Game of Thrones co-showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss rarely give between-seasons interviews — they’re a little busy; plus, the duo can only say nothing about what’s to come in so many ways — but they made an exception for Entertainment Weekly. With under 20 days left to go before season seven finally premieres, they were asked what about the new batch of episodes (all seven of them, including an extra-long finale) strikes them the most.
“To me what’s most exciting is being able to play interactions between various characters that for years we haven’t been able to play,” said Weiss. “There’s a whole bunch of reunions and first time meetings that people have been waiting for for a long time and when you put it on paper you just want to do justice to the work that these guys have done building these characters over so many years. You want to give them as much as you can.” Long-time characters combining storylines really kicked off with Daenerys meeting Tyrion, but Thrones found unexpected magic with another pairing last season.
Benioff: That scene last season when Tormund was eating and lasciviously staring at Brienne was one of our favorites. Usually, when we really love something there are a few other people who like it as well. It’s great because there was no dialogue written for that, or major stage direction, there was just a line like, “He stares at Brienne because he’s never seen a woman like that before.” And then we let the actors do what they do.
Weiss: There was the episode where they’re all leaving Castle Black together and there’s a shot — it wasn’t scripted at all — of two of them on horseback and she looks at him and he smiles at her. It’s not something you could ever write. It’s just this moment where this guy is creeping out on her and he smiles in a way that makes her very uncomfortable and she just looks away. I saw it 150 times and every time it made me laugh; it’s purely the two of them.
Benioff: It inspires us because we need to kill one of them now because there can’t be a happy ending or any romantic connection on the show. But we’re not going to tell you which one. (Via)
He’s probably joking, but this is Game of Thrones, so…
(Via Entertainment Weekly)
