As King Joffrey, he’s one of the most hated characters to ever grace Game of Thrones, and yet, I sort of miss the bastard. Therefore it’s a pleasure to check in with his portrayer, Jack Gleeson, once in a while. The actor is a guest at this weekend’s New York Comic Con, and spoke with Nate Jones of Vulture about his well-earned Thrones death and his final onscreen appearance.
Bustle reports that the filming of Joffrey’s wake (when he’s lying in state in the sept of Baelor) was “one of his favorite scenes to film.” Gleeson says, “I think the final scene that I kind of appear in is when I’m dead. Joffrey’s corpse is like lying on a plinth on the set and I just kind of got to sleep for the whole day so that was definitely a fun experience.”
Gleeson notes that choking to death was “really hard to do” and suggests an alternative. “Maybe like Joffrey dying in his sleep because that would be really easy for me I wouldn’t have to worry about trying to make it convincing. I could just literally fall asleep and they could [have] just film[ed] me and maybe have a [subtitle] ‘He dies.'”
More fun for you, Jack, but less satisfying for viewers!
A season 6 cast member, British star Richard E. Grant, talks with the Belfast Telegraph this week about the long-ranging effects of his time on the show. The actor talks up the newest addition for his line of “Jack” fragrances, Piccadilly ’69, which is inspired by a visit to London’s Piccadilly Circus in 1969. In between scent chatter, Grant touches on Game of Thrones, where he played the theatrical manager Izembaro, who gave us his own twists on King Robert and Tywin Lannister.
The Belfast Telegraph notes that when it comes to Game of Thrones, “Grant is a huge fan and firmly of the opinion that we are living through a golden age of television.”
Grant appeared in three episodes but he’s hungry for more. Three episodes was also enough to leave a lasting impression wherever he goes. He tells the Telegraph, “We did the interiors in Belfast, at Titanic Studios, the old paint halls. The exteriors were shot north of Barcelona. It was like being in a movie – as it would be considering they spent $11m per episode. Its reach is phenomenal. On Wolverine, I was working in New Mexico in a town of 600. And there wasn’t a day that someone would not come up to me and say: ‘I saw you in Game of Thrones.’ It amazes me. I just wish I’d been in more episodes.”
Meanwhile, a current cast member had a rough filming week. Between the wind and the rain, Emilia Clarke just can’t catch a break with Northern Ireland location shooting:
Another filming piece of news: the Dark Hedges found in Ballymoney, N. Ireland, are closing on the weekend of October 15-16. Could this be for Game of Thrones filming? We don’t know yet- it’s possible the county is temporarily closing down the road for other reasons. However it would be nice to see the show return to the memorable setting that stands in as Westeros’ Kingsroad.
@WatchersOTWall FYI. The Dark Hedges is closed on Saturday 15/Sunday 16 October. Presumably for Kingsroad scenes. Saw a sign this morning
— Omar Soliman (@wiz52) October 7, 2016
Final note: a reminder to join us Wednesday night, October 12th at 8PM EDT, for the Watchers on the Wall Awards! Details found HERE.
Crud, all my NYCC panel submissions got rejected so I didn’t go: apparently because they couldn’t get any current cast members, there isn’t a *single* Game of Thrones panel of any kind there. My guess is that they just decided to go light on GoT panels without guests this year.
Thus I ended up not going, due to a combination of unable to afford regular tickets (except Thursday), and also with no panels and only Jack coming by himself, it didn’t really justify the expense of ducking out of work for a day. Crud.
I’m reworking my panels as YouTube videos; Axey and Bex saw the first and seemed to like it.
Sue, L7R have also just posted on FB a photo of Alfie, Gemma and another actor in Iron-born gear at the red door tearooms in Ballintoy. Could be that the Greyjoys are going back to the Iron Islands?
Turns out the photo is a month old from Gemma’s IG ?
Apollo,
It’s actually a year old if it’s the one where they are holding teacups
So I see.. trolled! ?
Possible Kingsroad filming is interesting – that scene with Arya from season two was, I think, not long after they apparently set out from KL. I’ll need to go back and double check exactly when, but if that is the case then it is likely the scenes feature someone not long before they reach KL or setting out north from it, right?
Obviously the writer of the article doesn’t watch the show – Joffrey did not die from eating a big poisoned piece of pie….. I was disappointed in that interview; was hoping for some information on what Jack is doing now, and what he thought about last season. Ah well.
Alba Stark,
Yeah, that’s what I thought too. It’s interesting to see if any actors can be spotted in Belfast next weekend, that could give us some idea, if indeed they are filming here.
https://mobile.twitter.com/IrishThrones/status/784754531993264129
New GOT location?
I seriously love Jack Gleeson. Hated Joffrey but Jack seems so nice. 🙂
ghost of winterfell,
The Walled Garden in Bangor isn’t a new location.
https://watchersonthewall.com/game-thrones-filming-heads-bangor-castles-walled-garden/
“We did the interiors in Belfast, at Titanic Studios, the old paint halls. The exteriors were shot north of Barcelona. It was like being in a movie – as it would be considering they spent $11m per episode. Its reach is phenomenal. On Wolverine, I was working in New Mexico in a town of 600. And there wasn’t a day that someone would not come up to me and say: ‘I saw you in Game of Thrones.’ It amazes me. I just wish I’d been in more episodes.”
This is the appropriate reaction to being in game of thrones, grateful and respectful.
Looking at you Alex Sidigg.
What’s going on next weekend?
Emilia seems like the kind of person that makes going to work at 3AM worth it.
Alba Stark,
In fact, it’s hard to determine how far this section of the King’s Road is from King’s Landing based on the shot from S2. It serves as a midpoint between the KL and the location they were attacked by the Golden Cloaks with the help of some local lord. That location was closer to Harenhall, as Arya and her friends were brought there afterwards. But the King’s Road section can be almost anywhere between Harenhall area and KL.
Nonetheless, I believe it will be used to show someone returning to KL and that someone should be Arya. It would be so symbolic to see her going back to KL by the same road to to the same thing she intended in S1, but now harder and stronger.
Sue the Fury,
What was it in Season 5?
She looks so cold! Winter is here Dany – welcome.
OT – is anyone looking forward to the return of FILMBuFF on YT?
MeeraReed,
I am. They are really good and help me notice new things still. For instance, I missed that Davos paid the man who was turned the crowd against the Lannisters.
Sue the Fury,
Oh OK. I wouldn’t know since I only started coming here last year 🙂 . What is the location used for?
Jack Bauer 24,
The location used for Kingsroad is being closed for the next weekend. If the reason for that is GOT, then that’s when the filming will happen I assume.
Yes, I think Im (FILMBuFF) is fantastic. I love his format, how passionate he is (he’s basically us, just on film), and how genuinely considerate he is to the viewers. He’s a perfect play-by-play man.
And the idea of filming Stefano’s reactions, and Stefano himself- well – it would be difficult to find a better duo to do the reaction series. And I now refer to LF as Stubby, Jaime as Fabio, and have said – on more than one occasion ‘fuck him in his ear’.
Hopefully we will just have a few days before we get the next one. ?
When editing goes wrong on your phone. ?
MeeraReed,
FilmBuff do what they do very well Lady Reed – but what are you doing hanging about on a fansite when you should be protecting Bran?
Kidding aside, this may already have been mentioned (I was in hospital for a few days so may have missed a few things) but there is another reactor who has recently started, Canaan Weathers, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1uDh2Qw2YQ
and there is also Papakennmedia and Jody’s Corner (Jody is pacing himself through season 6 and wants the Faith Militant gone asap – I was tempted but I didn’t post any spoilers).
On a sadder note – and again this may have been posted about during my absence – apparently the YouTuber Redbeard has died. This seems a rotten shame because he had a wife or partner and a young family and was still in his 30s. I enjoyed his videos. I don’t know if anybody from his family read this website but on the off chance I express my condolences
Hg,
Well, to be fair to Alexander Siddig they did muck up his story line somewhat and then just decided to bump off his character. Now I do enjoy GoT though I might have occasionally had a few little niggles but I don’t think it – or any TV show – is above criticism as long as the criticism is done in a sensible way. Somebody had posted on Youtube about episode 10 season 6 about why they hated the episode and I clicked on for about two minutes and then clicked out again. To be fair that YouTube – whose name eludes me – may have made his argument in a reasoned way for all I know. It’s the “D&D are hacks and people who like what they do are stupid fanboyz and fangurlz” type of thing I hate. It’s okay for folk to dislike what D&D have done – people don’t have to agree with me about things and I was very disappointed with how Dorne was adapted – more because of the changing of the characters and their motivations from their book counterparts – and they never brought out book Doran’s wiliness for example.
ash,
Jack Gleeson at least claims to not watch the show at all. Some youtubers (FILMBUFF) talked to him at a comic con type event in Canada. He said he was vaguely aware of some of the bigger events, but has never actually watched the show. As far as acting, he hasn’t done anything since Thrones, not sure what he’s been doing otherwise.
Dame of Mercia,
FILMBuFF is the only one I watch, but I’ll check out Canaan very soon, thanks for the info!
That is indeed sad news about Redbeard. Death is always sad, especially in one so young with a family.
As for Bran- he’s been locked in a vision for a few months now. He’s gaining some power- some odd things have begun to occur.
I hope you’re feeling better. And hopefully FILMBuFF posts a video for your viewing pleasure very soon. ?