Ciarán Hinds was put off by the “amount of sexuality” in Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones was the biggest and one of the most controversial shows of the past decade. The fantastical series was famous not just for its story and amazing CGI, but also for graphic nudity. The sex scenes shocked quite a number of audiences who questioned the show’s approach to sex. The show’s very own Ciarán Hinds, who played Mance Rayder from seasons three to five, was shocked by the number of sexual scenes in the series.

Why was Ciarán Hinds surprised by Game of Thrones’ graphic nudity?

In a recent interview with The Independent, Hinds confessed he wished that the focus of the showrunners should have been politics rather than nudity. He said, “I was rather put off by the amount of sexuality that was going on in it because it was taking away from the actual political storytelling. But that’s business, I guess, from their perspective.”

Who did Ciarán Hinds play on Game of Thrones?

Hinds played Mance Rayder, the leader of the Free Folk, holding the title of “King-Beyond-the-Wall”. He was once a noted ranger of the Night’s Watch. He was actually born a wildling and is proud of his lineage, but as an infant, he was left at one of the castles on the Wall to be raised in the Night’s Watch. As a young man, he deserted his post and fled north of the Wall to join the wildlings.

Does House of The Dragon have the same amount of nudity as Game of Thrones?

There is nudity, yes, but not on the level of Game of Thrones. House of The Dragon’s showrunners Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik talked to Insider in a press conference and revealed there won’t be any sexual violence in Season 1. “You’re dealing with a bunch of characters who all live under the same roof,” Condal said. “So those stories are necessarily going to be different. We’re not in war time yet, there isn’t that kind of sexual violence that follows war. That world hasn’t really entered the story just yet.”

Read next: Future House of the Dragon seasons may depict sexual violence, says writer and producer