Interview
Game of Thrones’ John Bradley on how he relates to Samwell Tarly
Despite the immense popularity of the program, the actors of Game of Thrones never wavered from their dedication to their roots. Their grounded demeanor has won them the admiration and respect of people all around the world. After playing Samwell Tarly, Jon Snow’s closest friend for a decade on the HBO epic, John Bradley won praise from all around the world. And he is quite grateful for his role.
John Bradley recalls how he connected with Sam
Actors often have to dip themselves in the characters they play. Bradley had a chat with Cherwell.org where he recalled, “You should always try to establish a connection between yourself and your characters. Humanity and life are all about grey areas. If you look closely enough, you will find something in common, even with the most extreme characters. Who you are as a child really influences who you are as an adult.”
John Bradley looks back at his childhood for inspiration
Bradley also explained how his own experiences help him connect with his characters, “And so, from my own therapy and self-reflection, I’ve taken this approach with characters, trying to find glimpses of who they were at six years old, even if they’re portrayed as 30 years old in the film. It gives you motivation for their actions as adults.
It’s tempting to think that a character doesn’t exist until they first appear in the film, but if you delve into their childhood you will discover an incident or a moment in their life that connects with something in your own life. Then you might see the parallel between the two of you.”
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