Forget the delay, or the fact that there only seven episodes this season; fans across the world are waiting with bated breaths to witness the magic of Game Of Thrones Season 7 to unfold. The trailers have left us whetted for more, and going by the promos, there are many more stunning war sequences, mind games, politics, and of course, blood and gore.
Westeros is going to be changed forever and we know it, but hearing it from the cast themselves is something else. Actors Daniel Portman who plays as Podrick Payne and Gemma Elizabeth Whelan, who plays Yara Greyjoy, talk about how their characters grow in the season and what the fans can expect.
Daniel Portman
Where do we find Pod at the beginning of season seven?
Essentially, you see Pod developing his skills as a knight. There’s a lot of training involved in this season for Pod; physical training in terms of a lot of sword fights and things that he has to do.
They’re just trying to get as much extra tutelage as they can, before all the craze hits the fan. It’s almost like he’s in the eye of the storm at the minute, just waiting for things to happen — brushing up his skills and making sure he’s as ready as he can be when it all happens.
Did you get to brush up on your own sword skills?
I was lucky enough to be able to do all that myself this year. I did all my own stunts which was great — it was really tiring, but I had a lot of fun and as well! There were some comedy stunts involved in it too — a lot of slapstick, falls and trips. It’s really nice to be physically involved and active and doing something that people are going to laugh at; I saw it in Automated Dialogue Replacement (ADR) and it looks brilliant and it’s so funny. It’s nice for the audience to see that he’s still relevant, even though he might not be at the forefront so much.
Gemma Whelan from the show
Gemma Whelan
What sort of reception does Yara get from the fans?
Only from Comic Cons, do I know that she’s hugely loved as a kind of strong, forward-thinking, independent woman. I have to say that I get asked, ‘What’s it like to play a strong woman?’ — a lot, which I think is a shame; women are strong and it shouldn’t be a question is my answer.
But, I do really enjoy that people find her inspiring. I know certain people have said to me at things like, ‘you inspired me to go to drama school,’ or just, ‘you inspired me’ — obviously, not me but the character of Yara. The strength that she has, who she is and what she stands for, has made small differences sometimes. I think it’s a huge privilege to be respected in that way, as someone who plays that character.
In the final reckoning would you like Yara to claim the throne or vanquish the last White Walker?
I’ve got a horrible feeling that the White Walkers are going to take over in season eight. Obviously I’ve got no idea, but they seem to be gaining strength and power and tenacity. But if I had a dream ending, me and Dany would own it. Why not?
(The Season 7 of Game of Thrones premieres on Star World on July 18 at 11 pm)
