According to his agency, John Stahl, who played Rickard Karstark on HBO’s Game of Thrones for two seasons, has died. On March 2nd, he passed away at the age of 68.
In a statement, Stahl’s agent described him as “an actor of remarkable brilliance and a pillar of Scottish theatre.” “He died on March 2nd, 2022, on the Isle of Lewis, Jane Paton, his wife, survives him,” they said. Stahl spent 30 years at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. He appeared in many Scottish theater plays and worked with The Royal Shakespeare Company and The National Theatre in London. Being Human was one of his most recent television appearances.
Stahl, who was a fixture in Scottish theater, was honored by the National Theatre of Scotland. “We are grieved by the news of John Stahl’s death. We had the pleasure of collaborating with John on Mary Stuart and The James Plays. His death is a huge loss for the industry, and he will be greatly missed. His family and friends are in our thoughts and prayers.”
Stahl takes up the character of Karstark from actor Steven Blount in Seasons 2 and 3 of Game of Thrones. Stahl appeared in several pivotal sequences with Richard Madden as the Houses of Karstark and Stark moved from allies to sworn enemies.
Before joining the show, Stahl was best known for his role as Tom “Inverdarroch” Kerr in the long-running Scottish serial opera Take the High Road. From 1982 through 2003, when the show was cancelled, the actor starred in it.
Stahl’s agent, Amanda Fitzalan Howard, called him “an actor of extraordinary skill and a mainstay of Scottish theatre” in a statement.
“He died on the [Scottish] Isle of Lewis on March 2nd, 2022, and is survived by his wife, Jane Paton,” she wrote.
Stahl studied acting at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama before appearing in a variety of Scottish theatrical productions during the course of his 30-year career. He also did work for The Royal Shakespeare Company and The National Theatre in London. He is best known for his role in the TV sitcom Being Human.
