Gemma Whelan – Game of Thrones

By: Jamie Steinberg

Q) What is in store this season on “Game of Thrones” and with your character Yara Greyjoy?

A) Of course, you understand, I’m completely embargoed. I can only say what everyone is probably saying that it is a very exciting season and there is plenty in store to satisfy the fans from everyone. That’s about as safe an answer as I can give.

Q) How was Yara originally described to you?

A) In the casting breakdown, she was described as strong, feisty, front footed, driven and family oriented. She had a strong sense of herself, was a leader and of course, everyone on “Game of Thrones” is correct in their path. There is no such thing as right or wrong. Everyone is just on their own quest. It was a very exciting breakdown to get and I relished learning more about the program when I got the audition. It was a great thing to research as well.

Q) What is her relationship like with Theon and her father?

A) I think people can see form watching the show that at her core she cares deeply about the morally correct thing to do, but has also worked very hard to get where she is as a leader of men and a strong, fierce warrior in her own right in Theon’s (Alfie Allen) absence. I think her relationship with her father is volatile, as we have seen as well. I suppose like any family they have got their problems, but they know each other quite well – Yara and Balon (Patrick Malahide). They have lived together for quite some time so they know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Theon is slightly different because he has been away. I suppose it is quite evident on screen as to what their relationship is like.

Q) What kind of research did you do you for your portrayal?

A) I had a very brief amount of time between casting and my audition so I really watched Season One as research. And I bought one of the books and read a little of it to get the tone. Wikipedia was very helpful as well. Talking to the showrunners, eventually, when I got the job…Bryan Cogman is always a fantastic source of inspiration and knowledge about the whole world. It’s all there for you if you want to seek it out. I was quite interested in learning more about what she was like in the books and how to make her my own. As all the actors on “Game of Thrones, everyone works very hard to keep the integrity of the books, but also make it their own.

Q) The cast is quite numerous. Do you often get to interact with many of them?

A) There are often two units running at the same time so you’ll bump into a different set of cast members at the hotel who have been working with a different unit that day. We also go to events together and all sorts. So, off screen we see each other quite a bit and some of us have become quite close. Some of them I haven’t met at all!

Q) Do you find yourself getting recognized often?

A) Me, particularly, I always go unnoticed. No one ever recognizes me or I go unnoticed.

Q) How do you get into character?

A) Of course, hair, makeup and costume goes a long way once you get those leather boots on. It’s really a helpful part of my transition. I suppose the writing does a lot of the work for you. It’s just such fantastic writing that you know what your character is meant to be feeling, what your character’s point of view is, where they want to go and what they want. Obviously, missing a season is quite interesting because you’ve got to really watch again some of the stuff we’d done previously to shooting this season and make sure I hadn’t come at it wildly different. But like any job, you just sort of take on rather a fierce and front footed approach and hope the rest comes with the lines, the set and my fellow actors giving me stuff to react to. She is not hugely different from me in terms of her values. I just sort of turn the volume up on a few parts of me and, obviously, I have to find some other bits and put it together. Hopefully, it comes out well!

Q) What keeps challenging you about playing Yara?

A) I suppose it is the weight the show has now, the punch and the popularity it has. I suppose there is a real presence now. So, it is to step up to the plate at every single moment and treat it as a precious and privileged place to be. It’s not a challenge. Nothing is a challenge because you can’t get where you get to and if the challenge is there then there are all sorts of challenges to it being very, very cold or to you not understanding quite how to do a line. But at every stage whenever you hit a challenge like that there are fantastic directors. Everyone is at the top of their game. You are taken care of so well so you just have to concentrate on bringing you’re A-Game. And that is a challenge because it is a pressure. Obviously, that’s not to say there are other jobs I don’t take seriously. I really do. But the pressure of a huge sort of worldwide most popular show on TV, it has an extra presence in the back of your mind that you obviously don’t let get in the way. But you hold it lightly and proudly actually and try to not let it get the better of you where you go, “OH MY GOODNESS! I’M IN GAME OF THRONES!”

Q) What has been your most memorable moment from filming?

A) As I said, every moment is precious really. Because I’m there intermittently throughout the year, it’s different directors and people to work with. Every sort of person you work with throws up different things. I suppose one of the very memorable moments was my first ever scene in Season Two. I think my final episode in Season Two was episode eight or nine, but we shot my final scene of the series first. The first thing I ever did was my final scene. It was very intimidating because it was at a huge table of men who were eating. Alfie comes into the hall all haughty and I was so nervous that day. I’m a vegetarian – or a pescatarian at least. But the stage direction was “Yara eating meat voraciously and swigging ale.” Props didn’t know I was a vegetarian so they’d prepared all these chicken legs for me. I was so nervous to say, “I’m sorry I don’t eat meat,” that I just ate chicken all day. All the vegetarians out there will be screaming at me for having no integrity whatsoever. [laughs] But I was so nervous and didn’t want to make a fuss that I just wanted to get on with it and thought, “I’ll go really method and it will be fine” and excuse it that way. Then, there is always some farting horse or sometime you can’t control your horse and it crashes into the camera. So, there have been all sorts of things involving animals of some sort that have challenged me and are memorable. Also, it’s hugely memorable for what a classy piece of TV we are making at every stage. It’s the meticulousness to detail and the kindness and the comradery and the focus is just extraordinary that it is just a privilege to be a part of. Very, very many happy memories thus far!

Q) What have you taken away from your time working on “Game of Thrones?”

A) Lots of very good friends, good experience. I’ve learned a lot and I have met sort of people who I have gone on to work with on other things. It’s really a blessing and I didn’t realize at the time (I don’t think anyone realized) just how big it was going to get. I feel enormously privileged to be a part of it because I was just in the right place at the right time when I got the casting because I wouldn’t have been seen for this caliber a job had I not been a different casting where the casting director was the same. He thought, “You’re interesting for something I’m casting at the moment. Why don’t you come in next week?” It was for “Game of Thrones.” So, if I had not been at a casting for a sitcom [for a completely different genre all together] and been in front of the right person who is the amazing Robert Sterne who works with Nina Gold on casting. He brought me in and I was so lucky to have crossed paths with him because it has really changed things for me. Having “Game of Thrones” on your CV really does help in terms of getting castings. Not necessarily getting the jobs, but into fresh rooms and in front of people you may not have ordinarily or originally thought you’d meet. I’m very grateful because it is the gift that keeps on giving, really.

Q) You are a part of social media. Do you enjoy the fan feedback you receive to the show?

A) I do, actually. I really do. It was quite interesting because when I was cast, of course there are a lot of people who have a lot of opinions about things. So, there are certain people who thought, “Oh, she’s too fat. She’s too thin. She’s too this. She’s too that. She’s not what I had in my head.” I was told very early on to ignore that and not to engage with it. Actually, since then, only people who like you follow you (I imagine). So, they are always very, very kind and I try to engage them as much as I can. If I get fan mail, I’ll write back personally and if people tweet I’ll make sure I’ll engage or express gratitude because it is really special to have that.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) Such a giant thank you! It keeps you knowing that you are doing a good job with something that is so revered. The books and the show are so revered that if people think you are doing a good job with the material and they appreciate it then I can only match that and say how much I appreciate their love of feedback.