Olenna Tyrell From Game Of Thrones Was So Gorgeous In The '90s
Fans of HBO's "Game of Thrones" will know her as the sassy grandma who could always get under Cersei Lannister's skin, not to mention the secret mastermind behind the death of her sadistic son Joffrey. But while Olenna Tyrell was a fan favorite on the fantasy show, Diana Rigg was adored by another generation for a very different reason. Earlier in her career, the British TV star — who passed away in 2020 at the age of 82 — was something of a style maven, not to mention drop-dead gorgeous, and throwback photos of her from the '90s prove it.
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Taken at an event in January 1991, this photo of Rigg shows her looking quite different from Lady Olenna — although her full bangs and short layers ironically shape her face in the same way as her medieval-style wimple does on the show. But still, Rigg's short brown mane makes her look quite different from her character on "GoT," as does her perfect, soft-glam makeup. Aged 52 at the time, Rigg closely resembled the fashionista she'd been 30 years before, when she rocked the ultimate '60s bombshell blowout.
After starring in a few big roles in the 1960s, Rigg had a quiet '90s career-wise, not making too many public appearances throughout the decade. It wasn't until 2013, when she came to Westeros as the sharp-tongued head of House Tyrell, that a new generation of fans came to love her. And while they watched her plot away on "Game of Thrones," most had no idea that everyone's favorite fantasy granny had been a style icon — and even a Bond girl — in her youth.
Diana Rigg was a style star in the '60s
In the 1960s, Diana Rigg rose to fame playing the role of Emma Peel on "The Avengers" TV show, where she wore a black leather catsuit that put her on the map. Though the outfit was just a costume, it did render Rigg a style star, and fans began looking to her as their fashion muse. Her influence amplified in 1969, when she was cast as Bond girl Tracy in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service." Once "Game of Thrones" fans are aware of this history, it's less of a surprise to hear that she was voted the sexiest TV star ever in 1999. "Sometimes I see photographs of myself and I think, God, I was really quite tasty," she commented, per The Guardian. "But I didn't know it at the time."
Riding the wave of her fame, Rigg was one of the celebrities who wore outfits in the '60s that defined the era, appearing in one photo with her teased hair full of volume and bounce, as was the style du jour. She paired pinstripes with a waist coat for the ultimate mod moment. Fast-forward to the '70s, and she was right at home with the decade's boho feel, donning a knit ensemble with a headscarf and statement necklace.
Her fashion sense and acting talent were clear, especially after she trained with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, but Rigg was never content with her status as a sexy star. "The mantle got put round my shoulders, which made me feel deeply uncomfortable," she admitted (via The Guardian). So today, we remember her as a master of '60s fashion, an actor with longevity, and the grandma we all wish we had, in addition to a genuine beauty.