarkable skill and a stalwart of Scottish theatre,” explaining: “He died on the [Scottish] Isle of Lewis on March 2 2022 and is survived by his wife, Jane Paton.” Stahl was in Season 2 and 3 of Game of Thrones, and was also well known for playing Tom “Inverdarroch” Kerr on the Scottish soap opera Take the High Road. He also had a long career in stage acting throughout the U.K.
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Fans who think of Rickard Karstark likely picture Stahl, though he took over the role from actor Steven Blount, who played Karstark briefly in Season 1. Stahl got to act out some of Karstark’s more iconic moments from the books, including his close partnership with Robb Stark (Richard Madden) and his death in Season 3.
So far, Madden and other Game of Thrones stars of that era have not responded publicly to news of Stahl’s death. However, many friends and colleagues from Stahl’s theater days made heartfelt posts on social media, remarking on what a talented and kind collaborator he was. Playwright David Greig wrote: “I’m so sad to hear of the death of John Stahl: a truly great actor and beloved company member on so many Scottish shows including Winter’s Tale at The Lyceum, The James Plays, Gagarin Way & my own play, The Architect. Scottish theatre will miss him. Love to his family & friends.”
Another post from the National Theatre of Scotland read: “We are deeply saddened to hear of the death of John Stahl. We were fortunate to work with John on Mary Stuart and The James Plays. His passing is a huge loss to the industry, and he will be sorely missed. Our thoughts are with his loved ones.”
Stahl grew up in Scotland and studied theater from a young age, beginning at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland – which was then known as the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. He first made the transition to screen acting at the age of 23, though it took him almost a decade to land a steady role on High Road. He held that role from 1982 to 2003.
Stahl is survived by his wife and many fans, friends and colleagues who are eulogizing him on social media this weekend. You can stream his Game of Thrones appearances now on HBO Max.
