Carice Van Houten Strikes Again

[Lady Olenna]

Am I the only one wondering how she hasn't read the series yet? I mean I know it's time consuming but it seems like it should be done before portraying a character. I give her credit for being honest but that sorta irks me. That, and the way she referred to Maisie Williams as "the girl who plays Arya". Maybe I'm too sensitive but it seems sort of uncouth.

I'm sure she will be great in her role, despite my nitpicking.

[Hyper]

Why should she? Some actors prefer to work from just the script. Partially because they don't want to be aware of the fate of their characters. Others want to read as much associated materials as they can.

But it a personal choice.

[The Last Dragon]

Call me a perv, but this chick seems like she'd be down for some freaky shit. She just has that attitude. And that works perfect for Mel.

Believe me, there is nothing Carice van Houten wouldn't do on screen. Dutch movies are occasionally pretty pornographic, and we Dutch viewers had our share of Carice-nudity in the past few years. ;)

[Dennai]

Am I the only one wondering how she hasn't read the series yet? I mean I know it's time consuming but it seems like it should be done before portraying a character. I give her credit for being honest but that sorta irks me. That, and the way she referred to Maisie Williams as "the girl who plays Arya". Maybe I'm too sensitive but it seems sort of uncouth.

I'm sure she will be great in her role, despite my nitpicking.

You are gonna be quite dissapointed this season then. Basically all the actors are commenting in their interviews that they are not reading the books. On top of my head, Charles Dance, Liam Cunningham, Michelle Fairley and Lena Heady. Peter Dinklage read the first and then stopped and Alfie Allen did something similar.

[Mr. E]

You are gonna be quite dissapointed this season then. Basically all the actors are commenting in their interviews that they are not reading the books. On top of my head, Charles Dance, Liam Cunningham, Michelle Fairley and Lena Heady. Peter Dinklage read the first and then stopped and Alfie Allen did something similar.

I don't know about all the rest of them, but I know Peter Dinklage is reading each book upon the beginning of each new season--he doesn't want the future of his character to inadvertantly inform what he does in the present--(Per GOT blu-ray commentaries.)

If I recall correctly, I know Emilia Clarke, Harry Lloyd, Maisie, Sophie and Kit Harrington have all read some if not all of the books...

[Lady Olenna]

It makes sense if they don't want to know the fate of their character or what not I suppose. It just seems like a script may not be able to fully portray the world of westeros. I guess I'm just such a big fan of the books that it feels like they are really missing out by not reading them. But either way I'm sure the season will be great and they will all do a great job.

[Mr. E]

It makes sense if they don't want to know the fate of their character or what not I suppose. It just seems like a script may not be able to fully portray the world of westeros. I guess I'm just such a big fan of the books that it feels like they are really missing out by not reading them. But either way I'm sure the season will be great and they will all do a great job.

I honestly agree; if you are acting in something that is an adaptation it behooves you to know what exactly the character you're going to be portraying is. The worst possible example of this in my memory what what Michael Gambon did to Dumbledore's character in the HP movies. He readily admitted to having not read the books and as a result Dumbledore was a snappish, angry, tempermental and confused gobber instead of the wise and just man that had been characterized; Gambon only really nailed Dumbledore in the sixth movie, but by then I was already soured on it.

[Pliskin]

If I recall correctly, I know Emilia Clarke, Harry Lloyd, Maisie, Sophie and Kit Harrington have all read some if not all of the books...

The books are too grown up for Maisie. She says she'll read them later.

And I don't think Sophie read them either.

But Kit Harrington did, and he's even aware of theories and stuff... He's a fantasy fan.

[Ferrum Aeternum]

I can understand why the actors wouldn't want to read too far ahead, as it could plant preconceived notions about how their character is 'supposed' to act based on upcoming events in future books, when in fact the character wouldn't know about such things at this point in the story.

Of the major actors, I believe Kit Harington and NCW are the only ones who have read all or most of the books.

[Hyper]

It makes sense if they don't want to know the fate of their character or what not I suppose. It just seems like a script may not be able to fully portray the world of westeros. I guess I'm just such a big fan of the books that it feels like they are really missing out by not reading them. But either way I'm sure the season will be great and they will all do a great job.

They are actors. Not fans. They take lots of acting jobs. Hopefully it is a job they enjoy, but it doesn't become an obsession.

I honestly agree; if you are acting in something that is an adaptation it behooves you to know what exactly the character you're going to be portraying is. The worst possible example of this in my memory what what Michael Gambon did to Dumbledore's character in the HP movies. He readily admitted to having not read the books and as a result Dumbledore was a snappish, angry, tempermental and confused gobber instead of the wise and just man that had been characterized; Gambon only really nailed Dumbledore in the sixth movie, but by then I was already soured on it.

That's not the actors fault. That's the directors fault. If he knows how the character is supposed to behave, then he needs to inform the actor. Actors read the scripts and adjust their reading/acting based on the input of the director.

[Mr. E]

The books are too grown up for Maisie. She says she'll read them later.

And I don't think Sophie read them either.

But Kit Harrington did, and he's even aware of theories and stuff... He's a fantasy fan.

You're right, I remember something about how Maisie's parents read them and decided to just tell her what was going on.

But as for Sophie...well, I might be reading a bit too much into this, but in one of the commentaries she distinctly refers to "San-San" fans; this implies to me that she has either read them, or prowls Westeros.org

:drunk:

That's not the actors fault. That's the directors fault. If he knows how the character is supposed to behave, then he needs to inform the actor. Actors read the scripts and adjust their reading/acting based on the input of the director.

Meh, I don't entirely agree--I see what you're saying, and for all I know you are Michael Gambon :cool4: , and I'm no expert on acting or anything...

But...

I still think that some onus has to be on the actor, even if it's just to discuss with the director about how a character would act in a scene; because perhaps the director himself is misinterpreting what's going on--I know specifically this occurred in the GOT episode where Joffery kisses Sansa and gives her that necklace.

So if, for example, the director of Goblet of Fire for some reason thinks Dumbledore is a tempermental bumbler, at that point in becomes the actor's responsibility to at least speak up and say what they think the scene should look like; and if the scene is part of an adaptation, the most fully realized way to do this, IMO, is to have read the source material.

[Hyper]

I still think that some onus has to be on the actor, even if it's just to discuss with the director about how a character would act in a scene; because perhaps the director himself is misinterpreting what's going on--I know specifically this occurred in the GOT episode where Joffery kisses Sansa and gives her that necklace.

Ok, I'll bite. What was misinterpreted in the Joffrey/Sansa scene?

So if, for example, the director of Goblet of Fire for some reason thinks Dumbledore is a tempermental bumbler, at that point in becomes the actor's responsibility to at least speak up and say what they think the scene should look like; and if the scene is part of an adaptation, the most fully realized way to do this, IMO, is to have read the source material.

The director is the ultimate authority. He or she is the one who yells 'cut'. He or she is the one asking for another take. Hopefully the director has familiarity with the source material - but even if they don't, they call the shots.

Disagreements about how a character acts would be hashed out earlier in conversations with the writer & director.

[Mr. E]

Ok, I'll bite. What was misinterpreted in the Joffrey/Sansa scene?

It was in one of the commentaries--or featurettes--anyway, the director (who hasn't read the books) was talking about how he thought that Joffrey was being sincere with Sansa, and that he really wanted a girlfriend, and this was all before he became corrupt, etc. Jack Gleeson basically came to him and talked to him about it, because Jack didn't think Joffrey would have been honest at all during this scene (which I agree with, BTW). Basically, the director won out--but I don't think it came across in the scene. It still appears that Joffrey's not being entirely guileless in the scene, mostly because we already know he's a little punk and that informs our opinion of the scene.

But to make a long story short, it pretty much shows that the director of the episode (who did a good job, mind you), because he had not read the books, misinterpreted Joffrey's character, and by extension, his manner in the scene in question.

The director is the ultimate authority. He or she is the one who yells 'cut'. He or she is the one asking for another take. Hopefully the director has familiarity with the source material - but even if they don't, they call the shots.

Disagreements about how a character acts would be hashed out earlier in conversations with the writer & director.

Again, I'm no acting/screenwriting/directing protege, by IMO you're really cutting out the creative input of the actor here. Hell, from what I've heard the writer is the least important person after the script's been turned in. And there are plenty of cases where an actor overrules a director (usually when the actor is way, way bigger than the director, but there you go.

Of course there are those dictatorial directors who won't listen to anything the actors say and do everything in service of "their vision." However, I don't think this is an ideal paradigm. The director should have the final say, but the best ones take the opinions of their actors and use that to inform their decisions. Actors are creative people too, after all, and they are the ones that are actually playing the characters/

[Hyper]

Mr. E, Thanks for the info from the commentaries - I have not listened to them. Some might view it an an adaptation choice. The show has clearly tweaked the motivations of a few characters.

As far as actors overruling directors, it happens but is far from the normal situation. Again, those big actors are usually signed on as producers or executive producers, where they can wield more power. :)

A good production clearly needs a constructive dialog between directors and actors. Some actors are vocal about their characters, whereas others prefer to trust the director and be less involved. My point was merely that the director is the final authority.

[Padraig]

My point was merely that the director is the final authority.

In the case of TV, its the showrunners. For GoT, its D&D.

Actors are creative people too, after all, and they are the ones that are actually playing the characters/

I agree with this. And that is why it should be the actor's choice on whether they feel they would benefit from reading the material or not. They are the creative people and they should know what works best for them. Some seem to have read the first book to get an understanding of the world, others read each book as it is being adapted, others don't read the books at all as they feel they learn too much about the world.

The source material is great but some things do change, so the final arbiters are D&D.