Interview/News/Photos

Season 8 European Premiere Red Carpet & Game of Thrones Cast Interviews

Posted on by Luka Nieto
Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images
Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

The European premiere for the final season of Game of Thrones took place yesterday in Belfast. Though not as extravagant an affair as the New York City premiere, much of the cast still attended the screening of the season premiere, including a few missing in NYC.

Alongside Game of Thrones producers Bernadette Caulfield and Chris Newman, much of the cast were in attendance at the ICC Belfast Waterfront Hall convention center, including a distressingly clean-shaven Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), Maisie Williams (Arya Stark), Isaac Hempstead Wright (Bran Stark), Liam Cunningham (Davos Seaworth), Carice van Houten (Melisandre), Conleth Hill (Varys), Gemma Whelan (Yara Greyjoy), Pilou Asbæk (Euron Greyjoy), Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei), Jacob Anderson (Grey Worm), John Bradley (Samwell Tarly), Hannah Murray (Gilly), Joe Dempsie (Gendry), Richard Dormer (Beric Dondarrion), Jerome Flynn (Bronn), Ben Crompton (Edd Tollett), and even Kerry Ingram (the late Princess Shireen Baratheon.) Of course, Sky Atlantic covered the cast’s arrival to the event:

During the red carpet, SkyAtlantic also interviewed the cast, including Isaac Hempstead Wright, who says “the first episode [of season eight] is spectacular. I think it’s one of the strongest—probably the best—opening episodes we’ve ever done in Game of Thrones.”

Absent from New York, Gemma Whelan was elated to attend the Belfast premiere, as attested by her Instagram post, where she says she was “blown away” by the season premiere (“Holy dragon balls”, she exclaims) and that it was “so special to be back in Belfast with the best gang in the world.”


Finally, I’ll just leave you with this Pilou Asbæk gem…

Hm, Hand lotion? Okay. Nevermind. Maybe we should focus on what’s important instead: for one final time, Game of Thrones is back TOMORROW! I can’t even believe it.

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Luka Nieto

44 Comments

  2. Just wanted to let you know both times in the article and in the tags there’s a spelling error in Isaac’s last name. It says Hampstead Wright when it should be Hempstead Wright.

  5. Pilou Asbæ is a scream.

    If I couldn’t get more excited, Isaac’s clip above actually got me more excited…
    The Stark/Targ kids look amazing together.

  9. So sad! Last season only a day away, feel for Lena too, Jerome blocked her out from another premiere. Can’t they just get along, she could be on one end of line and he on another.

  12. So do we have to wait until Sunday evening on HBO to see it or will it be on earlier in the day? Anyone know start times for USA east coast time?

  13. olli:
    So do we have to wait until Sunday evening on HBO to see it or will it be on earlier in the day?Anyone know start times for USA east coast time?

    Tomorrow night at 9pm est.

  14. Jack Bauer 24: Tomorrow night at 9pm est.

    It’s almost surreal..
    19 months since the end of season 7..
    8 years since season 1..
    And now it’s the beginning of the end.

  15. Tron79: If I couldn’t get more excited,

    How excited? Tissues and hand lotion excited? 😉

    I’ve decided on my “game time meal.” Going with the staple, a big ol’ roast!

    I still can’t believe we’ve almost made it. One day!!! I was at the bar last night and I was overhearing GoT talk the whole time. Seriously… it was coming up all evening (and I didn’t start it most of the time) 😊

  16. Tyjon,

    As I’ve watched interviews where various cast members talk about the table read for Season 8, I had to wonder. They assembled the entire cast for the read, so Lena and Jerome had to both be present. Wonder how that worked. One thing is sure.When the Emmy nominations are passed out Lena will be there, as she deserves to be. I guess they didn’t have a typical break up. It must have been pretty bad.

  19. Are there going to be so many handwringing moments in Ep 1 that our hands will get chapped in less than an hour?

  21. Isaac really has grown into a remarkably tall young man. I’m only up to Season 4 on my rewatch (yeah, slacker, I know) and it’s already so obvious that he’s no little boy, despite the fact that he’s lying down or sitting all the time.

  22. I am anxiously awaiting the first episode that still HBO has not posted a name for. I am much older than Danarys but I plan to have my hair braided like hers and I have a nice bottle of wine ready. I hate to think this is the last season and have hope it will be all I hoped it would be. These premiers are hyping me up so much and for the past years I feel like I know these people and I hate to see them go.

    #For the Throne

  23. tyrion’s mother:
    I am anxiously awaiting the first episode that still HBO has not posted a name for. Iam much older than Danarys but I plan to have my hair braided like hers and I have a nice bottle of wine ready. I hate to think this is the last season and have hope it will be all I hoped it would be. These premiers are hyping me up so much and for the past years I feel like I know these people and I hate to see them go.

    #For the Throne

    Episode title when the episode is added on HBO NOW tomorrow night it seems. That’s really the last chance to reveal it, unless they don’t reveal it. Which would be strange.

  24. My excitement knows no bounds!!!

    Terribly disappointed that Lena Headey wasn’t at either premiere.

  28. Jack Bauer 24,

    Excellent. We have company coming over for pre-show medieval food at 4:30. I’ve been fearing a Pacific-Time delay that would result in the obliteration of the Targaryen Scotch, lol.

  30. Wolfish:
    Jack Bauer 24,

    Excellent. We have company coming over for pre-show medieval food at 4:30. I’ve been fearing a Pacific-Time delay that would result in the obliteration of the Targaryen Scotch, lol.

    Awesome! Enjoy the festivities and the premeire!

  32. I’ve got five bottles of the various GoT beers in the fridge and the popcorn popper is ready to rock.

  36. Wimsey:
    Wolfish,

    How do your guests feel about the GoT themed chamber pots?

    I think it would depend a lot on whether or not the chamber pots are equipped with loaded crossbows.

  37. Gemma and Maisie look so nice. Different style for Maisie, and it works.

    I get unreasonably happy seeing Ben Crompton there! 😊

    Pilou is hilarious, and I can’t express how much I love Liam and Carice’s bickering companionship. 😆

  39. Firannion,

    I have the Targ and Tully. Alas, I cannot find the Greyjoy (Talisker)—which I’ve gathered from reviews is one of the best, along with the Lannister (Lagavulin). I’m also bummed to not have found the Stark (sold out early, duh), but at least I know it’s a bottling of the lovely Winter’s Frost Saner Half and I had at Dalwhinnie in November.

  41. Kerry Ingram is interesting, sure a lot of other 2nd tier could have been there… I guess everybody was invited?

  42. Happy that Gemma (and Ben) made it to the Belfast premiere. She, Hannah and Maisie made a positive impression on me. #SplashOfColour

    But maybe everyone else in black (and white – Sophie stuck out in a positive way as well) was dressed up to the occasion. RIP GoT, I guess? Mood.

    Aryamad:
    “What is lubed may never dry.” Euron 😆

    OMG, hilarious. 😂

  44. I am trying to maintain my excitement. 6 hours, 10 minutes, 55 secs… lol

    I had to comment on the cast images of this Belfast Premiere event. I am worried for them all. The cast & crew members still on tour, after several weeks of constant travel for premiere & tv appearances & media interviews, look totally EXHAUSTED! I almost did not recognized Sophie! Is she sick? I bet they will take long vacations after this PR push!

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