Ozzy Armstrong with a spoiler-free report from a special London preview of the Game of Thrones season 3 opener ‘Valar Dohaeris’, followed by a special Q&A session with Michelle Fairley, Isaac Hempstead-Wright, Gwendoline Christie and Charles Dance….
I had the pleasure of attending the premiere screening of the season 3 opener for Game of Thrones and as a huge fan of the show, it was a struggle to maintain my composure throughout.
I arrived at the same time as many of the stars of the show and was surprised by how many fans were there waiting – willing to endure their very own “long winter” conditions – to catch a glimpse of their TV heroes.
As I started walking up to the entrance to check in, I realised that I was next to Charles Dance (Tywin Lannister) and immediately became a little flustered as he is possibly my favourite character in the series.
He broke an awkward silence with a simple “Hello there. How are you?”
Without thinking I immediately blurted out “I’m very good Mr. Dance. Can I just say before we go in, I loved you in Last Action Hero.”
With a smile he said “I’m glad somebody did. I though it was very silly”, shook my hand and walked on inside.
I calmed myself down a little, got to my seat and prepared for the screening amongst other enthusiasts of the show. A short while later, the episode was introduced and a hush fell across the crowd as we began viewing the very latest instalment of the biggest show on television.
As I’m under an embargo I can’t say much but if you are a fan of the show, you will not be disappointed. You’re immediately thrown deep into the story we all love and are left desperate for the next episode.
Following on from the screening, everyone in the room was treated to a short Q&A with four of the show’s stars including Michelle Fairley (Catelyn Stark), Isaac Hempstead Wright (Bran Stark), Gwendoline Christie (Brienne of Tarth) and of course Charles Dance…
Moderator: You’re not the kind of lady who stays at home and looks after the kids while the knights have all the action. This is an incredibly ballsy role for an actress isn’t it?
Michelle Fairley: Thanks to George who wrote the novels and to David, Dan and Brian who do the scripts. They believe that to support the male characters, you have to have equally strong women supporting whether they’re high born or low born or whatever they have to evolve, they have to change. Their constantly…their antennas are always up as to how to stay alive. They may not seem like they’re in a war but they’re the stuff powering it.
M: Do you believe that she (Catelyn) has made the right decisions?
MF: Absolutely. She’s coming from a place of family. She’s a woman who comes from a very noble family and she believes that everybody comes from a good place. In order for you to survive, you’ve got to think like the lions do and she’s starting to think like a lion and to her detriment she’s been sold down the swanny.
M: What’s been your favourite scene to film in the first and second seasons?
MF: I loved it in episode 1 where we had all the family together and Sean (Bean) was there. We had a line-up of all the family. Then the Lannisters came to visit and we all had a big party. It was brilliant fun.
M: Isaac, no pressure but you’re probably one of the most recognisable young men in the world right now. Can you be normal and go to school?
Isaac Hempstead Wright: Oh yeah, yeah.
M: Do people recognise you?
IHW: Not since I’ve cut my hair really. Even when my hair is long, I do get recognised but not that much here as the show’s not as big here as it is in America. I do get recognised but not like Justin Bieber (loud laughs all round).
M: Would you like to be recognised like Justin Bieber?
IHW: It would be nice.
M: I think your role brings out quite a maternal side in women. Do you find it quite odd that people are so vested in you and that they care about you?
IHW: No one’s really sort of come up to me and wanted to hug me so I haven’t really experienced the maternal side yet.
M: What’s it like for an extended period to be carried around like that?
IHW: Well your legs kinda start hurting. But it’s fabulous. Every one else is sitting down complaining about their backs and I’m fine. But this season I’m in the back of a cart so it’s a lot more comfortable.
M: You’re not going to be one of those people who are going to try and tell me that in real life Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) is actually quite nice?
IHW: He is the loveliest person. Literally the polar opposite. You can’t find two people more different.
Gwendoline Christie: He’s evil. Pure evil.
M: This feels like a real breakthrough role for a woman. A female knight, a born and trained killer. Do you remember that call from you agent?
GC: I rang them. Someone told me something about a role coming up for an HBO show and as a British theatre actor I got overexcited about being involved. This character was doing everything that I’ve always wanted to do as an actor. Breaking stereotypes, an incredibly strong woman. Classy and strong and all of those attributes that women have that normally are attributed to heterosexual men. I immediately rang up my agent and said that I want to do this and she went straight down the phone ‘Love, she’s ugly, she’s got broken teeth, her nose is broken and she’s a devil with a sword’ and I wanted to do cos it was very far away from how I was at that time.
M: That scene with Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) where he cuts right in and says the most vile and hateful things to you. How do you cope when you’re going out and doing those scenes?
GC: Being a 6ft 3 woman you have encountered that kind of abuse and I’ve had things like that said to me since I was 14 years old. So having the opportunity to take that into the public forum through what I do which is acting I felt that it might actually challenge some notions of prejudice and if we can change one persons mindset about the way that we regard people who are outside of conventional norms then it might justify my existence as what I choose to be which is an artist (loud applause).
M: Can I just ask about the role. How do you train for that?
GC: Well about three months beforehand I have to heave myself out of bed and work with a strength and conditioning expert. No carbohydrates and training 3, 4, 5 times a week, protein 6 times a day. Resistance excerise for 45-55 minutes, very strict. It’s just soo boring. I can’t go boozing.
MF: She can (loud laughs from everyone).
M: Charles, what do you think makes Game of Thrones such a different experience?
Charles Dance: I think it’s down to the quality of the writing, the amount of money that HBO is prepared to spend and a pretty wonderful cast.
M: That was a pretty wonderful scene where you tore a strip off your son (Tyrion). How was that to film?
CD: I’ve spent most of my time with Peter Dinklage who is the most adorable man and a wonderful actor and after all of those scenes I apologised to him because I treat him like shit (laughs). I mean I say the most terrible things to him. But Dave and Dan are really wonderful writers and we spend a lot of time as actors trying to make a silk purse out of a pig’s ear because not all scripts are this good. But when you have writing of this quality you can put all your energy into making the character believable.
M: I loved the scenes you had with Arya (Maisie Williams). A beautiful dynamic between two people who shouldn’t get on. Can you tell me a little about that?
CD: Well Maisie was just over 13 when we shot those scenes and I’ve never worked with anybody with such knowledge of the medium, such an ability to concentrate for a very long time and an awareness of herself. She’s phenomenal and if anyone’s going to make it in this business it’s her and of course Isaac.
M: There’s quite a lot of sex scenes in this show.
MF: I’ve got a no nudity clause in my contract so I have to keep all of my clothes on. They put it in, I didn’t. I had it in my contract “no nudity required”. I was quite relieved.
M: But Charles you haven’t had any sex yet. Are you quite by this?
CD: Yes (said with a big smile).
M: Let’s go to audience questions now….
Question: If you could be any character from the series, who would you be?
MF: Oh I’d like to play Tyrion as he gets lots of sex and mine doesn’t
GC: Cersei (Lena Headey) definitely. Just for the cheekbones as I think the character comes with them
CD: Well I want to play Tyrion. He’s just the most wonderful part, he’s fantastic
IHW: Hodor (Kristian Nairn).
Audience: Personally who do you think deserves the throne?
GC: Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) for the frocks.
MF: I think my son (Robb Stark; Richard Madden) deserves the throne.
CD: I do (huge laughs around the room)
IHW: Bran’s pretty suited to it I mean he’s always sitting as it is (everyone laughs)
Audience: There’s some wonderful costumes and props so I was just wondering, what’s the best thing you’ve stolen off of set?
GC: Only one thing. I stole Finn Jones (Loras Tyrell). I stole him for a speedboat trip in Croatia. That was a really good steal.
Audience: Did you have a break from exercising?
GC: I exercised him thoroughly (everyone in the room laughs)
Audience: We’re used to seeing HBO shows with an American cast. How does it make you feel that Game of Thrones is primarily an English cast and why do you think that is?
CD: We’re cheap. Cheap-er (laughs).
Game of Thrones season 3 gets underway on HBO in the States this coming Sunday, March 31st, and begins here in the UK on Sky Atlantic on Monday, April 1st. Seasons 1 and 2 will also be available On Demand.
Ozzy Armstrong
