John Bradley (Sam) recalls dealing with Game of Thrones negativity: “It’s about shaking it off”

Enthusiasts of Game of Thrones are still very much aware of the controversies surrounding season 8. Even three years after the conclusion of production, HBO’s profitable mint continues to captivate fans. After all, the highly popular and record-breaking series’ polarizing and hastily produced final season split its fan base. George R. R. Martin and HBO execs were astounded at how showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss handled such a hit program. And the cast of the show was also affected by it.

John Bradley talks about dealing with Game of Thrones fame

Bradley, who played Samwell Tarly on the show, has always been one of the fan favorites. In an interview with Cherwell, Bradley talked about dealing with the sudden fame he received from the show, “I think people who were in it from Season One, like I was, saw a gradual build of its success. It’s not like those who joined later on in the series, who would join what was already a huge show. For us, it always felt a little more manageable.

It wasn’t an overnight thing where you would join something that already had a lot of pressure from the second you joined. It was a level of fame that was actually quite manageable, as people who watched it, loved it. People who didn’t watch it would have no idea who you were, especially for somebody like me, who wasn’t on the posters, like Emilia or Kit, for example. That led to a level of recognition that was really nice. Everybody was always very polite and respectful.”

How John Bradley dealt with negativity

With fame, there was also negativity that followed after the controversial Game of Thrones finale. He said, “We all love the show as well; there’s nothing worse than having people talking about a project that you’re not invested in yourself. So, in terms of career, it’s a mark of approval that you can act.

If people in charge of a show like that trust you with it, then in regard to the negativity it’s just about shaking it off – it was such an all-consuming thing. Now we just want to show that we can do other things, but even if it’s the only thing you do in a career it’s still been a good career.”

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