Before becoming the cold and calculating Tywin Lannister, Charles Dance had already "stolen the show" once — again in the role of a villain. In 1986, 25 years before skinning a real stag on screen, the British actor played the demon Sardo Numspa in the underrated fantasy-comedy The Golden Child, where he faced off against none other than Eddie Murphy.
The Golden Child is an unusual mix of mysticism, action, and comedy for its time. Murphy plays a private detective who specializes in missing children. His latest case? Finding a mystical Tibetan boy whose fate holds the key to humanity’s survival. But standing in his way is Numspa — a devilish emissary of evil with a British accent, a silk cloak, and some serious infernal ambition.
Dance’s performance is a masterclass in aristocratic villainy. His character is refined, cold, and eerily self-assured. Even without a moustache, you can almost see him twirling one — he’s that perfectly cartoonish. His Numspa isn’t just a bad guy; he’s a demonic Shakespeare, able to ruin the weather — and your mood — with a single glance.
What’s surprising is how he almost outshines Murphy himself. Against the Beverly Hills Cop star’s trademark levity and charm, Dance’s brooding presence turns every exchange into a duel. This sharp contrast is, arguably, the film’s core chemistry.
Long before Westeros, Charles Dance already showed how to play evil: with poise, elegance, and such icy confidence that even Daenerys would shiver. Tywin is merely a more politically correct version of Sardo — no horns, same ambition.
