Hey y'all! I am on the ground at San Diego Comic-Con! Today I'm headed to Hall H to cover all the news that's fit to print about the upcoming season of “Game of Thrones.” Check this space at 2:30PM PDT to follow along!
[2:21PM PDT]: We're inside! People are milling about but the excitement is palpable. Even the book readers don't know what to expect now! The Wifi is spotty as ever, but I will persevere!
[2:32PM PDT]: Still waiting. But the lights just dimmed! Here we go.
[2:35PM PDT]: Moderater Seth Meyer comes on stage and begins a sizzle reel of every time “Game of Thrones” has shown up in other places. The Simpsons, South Park, the Muppets, and more!
[2:38PM PDT]: Here comes the cast. We have Brienne, and Gilly, and Margarery, and Sansa, and Arya, and Varys, and Reek, and Melisandre, and Davos, and Sam! Gwendoline Christie is the ONLY actor on stage that read the books!
[2:40PM PDT:] Maisie Williams shares a story about how book readers would run up to her and say something like “Arya goes blind!” and she's just say “Yes I know,” to keep the conversation moving. Awww.
[2:41PM PDT]: Meyers asks John Bradley is he's worried about Gilly and Sam running into problems now that they've finally hooked up. “I think Sam would just accept more of the same. I don't he's the kind of guy to inject some exoticism into his sex life. Before Gilly, Sam thought of sex as most people thought of space. Just had a massive forearm.”
[2:46PM PDT]: Meyer says Brienne had ONE JOB, just look for the candle in the window and she blew it. Christie quips, “I didn't blow the candle!” The audience cheers. She continues, “I stood for THREE MONTHS waiting for a candle in a window.”
[2:47PM PDT]: When it comes to Davos abandoning Stannis and Shireen to the machinations of Melisandre, Liam says “I did TRY to stay,” before whipping the audience into a round of applause in defense of Davos' honor.
[2:50PM PDT]: Maisie says she's not sure what Arya isn't going to do without her eyes in the upcoming season.
[2:52PM PDT]: Another sizzle reel! This time of the cast's original audition tapes!
[2:54PM PDT]: We've moved into audience Q&A! A question for Maisie, about the challenges for Arya in the upcoming season. Maisie had the contacts in for about 15 minutes and they're really thick and they take a while to get used to. She's worried about having to do any fighting in those. It takes three seconds to write “Arya fights blind,” in the script but a lot longer for her to figure out how to do that.
[2:58PM PDT]: Question for Natalie Dormer. What is coming up for her character next season. Dormer says most people at the table today are in the same boat as the rest of us. She has no clue what”s going to happen to Margaery next season but Grandma isn”t around anymore to save her. So she thinks Margaery might be in a fair bit of trouble.
[3:01PM PDT]: Question for the whole cast. If you could change one thing from last season, what would it be? Gwendoline Christie chimes in. “I would wait for the candle.”
“And if she”d waited for the candle, I”d still have a boss,” quips Liam.
[3:04PM PDT]: Question about Sansa”s wedding night. “If there”s one thing Sansa still is, despite what happened to her, she”s still strong.” As to why they zoomed in on Theon, “I don”t know because I was giving a great performance.” Audience laughs and applauds. “Sansa could”ve fought back but she chose not to. She does her scheming her mind,” and is more into subterfuge and/or subtlety.
[3:10PM PDT]: A question for the whole cast about their best or most frustrating outtake. “I don”t make mistakes,” – Conleth Hill. Audience erupts into laughter
See Pounce was a nightmare. That cat would NOT stay on that bed,” Natalie Dormer adds.
Maisie adds that in Season One, “Arya”s supposed to not be able to catch the cat but I”m able to catch it every time. I walked over stealthily and picked up.”
“They miscast the cats. I needed that one!” says Natalie.
[3:16PM PDT]: Question for Maisie Williams about adjusting to international fame. She says it was gradual and as the youngest of four, she is kept grounded by her family. When she goes home, as the youngest nothing has changed. “I don”t get to sit on the sofa, I don”t get shotgun, and I don”t get to choose what”s on the TV.”
[3:21PM PDT]: Question for Gwendoline Christie about her relationship with Jaime, “I found it interesting when I read the books about the basis of that relationship. You have this very unique and unconventional woman [coming to have a] begrudging respect [for Jaime and he with her]. It's intense and close and doesn”t have a root in sexuality. Just a very powerful, modern representation of relationships.” Audience cheers!
[3:24PM PDT]: Question for the cast about their favorite fan moment. Director David Nutter says met President Obama three weeks ago. The President shook Nutter”s hand and said, “You didn”t kill Jon Snow did you?”
And that's all they wrote guys! Thanks for following along!