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Westeros

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Oh, and Margaery-Sansa ship is all over the interwebs. I put no stock in it, of course. I think Margaery is just friendly and compassionate. But it does exist.

My own view is that Margaery in the books is a murderous, lying, hypocrite, who was quite happy to frame Sansa for Joffrey's death (though others see her differently) I have no idea whether the producers of the Show will portray her as such.

To me Margaery/Sansa shipping flies in the face of every bit of textual evidence.

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I wonder how any of these actors can NOT read the books. Even if it's from the viewpoint of knowing about their job security. I'd want to know how long I was going to be working on the show. Let alone showing some interest in what you are DOING for as living. I can't imagine not reading the whole series, or at least up to the point my character is killed off.


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Interesting point. NCW said he looked ahead to see if Jaime was still alive in ADWD. (I love him, BTW, I'm not getting on his case at all, I just like reading his interviews, he's funny and very easy on the eyes and all of that...)

But the argument against reading ahead that I've heard from some television actors is they don't want to know ahead of time what's going to happen so it won't creep into their performance. Granted, this may be looking on the bright side, since they don't have the option of knowing what's going to happen on most shows, and on this one, only to a certain point, and the series could diverge.

Some actors can use this, though. Just an example, Colin Firth researched the role of Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice by reading the book, and his performance is seen as definitive. So knowing what happened most likely informed his performance, and certainly didn't detract from it. Movie actors do this all the time, you read the whole script ahead of time.

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My own view is that Margaery in the books is a murderous, lying, hypocrite, who was quite happy to frame Sansa for Joffrey's death (though others see her differently) I have no idea whether the producers of the Show will portray her as such.

To me Margaery/Sansa shipping flies in the face of every bit of textual evidence.

Show Margaery seems even more obviously smarmy, lying, opportunistic and duplicitous, and Natalie Dormer is playing her like that - so I'd be pretty surprised if she is somehow made to be a sincere friend to Sansa.

Interesting point. NCW said he looked ahead to see if Jaime was still alive in ADWD. (I love him, BTW, I'm not getting on his case at all, I just like reading his interviews, he's funny and very easy on the eyes and all of that...)

But the argument against reading ahead that I've heard from some television actors is they don't want to know ahead of time what's going to happen so it won't creep into their performance. Granted, this may be looking on the bright side, since they don't have the option of knowing what's going to happen on most shows, and on this one, only to a certain point, and the series could diverge.

Do you know which actors have read the books, or at least parts of them, and which haven't? I've heard that Lena Headey is not reading the books.

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Do you know which actors have read the books, or at least parts of them, and which haven't? I've heard that Lena Headey is not reading the books.

Most of them aren't from what I've gathered, maybe Kit Harington(?). Charles Dance from interviews seems to know what's coming, he can't wait to spoil his character's future for viewers! Whether or not he reads the books is another matter however.

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Do you know which actors have read the books, or at least parts of them, and which haven't? I've heard that Lena Headey is not reading the books.

They seemed in true confession mode sitting in front of GRRM and the HBO execs at this panel, starts at 1:10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkzodgRaze8

Sophie Turner- no, only her chapters up to the season

Maisie Williams - no, her mother and stepfather read the books and tell her

Lena Headey - no

Peter Dinklage - no

Kit Harington - yes, the first four books

Michele Fairley - no, only her chapters up to the season

NCW - no, played it for laughs, said the same answer as Maisie (he's said before only his chapters up to the season, who knows)

Richard Madden (in other interviews) - yes, up to the season ("I have to read them. I need to as an actor. I want to.")

Emilia Clarke (in other interviews) - yes ("Of course I’ve read everything, not only my chapters. You have to get the whole atmosphere of the book.")

Added some others on...

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And I think that Margaery and Olenna's intent was to frame Tyrion in order to free Sansa to marry Willas, but call me a romantic.

They used Sansa to frame Tyrion, but they also framed Sansa by association. Would they have preferred to be the ones to tell Sansa she has blood on her hands instead of Littlefinger, so she'd better shut up and put up? Sure.

Case in point:

“No,” the Knight of Flowers said, unamused. “Sansa Stark was the poisoner. You all forget, my sister was drinking from that chalice as well. Sansa Stark was the only person in the hall who had reason to want Margaery dead, as well as the king. By poisoning the wedding cup, she could hope to kill both of them. And why did she run afterward, unless she was guilty?”
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Most of them aren't from what I've gathered, maybe Kit Harington(?). Charles Dance from interviews seems to know what's coming, he can't wait to spoil his character's future for viewers! Whether or not he reads the books is another matter however.

Think he knows what's coming because some bookreader unhelpfully spoiled it for him http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-svwAW-Gyg#t=2m40s

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They used Sansa to frame Tyrion, but they also framed Sansa by association. Would they have preferred to be the ones to tell Sansa she has blood on her hands instead of Littlefinger, so she'd better shut up and put up? Sure.

Case in point:

There's no indication Loras had any idea what was going on, and I don't think he did. It doesn't really accord with his character at all.

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Do you know which actors have read the books, or at least parts of them, and which haven't? I've heard that Lena Headey is not reading the books.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGA6JHNI-oo

Seems like she's doing so now, or at least her mother tells her what's up. Seemed a bit ambiguous.

Do you guys really think that actors don't know when their character dies? To even believe for a second that Michelle Fairley or Alfie Allen thought they were off the show for real is dumb, unless they have season by season contracts... Additionally, I would assume they all have an agent, and I'd think part of his job describtion would be to make sure to know how long they have work...

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGA6JHNI-oo

Seems like she's doing so now, or at least her mother tells her what's up. Seemed a bit ambiguous.

Do you guys really think that actors don't know when their character dies? To even believe for a second that Michelle Fairley or Alfie Allen thought they were off the show for real is dumb, unless they have season by season contracts... Additionally, I would assume they all have an agent, and I'd think part of his job describtion would be to make sure to know how long they have work...

So now everyone has their mothers tell them what happens in the books? :lol:

In their defense, they may be really busy, and these are long books - it took me about a month to read each of them. And I don't have a busy schedule.

Maybe they really think the showrunners can decide to kill their character off, even though they're alive in the books? Especially now when they have George scaring them by talking about D&D killing off characters that are still alive in the later books. He neglected to point out that these are very minor characters. No way would they dare to kill off a major character who still has a role to play on the show.

Also, oddly enough, Michelle is still going to have a role despite her character being killed. :lol:

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Great link, thanks! Yes, for sure, you always have to filter that with the "they are actors" lens, even interviews.

Nice little spoilerish bit about Cersei and Jaime within this, here's Lena Headey and Michelle Fairley:

"This season we just shot, season 4, was a very different relationship for the two of them. What I love about this is it endlessly evolves, and there's constant change. And so I think it was something unforeseen for her, what happens this season... It's actually exciting getting the scripts and not knowing. But my mom reads the books and she's always highlighting passages and going, 'Look at that!'... She gets so excited..."

"Especially when you have to be naked... Another one of you and your brother!"

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Listening to some more, this is kind of awesome, GRRM:



"Winter is coming... All men must die... But I don't necessarily think that makes it a pessimistic world, or perhaps not any more pessimistic than the real world that we live in. And we're here for a short time, and we should be conscious of our own mortality. But the important thing is love and compassion and empathy with other human beings is still possible. Laughter is still possible, even laughter in the face of death. The struggle to make the world a better place. We have things like war and murder and rape, horrible things that still exist in the world, but we don't have to accept them. We can fight the good fight, I think, the fight to eliminate those things. So there is darkness in the world, but I don't think we necessarily have to give way to despair. One of the great things Tolkien says in Lord of the Rings is despair is the ultimate crime, that's the ultimate failing of Denethor, the steward of Gondor, is that he despairs of ever being able to defeat Sauron. We should not despair, we should not go gentle into that good night. So winter is coming, but light the torches and drink the wine and gather around the fire, we can still defy it."


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGA6JHNI-oo


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Do you guys really think that actors don't know when their character dies? To even believe for a second that Michelle Fairley or Alfie Allen thought they were off the show for real is dumb, unless they have season by season contracts... Additionally, I would assume they all have an agent, and I'd think part of his job describtion would be to make sure to know how long they have work...

Actually, it's not that strange and unreasonable to believe that. Film is a pretty hectic business, so you can't just say "we need you for season 1 - 3 and then season 5 to 8". That would mean asking an actor to reserve 4 entire years 5 years in the future for a part that may or may not be needed (in case the show gets cancelled). Michelle signed on for three years. That's how long producers knew they were definitely going to need her. After that - who knows if it will be 1 or 2 or more seasons until we actually get to see a substantial amount of LS? And yes, I think many actors would not want to know if/how their characters die. Even if you say you will not let it influence your performance, it would certainly do so. It's like knowing that you're gong to be fired from your job, but acting like you don't know. It will show, even if only in subtle way. And subtlety is the best sign of good acting.

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I highly doubt any actor would rather not now when he's out of work for artistic integrity, I just don't believe that. But we'll never now either way.



I guess if Michelle was only on a 3 year contract it would at least be somewhat believeable, which is basically what I alluded to with the season by season contract.


My point is actually quite the opposite, there is no reason for an actor with a running contract to believe he would be written out, unless he's a massive douchebag and brought it on himself. Like I said, if they had 3 year contracts it's somewhat plausible, but if they had another season written in their contract it would be a load of crap. That being said, I would still find it highly unlikely that an agent wouldn't known/researched himself if a contract would be up for renegotiation or not.


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It doesn't really affect the performance anyway, it's just a line. You play Hamlet, you know he's going to die.

Lena Headey is underused though, she was hilarious in that panel. Forget about making Cersei likable, they should have made her funny.

Hopefully they will... her POV chapters were pretty funny at times.

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