Game of Thrones Cast Reacts to Series Finale
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VOICE OVER: Rebecca Brayton
WRITTEN BY: Nathan Sharp
And now our watch has ended. We all loved Game of Thrones' last season right? Right? If you are wondering how the cast of Game of Thrones reacted to the series finale, we have everything you'd need to know! Between Isaac Hempstead Wright thinking the script was a joke to Emilia Clarke walking around London for 5 hours after reading it, we got all the drama from the cast of Game of Thrones regarding the last season of this beloved cult television show. What do you think of the final season now? Let us know in the comments!
Game of Thrones Cast Responds to Series Finale
And that’s it. “Game of Thrones” is over, and we’re all left feeling…well, a little let down, to be honest. But how does the cast feel? Welcome to WatchMojo, and today, we’re taking a look at what the cast had to say about the Game of Thrones Series Finale.
Not since “Lost” has a television show reached such mythical, pop culture-defining heights only to crash and burn in its final season - and yes, we know there are a lot of “Lost” defenders out there, but even you guys have to admit that the general consensus equates to a giant shoulder shrug.
And yes, Season 8 certainly had its moments. Episode 2 was particularly praised thanks to its oppressive atmosphere, satisfying character interactions, and gratifying character moments, like Brienne getting knighted by Jaime. Really, the season started relatively strong. And then The Long Night happened, and things started to go downhill. The season was quickly lambasted for its rushed pace, illogical action set pieces, and for yadda-yadda-ing some VERY important and necessary character development. Many didn’t mind WHERE the show ended up – just how it got there.
But what about the actors? How does it feel to devote ten years of your life to something only to watch it lose respect and reputation in its final stretch? How do they feel about the ending and their respective character journeys?
Let’s start with the elephant in the room – the overall disappointment. We’re sure you’ve all seen those viral videos of the cast showing displeasure towards the ending, but if you haven’t, let us fill you in. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight at the 2018 HBO Emmy Party Red Carpet, Emilia Clarke pulled a conflicted face and sarcastically said “best season ever!” after being asked about her satisfaction with the ending. Peter Dinklage, in an interview with ET at the premiere of his new HBO film “My Dinner With Herve,” sang the praises of Benioff and Weiss as if he was reading from a teleprompter behind the camera, as if to say, “There, are you happy HBO?” During an interview with GoldDerby during the 2018 Emmy’s Red Carpet, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Conleth Hill, and Liam Cunningham all remain suspiciously silent after being asked about their approval. And, perhaps most alarmingly, Kit Harington told PopBuzz that the ending was “disappointing.” He just straight-up says it, straight face and all. And yeah, he tries to play it off with a laugh, but we all know he was telling the truth. Your fake laugh can’t hide your inner sorrow, Kit!
Seriously, Kit Harington was not shy about voicing his displeasure. He also told Entertainment Weekly that the ending would be divisive, seemingly knowing full well that many people would take umbrage with the direction of the show and its characters. He also said that he was “pissed” about Jon not killing the Night King. You have to be pretty darned angry to use that kind of language in a behind-the-scenes piece! That sort of stuff is usually filled with boring platitudes and ego-boosting. And Kit wasn’t the only one left bewilderedover the climactic moment. Maisie Williams told EW, “I immediately thought that everybody would hate it…People [would be] like, ‘Well, [the villain] couldn’t have been that bad when some 100-pound girl comes in and stabs him.’” Unfortunately, her trepidation proved prophetic, as Arya’s involvement in the Night King’s death, and the manner in which he was killed, was one of the most divisive elements of the entire show.
In fact, many actors were puzzled over the handling of their respective characters. Some were left questioning controversial character decisions and bizarre changes in their personalities. For example, Peter Dinklage showed reservations about the whole hiding-in-the-Winterfell-crypt plan. Others were hesitant about their character arcs and destinations. Lena Headey was upset that Cersei didn’t go out in a blaze of glory, telling EW, “I wanted her to have some big piece or fight with somebody”. Nope, she just cries, returns to her man, and is crushed to death. Nathalie Emmanuel wanted Missandei to have more scenes with Daenerys to make her death more palatable and meaningful. Nope, she’s just plucked out of the water off-screen and teleported back to King’s Landing. And Gwendoline Christie showed some initial frustration towards Brienne’s development, telling EW, “Sometimes your ideas become set in your mind and sometimes David and Dan write something you didn’t expect and find difficult to comprehend.” We don’t know what she’s speaking about exactly, but we have a feeling it has something to do with where Brienne and Jaime’s story ended up.
If those sound scathing, you haven’t heard anything yet! Both Emilia Clarke and Isaac Hempstead Wright were left completely flabbergasted after reading their respective endings. In fact, Isaac was in such a state of disbelief that he literally thought he had received a fake script! He told EW, “I genuinely thought it was a joke script and that [Benioff and Weiss] sent to everyone a script where their own character ends up on the Iron Throne.” Yeah, we kind of had the same reaction when Bran was crowned King. Emilia Clarke had a similar reaction, as she went for a five-hour walk around London after reading the final script. She recalled thinking, “What, what, what, WHAT!?” because “[Daenerys’ ending] comes out of f-ing nowhere.” Emilia struggled with Daenerys’ violent and increasingly tyrannical arc, as she had grown attached to the character over the years and saw herself in Dany’s bravery and persistence. She even recalls calling her mother for consolation because she was so upset.
But perhaps the biggest critic of show’s trajectory is Conleth Hill, AKA Varys. Hill took major issue with Varys’s lack of action and importance in later seasons, telling EW that “the last couple seasons weren’t [his] favorite.” He also stated that various stellar aspects of the show were lost after it passed the books, and like his traveling partner Peter Dinklage, he was left questioning his character’s intelligence and cunning. In the same interview, Conlethstated with vexation, “If he was such an intelligent man and he had such resources, how come he didn’t know about things? That added to my dismay.” But after reflecting on the matter and digesting the writers’ creative decisions, Conleth eventually came around, saying, “I think it’s really good in retrospect now that I’ve had the time for it to sink in.” And this seems to be a common theme amongst the cast. Sorry, critics.
For example, despite her initial surprise and struggle with Daenerys’ turn to the dark side, Emilia Clarke found the ending “very beautiful and touching.” She even went on to defend Daenerys’ character arc, as did Kit Harington, Gwendoline Christie, and Peter Dinklage. And Isaac Hempstead Wright, the same man who legitimately thought the ending was a joke, said that it was “a fitting conclusion” to the story. We guess he just had to digest the whole Bran the Broken thing.
And they aren’t the only ones, as nearly every major actor has expressed satisfaction with the overall story. For all his complaining about Tyrion’s newfound stupidity, Peter Dinklage believes that his character was given “a very good conclusion.” Gwendoline Christie, expressed happiness regarding Brienne’s outcome, saying, “[It] feels refreshing, [that] a woman can be happy without a companion”. Sorry Jaime and Brienne shippers, but Brienne was never destined for romantic love and domestic bliss. She became Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, and that’s good enough for her!
Lena Headey, who wanted Cersei to have one final badass moment, discussed the story with her fictional brother, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, and said, “The more we talked about it, the more it seemed like the perfect end for her”[[14]]. And speaking of Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, he also believes that Jaime and Cersei received a suitable ending. Of course, many people were infuriated that Jaime abandoned seven seasons’ worth of character development to simply return to Cersei at the drop of a hat. And while Nikolaj understands the frustration, he also believes that the heel-flip was in keeping with Jaime’s character. He told Entertainment Weekly, “It does make sense, even though you don’t want it to. And the way it ends with him, he finally finds her and it’s a beautiful ending.” And as for the ending itself? He believes that it couldn’t have been any better, because “there’s a logic to it without it being obvious at all.”
Of course, Sophie Turner is happy with Sansa’s ending. She told The New York Times, “It was kind of the perfect end for her.” She became Queen of the North after all! Yeah, her siblings are once again scattered to the wind, but hey, at least she’s in an incredibly powerful position of authority! It certainly beats being married to Ramsay.
And what of George R.R. Martin, the man who imagined this fantastic and expansive world and created these timeless characters? While some die-hard A Song of Ice and Fire fans may be clamoring for a critical evisceration, he actually seems pretty defensive. In his blog post “An Ending,” dated May 20, he admits that his ending will be very similar to the show’s. He also defended Benioff and Weiss, writing, “They had six hours for this final season.” It sounds like he didn’t care for the pace, but he’s certainly not blaming David and Dan for ruining his entire legacy the way many others are.
And as for those critics, the ones who are claiming that the entire show has been ruined? Kit Harington says “they can go f themselves.” So, yeah, we think he’s quite proud of the overall effort. Sophie Turner has also commented on the backlash, albeit in a much more polite manner. While she isn’t surprised about the hostile reaction, she also told The New York Times, “All of these petitions and things like that – I think it’s disrespectful…So many people worked so, so hard on [the show], and for people to just rubbish it because it’s not what they want to see is just disrespectful.”
Maybe there’s a lesson in all of this. These actors clearly felt some initial bitterness and resentment towards the ending, but upon further reflection and having time to digest, they grew to love it and admired its daring and unpredictability. And who knows? Maybe, with time, fans will start to feel the same way.
And that’s it. “Game of Thrones” is over, and we’re all left feeling…well, a little let down, to be honest. But how does the cast feel? Welcome to WatchMojo, and today, we’re taking a look at what the cast had to say about the Game of Thrones Series Finale.
Not since “Lost” has a television show reached such mythical, pop culture-defining heights only to crash and burn in its final season - and yes, we know there are a lot of “Lost” defenders out there, but even you guys have to admit that the general consensus equates to a giant shoulder shrug.
And yes, Season 8 certainly had its moments. Episode 2 was particularly praised thanks to its oppressive atmosphere, satisfying character interactions, and gratifying character moments, like Brienne getting knighted by Jaime. Really, the season started relatively strong. And then The Long Night happened, and things started to go downhill. The season was quickly lambasted for its rushed pace, illogical action set pieces, and for yadda-yadda-ing some VERY important and necessary character development. Many didn’t mind WHERE the show ended up – just how it got there.
But what about the actors? How does it feel to devote ten years of your life to something only to watch it lose respect and reputation in its final stretch? How do they feel about the ending and their respective character journeys?
Let’s start with the elephant in the room – the overall disappointment. We’re sure you’ve all seen those viral videos of the cast showing displeasure towards the ending, but if you haven’t, let us fill you in. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight at the 2018 HBO Emmy Party Red Carpet, Emilia Clarke pulled a conflicted face and sarcastically said “best season ever!” after being asked about her satisfaction with the ending. Peter Dinklage, in an interview with ET at the premiere of his new HBO film “My Dinner With Herve,” sang the praises of Benioff and Weiss as if he was reading from a teleprompter behind the camera, as if to say, “There, are you happy HBO?” During an interview with GoldDerby during the 2018 Emmy’s Red Carpet, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Conleth Hill, and Liam Cunningham all remain suspiciously silent after being asked about their approval. And, perhaps most alarmingly, Kit Harington told PopBuzz that the ending was “disappointing.” He just straight-up says it, straight face and all. And yeah, he tries to play it off with a laugh, but we all know he was telling the truth. Your fake laugh can’t hide your inner sorrow, Kit!
Seriously, Kit Harington was not shy about voicing his displeasure. He also told Entertainment Weekly that the ending would be divisive, seemingly knowing full well that many people would take umbrage with the direction of the show and its characters. He also said that he was “pissed” about Jon not killing the Night King. You have to be pretty darned angry to use that kind of language in a behind-the-scenes piece! That sort of stuff is usually filled with boring platitudes and ego-boosting. And Kit wasn’t the only one left bewilderedover the climactic moment. Maisie Williams told EW, “I immediately thought that everybody would hate it…People [would be] like, ‘Well, [the villain] couldn’t have been that bad when some 100-pound girl comes in and stabs him.’” Unfortunately, her trepidation proved prophetic, as Arya’s involvement in the Night King’s death, and the manner in which he was killed, was one of the most divisive elements of the entire show.
In fact, many actors were puzzled over the handling of their respective characters. Some were left questioning controversial character decisions and bizarre changes in their personalities. For example, Peter Dinklage showed reservations about the whole hiding-in-the-Winterfell-crypt plan. Others were hesitant about their character arcs and destinations. Lena Headey was upset that Cersei didn’t go out in a blaze of glory, telling EW, “I wanted her to have some big piece or fight with somebody”. Nope, she just cries, returns to her man, and is crushed to death. Nathalie Emmanuel wanted Missandei to have more scenes with Daenerys to make her death more palatable and meaningful. Nope, she’s just plucked out of the water off-screen and teleported back to King’s Landing. And Gwendoline Christie showed some initial frustration towards Brienne’s development, telling EW, “Sometimes your ideas become set in your mind and sometimes David and Dan write something you didn’t expect and find difficult to comprehend.” We don’t know what she’s speaking about exactly, but we have a feeling it has something to do with where Brienne and Jaime’s story ended up.
If those sound scathing, you haven’t heard anything yet! Both Emilia Clarke and Isaac Hempstead Wright were left completely flabbergasted after reading their respective endings. In fact, Isaac was in such a state of disbelief that he literally thought he had received a fake script! He told EW, “I genuinely thought it was a joke script and that [Benioff and Weiss] sent to everyone a script where their own character ends up on the Iron Throne.” Yeah, we kind of had the same reaction when Bran was crowned King. Emilia Clarke had a similar reaction, as she went for a five-hour walk around London after reading the final script. She recalled thinking, “What, what, what, WHAT!?” because “[Daenerys’ ending] comes out of f-ing nowhere.” Emilia struggled with Daenerys’ violent and increasingly tyrannical arc, as she had grown attached to the character over the years and saw herself in Dany’s bravery and persistence. She even recalls calling her mother for consolation because she was so upset.
But perhaps the biggest critic of show’s trajectory is Conleth Hill, AKA Varys. Hill took major issue with Varys’s lack of action and importance in later seasons, telling EW that “the last couple seasons weren’t [his] favorite.” He also stated that various stellar aspects of the show were lost after it passed the books, and like his traveling partner Peter Dinklage, he was left questioning his character’s intelligence and cunning. In the same interview, Conlethstated with vexation, “If he was such an intelligent man and he had such resources, how come he didn’t know about things? That added to my dismay.” But after reflecting on the matter and digesting the writers’ creative decisions, Conleth eventually came around, saying, “I think it’s really good in retrospect now that I’ve had the time for it to sink in.” And this seems to be a common theme amongst the cast. Sorry, critics.
For example, despite her initial surprise and struggle with Daenerys’ turn to the dark side, Emilia Clarke found the ending “very beautiful and touching.” She even went on to defend Daenerys’ character arc, as did Kit Harington, Gwendoline Christie, and Peter Dinklage. And Isaac Hempstead Wright, the same man who legitimately thought the ending was a joke, said that it was “a fitting conclusion” to the story. We guess he just had to digest the whole Bran the Broken thing.
And they aren’t the only ones, as nearly every major actor has expressed satisfaction with the overall story. For all his complaining about Tyrion’s newfound stupidity, Peter Dinklage believes that his character was given “a very good conclusion.” Gwendoline Christie, expressed happiness regarding Brienne’s outcome, saying, “[It] feels refreshing, [that] a woman can be happy without a companion”. Sorry Jaime and Brienne shippers, but Brienne was never destined for romantic love and domestic bliss. She became Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, and that’s good enough for her!
Lena Headey, who wanted Cersei to have one final badass moment, discussed the story with her fictional brother, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, and said, “The more we talked about it, the more it seemed like the perfect end for her”[[14]]. And speaking of Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, he also believes that Jaime and Cersei received a suitable ending. Of course, many people were infuriated that Jaime abandoned seven seasons’ worth of character development to simply return to Cersei at the drop of a hat. And while Nikolaj understands the frustration, he also believes that the heel-flip was in keeping with Jaime’s character. He told Entertainment Weekly, “It does make sense, even though you don’t want it to. And the way it ends with him, he finally finds her and it’s a beautiful ending.” And as for the ending itself? He believes that it couldn’t have been any better, because “there’s a logic to it without it being obvious at all.”
Of course, Sophie Turner is happy with Sansa’s ending. She told The New York Times, “It was kind of the perfect end for her.” She became Queen of the North after all! Yeah, her siblings are once again scattered to the wind, but hey, at least she’s in an incredibly powerful position of authority! It certainly beats being married to Ramsay.
And what of George R.R. Martin, the man who imagined this fantastic and expansive world and created these timeless characters? While some die-hard A Song of Ice and Fire fans may be clamoring for a critical evisceration, he actually seems pretty defensive. In his blog post “An Ending,” dated May 20, he admits that his ending will be very similar to the show’s. He also defended Benioff and Weiss, writing, “They had six hours for this final season.” It sounds like he didn’t care for the pace, but he’s certainly not blaming David and Dan for ruining his entire legacy the way many others are.
And as for those critics, the ones who are claiming that the entire show has been ruined? Kit Harington says “they can go f themselves.” So, yeah, we think he’s quite proud of the overall effort. Sophie Turner has also commented on the backlash, albeit in a much more polite manner. While she isn’t surprised about the hostile reaction, she also told The New York Times, “All of these petitions and things like that – I think it’s disrespectful…So many people worked so, so hard on [the show], and for people to just rubbish it because it’s not what they want to see is just disrespectful.”
Maybe there’s a lesson in all of this. These actors clearly felt some initial bitterness and resentment towards the ending, but upon further reflection and having time to digest, they grew to love it and admired its daring and unpredictability. And who knows? Maybe, with time, fans will start to feel the same way.
