Gemma Whelan reveals she almost dismissed Game of Thrones as “this medieval, dragons thing”

As soon as it began, Game of Thrones started creating a name for itself. In a very short time, it had gained massive popularity; which then kept rising with each season. And although fans stand divided over the last season, it would be safe to say the HBO show still ranks high in their recommendations. But in the early stages, if one hadn’t watched it before, they might just have passed saying it sounds too loaded. That’s what happened with Game of Thrones star Gemma Whelan, who played the fearless Yara Greyjoy on the show. Talking to Metro, Gemma revealed that she didn’t think she would like Game of Thrones; this was before she had joined the cast. Read on to find out more.

While discussing her pick of the TV shows, Gemma was asked about a show that she did not expect to like in the first place. “I guess Game of Thrones!” she answered. But, things changed quickly once she sat down to watch. “I thought ‘Oh God, what’s this medieval, dragons thing? Oh dear, I don’t know about this’…Then, just as I’ve said to you, I just watched the whole series in one night, the first series (season)…because it’s so much more than what people think it might be,” she said.

We know GoT is not an easy show. It rallies the viewer headlong into drama and action, with emotions flying all around. Every season punched us somewhere we loved but also somewhere it hurt a lot. With perhaps the most talked-about final season ever, the whole experience of the show was indeed bittersweet. And withs swords, kingdoms, and ancient knights, it might be too much for the uninitiated. But once you’re in, you are in it for the long haul. The intriguing drama unfolds at a rapid pace and keeps you engaged in those binge treats.

That’s what happened with Gemma. According to her, the last thing she binge-watched in one sitting was the first season of Game of Thrones. “I watched all of season one in one go. In order, I thought I’d just watch a little bit for my audition but I just was completely hooked immediately”; she said. The next thing that came close to GoT was Succession (another HBO show), which she finished in “two or three sittings”. The series that she just finished is Ozark’s third season, and she feels it was “brilliant”. Tiger King is what she hopes to start next. We also hope that she has watched all the eight seasons of GoT now; as she had admitted last year that she hasn’t watched a lot of it, including the ending.

Gemma Whelan is currently starring in Killing Eve’s third season as Geraldine, Carolyn Martens’ (Fiona Shaw) daughter. The third season started airing on BBC America from April 12, 2020.

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