Westeros Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 One of the actors who has been most elusive among the regular cast has been Aidan Gillen. We’ve hoped to interview him for a number of years, but could never make it work… until, that is, earlier this year when I traveled to London to take part in a round of interviews with Gillen, as well as a number of actors.I recall back when the show was announced that all sorts of names flew about for various roles, but Gillen’s name was easily the most common fan suggestion for Petyr Baelish. Those suggestions were largely based on his role as Caracetti in HBO’s groundbreaking The Wire, I suspect, but I admit at the time I hadn’t gotten past the show’s first season so didn’t know him from there. But we here at Westeros.org also latched onto the name when it was suggested, because of his charming, fearless, devilish performance as Stuart Russel T. Davies’s Queer as Folk.With many notable roles under his belt, in film, television, and theater, the Dublin-born actor proves a very knowledgeable, extremely thoughtful interview subject. He takes his time with all his responses, thinking them through. And, as you’ll see, he’s more familiar than most of the actors with the source material….InterviewWithout being too spoilery, what sort of character does Littlefinger takes this season?Literally a journey. At the end of season 3, I got a ship and sailed off. So I go to the Eyrie, and I don’t think that’s a secret. In terms of character development, what’s starting to happen is that I’m taking my surrogate parental responsibilities a bit more seriously, taking Sansa under my wings a bit and making sure Robin Arryn is okay. That’s mainly it.The Eyrie’s a big destination. Robin needs guidance—he’s only 10 years old—and there’s an interesting dynamic with Sansa as well.How much do you know about what lies ahead for your character? You’ve read the books, I know, but do you know what lies beyond that?I know as much as anyone whose read the books, or we’re about to. Anything after that… I don’t know, really.(For the rest of the interview, head over to the Features page!)Visit the Site! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newstar Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 I got a laugh out of Gillen swiftly correcting the suggestion that he enjoyed the books: [Elio]: Why do you like to read the books?[Gillen]: Why? I didn’t say I like to, I just said I read them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konradsmith Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 ^He definitely didn't have to make that correction either. I wonder why he did, I'm sure some people will be irked by that. Still, a good interview and he does seem to put a good deal of thought into what he does. I'm glad you asked him about the voice, Ran. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ran Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 I think Gillen's just honest. As he says later, he remarks on how great the characters are -- remember, he wasn't involved in any of the filming for Oberyn, so his interest in the Red Viper is purely from the books -- and so on, so he knows the quality. They're just not, as it happens, to his taste. Which, really, I should have known. He's done a deal of Pinter and other theatrical work that would suggest he's on the more literary end of the reading scale. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konradsmith Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 Him and Stephen Dillane seem to be pretty candid about this sort of stuff. And neither like interviews and having to do publicity, so it's cool that you managed to get in touch with Gillen. Did you ever get a chance to speak with Dillane, Ran? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littlefingers In The Air Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 I enjoyed this interview quite a lot. I particularly liked the reveal that he and Kate Dickey shot a scene that wasn't initially used and that they got to do it again, in different context. It tells me that detail is cared about a great deal in this show and I can appreciate that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konradsmith Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 Yeah, that must be why they didn't include it on the deleted scenes for season 3. Mayhaps they did the Jon Arryn reveal prematurely then too. And the gift for Sweetrobin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ran Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 Dillane is even more elusive. Did have a very nice post-interview chat with Carice van Houten, though. Not recorded, but it was quite amusing; she's charming (also: has a fondness for lollipops). She was hungry for any inside info from GRRM on Melisandre and her future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konradsmith Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 ^Since sometimes we end up talking about languages on these threads, what language did you speak to Carice in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ran Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 English. I don't speak Dutch, pretty sure she does not speak Swedish or Spanish. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konradsmith Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 I think she said in an interview that she does speak Spanish, though I could be mistaken. Did you give her any answers about what's to come for Mel btw? EDIT: Update. I looked up "Carice van Houten Spanish" on google but all I could find of interest was a Vine video of her singing in Spanish and affecting a Penelope Cruz-esque lisp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conchobar Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 Dillane is even more elusive. Did have a very nice post-interview chat with Carice van Houten, though. Not recorded, but it was quite amusing; she's charming (also: has a fondness for lollipops). She was hungry for any inside info from GRRM on Melisandre and her future. Lollipops? Haha! How did that come up in conversation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ran Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 Konrad, I see. Anyways, didn't come up, she speaks English at these things. :) Cellio, It came up in conversation in the sense that she was sucking on a lollipop occasionally during said conversation. Not during the interview, but when that was done, out came the lollipop. Guess she has a sweet tooth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conchobar Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 It rocks that you get to meet these people Ran. I met Aidan once at a music festival in Ireland(actually twice two years in a row). And he seemed really distant yet polite, he was with his kids though(at least I assume they were his and not a friends) so I kept in mind that I didn't want to take much of his time, I forget what I said to him though, I wasn't entirely sobre but I don't think I made too much of a fool of myself :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konradsmith Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 I still remember him as Lord Rathbone in Shanghai Knights. Owen Wilson or rather Roy O'Bannon called him "Rathboner" at the end which was supposed to be a hoot for the audience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konradsmith Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 Good choice to tweet the Rob Roy final duel btw, Ran. It mirrors what we'll get tonight in many ways. Now we just have to get someone to hide inside a dead cow on GoT... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seneti Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 I got a laugh out of Gillen swiftly correcting the suggestion that he enjoyed the books: Agreed. And I applaud his bravery to be so honest in an interview with representatives of what is one of the most book-fanatic fan sites on the net. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boojam Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Saw a live interview with Gillen recently, he comes across as very introspective and thoughtful, pausing to chose his words. Quite spoken , a very interesting man. Actually I kind of surprises me he has read the books. I don't know how many times I have seen this asked of actors. I have seen others , A-listers , who work on both stage and screen state they consider it part of their craft no to read a work of prose fiction if it is going to be an adaptation. Others, maybe all, if they play a historical character will read history and biographies before and after taking a role. I don't know what the great actors studios and stages teach, if anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baitac Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Dillane is even more elusive. Did have a very nice post-interview chat with Carice van Houten, though. Not recorded, but it was quite amusing; she's charming (also: has a fondness for lollipops). She was hungry for any inside info from GRRM on Melisandre and her future.Using you as an oracle, I see. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarieAntoinette Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Agreed. And I applaud his bravery to be so honest in an interview with representatives of what is one of the most book-fanatic fan sites on the net. Agreed. I'm not irked by that comment, he was just honest, and that is completely fine. The interview was interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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