Mag the Mighty is mighty no more. According to The Guardian, "Game of Thrones" star Neil Fingleton died on Saturday, February 25 due to heart failure. He was 36 years old.
With the Film Independent Spirit Award and Oscars happening on consecutive days this weekend, Hollywood's joyful atmosphere was marred with a double whammy. Fans never expected news of Fingleton's death would shortly follow previous reports announcing "Training Day" actor Bill Paxton passed away also on the same day.
Fingleton was likened to a 'gentle giant' and was well-loved by many. Daily Mail reported that many of Fingleton's friends, fans and colleagues immediately flooded social media expressing their sadness over the star's unexpected demise.
British-born in 1980, Fingleton was an exceptionally tall basketball player before becoming an actor. He moved to Boston at age 16 and played for Holy Name Central Catholic High School.
In college, he initially attended University of North Carolina under a basketball scholarship. He transferred to College of the Holy Cross back in Boston in 2002 where he earned his history degree upon graduating in 2004.
He played professional basketball briefly from 2004 to 2007. Retiring from the sport following an injury, he opted to try his luck in showbusiness. Fingleton was never self-conscious about his height and was even proud to be named the tallest man in Britain by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2007.
"I always do what I want, some tall people may be restricted as they are constantly stared at or people ask the same questions over and over," Fingleton once said. "This is the only bad thing about being tall - the stupid remarks and questions. Other than that, being tall is great."
Utilizing the exposure brought about by his height, he was able to bag roles in the films "47 Ronin", "Jupiter Ascending, "X-Men: First Class" and "Avengers: Age of Ultron". He played Doctor Who in "The Fisher King" but it was his portrayal of Mag the Mighty in "Game of Thrones" that made him a star.
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