Isaac Hempstead Wright – Game of Thrones

By: Jamie Steinberg

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?

A) “Game of Thrones” takes up a large quantity of the year and up until recently I was doing my school exams. So, it was quite convenient that I got last year off because I got to focus on them and get them out of the way. I haven’t really been doing too much recently in the way of other projects. Hopefully, next year! There are sort of one or two indie films I’m attached to and we’ll see how they kind of come along.

Q) Last week we got to see Bran travel back in time. What was it like for him getting to see that Hodor has an actual and active past?

A) I think it opens up a lot of questions for Bran and the audience. We have only known Hodor (Kristian Nairn) to exist in this kind of catatonic state, perpetually repeating the word “Hodor.” So, to actually see that he was a perfectly kind of a healthy young lad at one stage certainly raises up a few questions now as to whether he was put into it for a reason or whether he has some secrets that will now go missing forever. I think that’s something Bran will be interested in exploring further.

Q) We know that Bran is being mentored by the Three-Eyed Raven. What lesson do you think Bran is most looking forward to learning from him?

A) I don’t think Bran really knows where the Three-Eyed Raven is going with it all. Bran is kind of being summoned to this cave and he has finally made it. The Raven goes, “Right, well there is no time to spare. You have to learn how to do this. I’m showing you this.” And Bran is kind of perhaps mistaken in maybe thinking that the Three-Eyed Raven thinks it is nice for Bran to see it. But, really, Bran is seeing all of this for a reason. Bran is being told and taught that he is going to have a tremendous amount of responsibility to live up to and undertake. So, I think that Bran is really kind of just trying to keep up with what the Three-Eyed Raven is trying to show him and I think the most important thing Bran is going to have to learn is that the Three-Eyed Raven said, “If you stay underneath the sea, it is beautiful, but if you stay too long you will drown.” That, I think, is what Bran is going to have to overcome this season and have to learn the hard way perhaps. It very much so has the temptation for Bran to just slip away in the dream state forever and just live in his head. It’s much nicer than the dismal reality he faces back in the cave. So, I think that is what I am most looking forward to seeing Bran learn and come to terms with it.

Q) Do you think that Bran hopes his lessons will help him find something within his friend?

A) There is almost the prospect that Bran could perhaps dig further into Hodor present day and see if he can unearth any glimpse of his former self. So, I definitely think there is an element of hope now that perhaps getting Hodor a few more brain cells.

Q) Bran did say in the last episode “war is coming.” Does that mean he is afraid?

A) I think yes. Bran is kind of none-the-wiser as to what is going on. He is kind of being summoned to this place by this strange old tree man and kind of seeing his mentor up until that point get destroyed and murdered by a bunch of ancient zombies outside. So, I think Bran is definitely kind of afraid of it because the Raven wouldn’t be telling him this unless Bran was somehow involved in it or have some part in it. I think that is definitely a prospect that kind of terrifies Bran. He can’t even necessarily control the visions he is having at the moment, let alone control them in a tight situation in which the whole kingdom is in jeopardy. Bran, very much, has a lot of learning to do.

Q) How do you get into character to portray Bran?

A) For me, what I like to do is kind of like to envision that he is watching the show along with everyone else. So, on set I would get on my phone and watch some YouTube videos of pervious “Game of Thrones” which might relate somehow to the scene or read some of the scenes and give me an idea of what happened exactly proceeding this because I think Bran is kind of getting to the point now where he has a sort of Mother Nature idea of what is going on in all of the parts of the kingdom. So, for me, the way I got into it this year was getting to know the whole kingdom and channeling that into the way that Bran made his decisions.

Q) You spend most of your time filming with Kristian Nairn. Was there an instant chemistry you shared or did you spend some time together to bond?

A) I think from day one we had a pretty strong bond. Actually, the first time I met him I accidentally destroyed his iPhone. I threw it across the cement by accident. [laughs] I was playing the Harry Potter Spells app on his iPhone and proceeded to throw his phone across the garage. So, ever since then we have kind of become friends. We’ve always had a tight bond throughout the whole series. I hope that came across certainly in the areas where Bran is walking with Hodor. I think what was nice about last week’s scene with Bran getting to see Hodor, there was definitely a connection across the ages of Bran kind of recognizing his friend and the twinge of sadness that Hodor is now as he is and not this bright young thing he used to be. I think that’s what would be going through Bran’s mind.

Q) Is there a scene or moment you are most looking forward to fans seeing this season?

A) The visions are pretty special this year. There are a number of visions that Bran delves into throughout the season and some of them are going to be real eye openers and shocking moments in terms of exactly what their ramifications are in the wider world of Westeros. After that, it only gets better.

Q) You have such a large cast. Is there someone you’d like to have a scene with some day?

A) The thing especially with Bran’s storyline is that he is so isolated in this cave miles up north that there is never an opportunity to interact with anyone new. I think it would be fun for Bran to have a scene with Tyrion (Peter Dinklage). I think he is such a great character with a kind of wit and cynicism he brings to the world. He so easily disappears in the face of terrible violence. A lot of the characters Bran gets to meet in his visions this year were pretty cool to actually get to meet – not necessarily have much of a scene with, but to be right in the middle of their action. That was the really cool thing about the visions this year. It wasn’t like Bran was interacting with them, but he was very much in the middle of it. I could observe everything going on whilst being an invisible spectator, which is a pretty unique experience. It’s almost like I get to delve into anyone’s storyline and get a really close firsthand perspective of it. So, a lot of the characters I got involved with thanks to that were particularly cool.

Q) You are a part of social media. Do you enjoy the instant feedback you receive from fans?

A) Oh, I love it! The best thing is when you know something massive is going to happen in an episode (last week for instance) and just waiting for it to implode. Then, you get to read everyone’s theories and go, “He’s right. No, she’s wrong.” It’s nice because Bran is one of the unambiguously decent characters on “Game of Thrones.” There is not really any aspect of him that is evil, bad or dishonorable. So when you see a nice thing happen to Bran, especially because he has been through a lot of terrible things, if everyone cheers then I’m glad he’s had this moment of connection. Fear not, destiny will be reintroduced and Bran will be in trouble again. That’s “Game of Thrones.”

Q) Is there something about Bran you want to be sure fans know of him?

A) I think Bran is in many senses is a fairly straightforward character. Perhaps one of the most complex sides of him is this magic and power he has. He knows about it as much as we do. He’s learning about it at the same time as the audience knows about it. Especially this season we’ll get glimpses into what this side of Bran is, what it can do and where it can take him. I think the most important thing to remember about Bran is that he is still kind of a teenager. He still has those hubristic tendencies to make those rash decisions. I think soon enough that will trip him up.

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

A) I’d like to say thank you. Thank you for voting Bran! [laughs] He’s one of the good guys and he won’t build a wall.