Westeros.org Interviews... Michelle Fairley

[Westeros]

We know interviews with cast and crew of HBO’s Game of Thrones are going out there fast and furious right now, but we’re going to dive in and add to the plentitude. Each day, from here on toward the premiere on March 31st, we’ll feature an interview with a different actor from Game of Thrones season 3. You’ll see interviews from old favorites like Iain Glen, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, and Kit Harington… and plenty of new faces, as well, whom we’ve never had the pleasure of interviewing before, such as Maisie Williams, Sophie Turner, Gwendoline Christie, and Rose Leslie.

To kick off the series, you can read the interview with Michelle Fairely that we’ve just posted. Some hints about what’s going on in season 3, some thoughts about some of her fellow actors and the process of working on the show, and more!

Check in tomorrow evening when we’ll post another interview. Haven’t quite decided who we’ll post just yet—so hard to choose.

Visit the Site!

[Eir]

Looking forward to reading all of these! Thanks for all of the hard work!!

Q: So she blames herself, in a way, for what’s happened?

A: She totally believes that. She starts to think about Jon Snow and things like that, and the promises she made regarding him and because she’s so religious she thinks the gods are angry at her because of those promises.

What could this possible be about? Promises regarding her care of him or promises to herself about never letting him usurp her children? Are the gods angry because she's been too lenient or too harsh? I can't wait--it'll have to be covered in conversation because tv viewers can't "see" her thoughts, probably when she's meeting her uncle in Riverrun.

[Titan]

The ending of the interview just looks odd... Read the comments below the interview. :D

[Eir]

The ending of the interview just looks odd... Read the comments below the interview. :D

Are you able to see any? Or is that your point? ^_^

[1234567]

Really good interview. Glad to see she's read the books. Slightly worried about the answer to the last question.

[Titan]

Are you able to see any? Or is that your point? ^_^

???

[Eir]

???

Sorry--was talking about the comments section. I wasn't able to see it on my browser, so I thought that its absence was what you meant by "odd". Switched to Chrome and can see it now!

[David Selig]

Wait, "She starts to think about Jon Snow" and blames herself? That sucks.

[Ran]

Seriously, that was just the last question we were able to ask before time was up. :)

And yes, the Jon Snow thing... all is explained in the first couple of episodes. We'll see what people have to say about it.

[Eir]

And yes, the Jon Snow thing... all is explained in the first couple of episodes. We'll see what people have to say about it.

Oohh--good to hear! Was it particularly insightful, or would you say that it was mainly to remind the audience how Catelyn feels about Jon, so that there's some context for potential future discussions (e.g. her reticence over the choice of Robb's heir)?

[The Anti-Targ]

In terms of the final sentence, I think it is important for the actors to be in the mind of the character in the script rather than the character in the books. Catelyn's TV character diverged in her motiviations from, book Catelyn from Episode 1. And the whole Jaime escape vs. Robb marrying arc is vastly different.

I actually think it's better for the actors to either not read the books at all, or read the books in arrears of the TV show, so not reading Storm until after S4.

It's just sad, from a book fan perspective to know that the series has lost so much resemblance to the books that Michelle has to avoid the books to keep her motivations and characterisations straight.

[J. Stargaryen]

Seriously, that was just the last question we were able to ask before time was up. :)

And yes, the Jon Snow thing... all is explained in the first couple of episodes. We'll see what people have to say about it.

I'm willing to believe this for now. But if the next interview contains the anecdote "One time while filming we ran out of toilet paper, so we just used the books!" I am going to become suspicious.

WRT to Catelyn's thoughts about Jon Snow, I wonder if she regrets her part in his joining the NW. If he was in Winterfell you have to believe that Theon gets a sword shoved up his ass the minute he hops over the walls. Or maybe she regrets not having Jon at Robb's side to give him council. I'm thinking it's along those lines. Or maybe she starts to see him as family, since she's lost so many others recently.

[Sansa in the North]

Wait, "She starts to think about Jon Snow" and blames herself? That sucks.

Yeah! I don't think she has much to blame herself for, so I don't really want to see it.

[Buckwheat]

She feels guilt? That is really weird, I thought of Catelyn as somebody who always believes she acted the way that was right for her family and does not feel guilty over what she has done (least of all regarding Jon Snow).

It's just sad, from a book fan perspective to know that the series has lost so much resemblance to the books that Michelle has to avoid the books to keep her motivations and characterisations straight.

Quoted for truth.

[Uruk-Hello]

And yes, the Jon Snow thing... all is explained in the first couple of episodes. We'll see what people have to say about it.

Catelyn was the deciding factor at the TOJ?

Great interview, by the way. Keep it up!

[David Selig]

She feels guilt? That is really weird, I thought of Catelyn as somebody who always believes she acted the way that was right for her family and does not feel guilty over what she has done (least of all regarding Jon Snow).

She feels guilt sometimes, one of those cases is when she meets Mya and she reminds her of Jon Snow.

Though since they removed the "It should've been you" scene in the adaptation, it's not clear why should she feel guilty about Jon.

[protar]

She feels guilt sometimes, one of those cases is when she meets Mya and she reminds her of Jon Snow.

Though since they removed the "It should've been you" scene in the adaptation, it's not clear why should she feel guilty about Jon.

Well she was still rather harsh and cold to him in the show, and pressured Ned into sending him off to the NW.

I do wonder why they're bothering adding this as I can't really see it leading anywhere, but I can see that maybe they want a bit of interconnectivity between plotlines.

[Abaddon]

Well she was still rather harsh and cold to him in the show, and pressured Ned into sending him off to the NW.

I do wonder why they're bothering adding this as I can't really see it leading anywhere, but I can see that maybe they want a bit of interconnectivity between plotlines.

Remember right before the RW Robb floats the idea of making Jon his heir. She reacts very negatively in the books and he (presumably) goes ahead and does it anyway. (I guess this has since been confirmed, as was mentioned in another thread). I'm not sure how her feeling guilty over being harsh on Jon plays into that, but I would have to think these are related somehow. Maybe the idea is raised earlier in the show than in the books, and she initially reacts negatively; then has second thoughts. I always thought one of the more subtle tragedies of the RW was the fairly bad terms Catelyn and Robb were and how they never had a chance to reconcile before the end. I wouldn't mind it if that was changed in the show, there's plenty of tragedy to go around without making it that much more bitter...

[protar]

Remember right before the RW Robb floats the idea of making Jon his heir. She reacts very negatively in the books and he (presumably) goes ahead and does it anyway. (I guess this has since been confirmed, as was mentioned in another thread). I'm not sure how her feeling guilty over being harsh on Jon plays into that, but I would have to think these are related somehow. Maybe the idea is raised earlier in the show than in the books, and she initially reacts negatively; then has second thoughts. I always thought one of the more subtle tragedies of the RW was the fairly bad terms Catelyn and Robb were and how they never had a chance to reconcile before the end. I wouldn't mind it if that was changed in the show, there's plenty of tragedy to go around without making it that much more bitter...

Well Ran did confirm up thread that her reflecting on Jon will be in the first couple of episodes so I doubt it will tie into the Will directly, though it might make Cat reluctant to directly oppose Robb's decision so much (Which would make Cat weaker imo but I can see them doing that.).

[Abaddon]

Well Ran did confirm up thread that her reflecting on Jon will be in the first couple of episodes so I doubt it will tie into the Will directly, though it might make Cat reluctant to directly oppose Robb's decision so much (Which would make Cat weaker imo but I can see them doing that.).

All we need for the thought of the Will to occur is for Robb&Cat to learn of Bran&Rickon's "deaths". Presumably that happens pretty early on. It would make sense if Robb floated the idea pretty much then and Catelyn reacts in a strongly negative fashion. She then reflects on Jon and reconsiders and gives her belated approval to Robb's idea. I could see this working...

Of course, Ran already knows if this is the case or not :). It's probably not. But I wouldn't mind if they did that.

[EDIT] Forgot about the news of Sansa's wedding to Tyrion, which happens much later in the show than the books... so, this makes a lot less sense. Oh well.