Game of Thrones star Jack Gleeson, who plays everyone’s favourite love-to-hate character King Joffrey, might retire from acting after the end of the series.

Jack Gleeson probably has one of the toughest gigs on HBO’s Game of Thrones, playing the universally hated character Joffrey Baratheon (after all, even Theon Greyjoy has more support than King Joff!).

And after Thrones, the 21-year-old actor reveals to The Independent that he will likely leave the acting scene behind to focus on charity work.

Says Gleeson, “[Acting] was always a recreation beforehand, but when I started doing Game of Thrones perhaps the reality was made too real for me.”

As for his character, Gleeson is not one of those actors who can find ways to sympathise with the villains they portray.

“I would like to try and defend [Joffrey], but I would have a pretty hard job doing it,” Gleeson admits. “I suppose he’s the product of his context and his family. In terms of redeemable qualities, there wouldn’t be many.”

Gleeson auditioned for the series at the age of 17, and quickly discovered that, “the lifestyle that comes with being an actor in a successful TV show isn’t something I gravitate towards.”

While the actor does not seem likely to bow out of the hit series before the end (of the show or his character’s arc – whichever comes first), he is looking forward to the moment when he can focus his attention on charity work.

The actor is involved with the humanitarian non-government organization GOAL, and tells The Independent that, “I’d been looking to use the celebrity I’ve got from the show to bring awareness for causes Goal supports.”

We wish Jack Gleeson luck with whatever career path he chooses, but we do think the British stage and screen will lose a very talented actor if he retires.

We doubt anyone can deny that very few actors could have done a better job bringing such a difficult character as Joffrey Baratheon to life.

Game of Thrones season 4 premieres spring 2014 on HBO.