As promised, here is a report of George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones panel today at Octocon with special guest Kristian Nairn. This report comes from loyal reader and Thrones superfan The Rabbit.
When I arrived at GRRM’s panel on screenwriting today scheduled at 2 pm, I noticed a familiar face sitting next to him at the table. It was like…who the hell is this big guy? I’ve seen him somewhere before? He has got a beard, some sort of silver hair…maybe another hidden Targaryen? In the next second it was like: OMG It is Kristian Nairn. It is our Hodor! He has arrived at last!
And I can tell you. Kristian is very nice, friendly, a geek himself
(as he stated) playing WoW for many years.It was GRRM, obviously very pleased with Kristian’s presence at
Octocon, who posed many of the questions to him.So, I am gonna relate as many answers as I was able to write
down. Thankfully, SerMountainGoat from Westeros forums was filming all the session, and promised to upload it on youtube. Yes, I have some pics too. But I must find a way to upload it from the camera.Well, here is what Kristian has to say about GOT:
First of all, he stated, the sets are unbelievable, he said he
has not seen such a thing in his whole life. They shot most of his scenes in the Paint Hall and at Castle Ward so far. He would appear in 5 or 6 episodes, and yes they have been reshooting the pilot scenes with him.He said he has read only the first book – and that it was amazing,
at which point he became kind of red in the face, saying this in front
of GRRM.He pointed out that he was fascinated with kids and how they are
bonding together as a real family. There is also a small, funny story involving Kristian, Isaac and Kristian’s mobile..He said Isaac is a fantastic kid – small and light. Then continued
“hopefully he would stay that way” – to much laughter. He also described the basket he uses – it is made of leather and it is very well crafted.He mentioned his Vimeo audition and that he was not very pleased
with it himself. We got to that subject, because GRRM himself admitted he had been shocked by it. Positively.He also described his costume as very simple but very warm, and
he has some trouble wearing it under all those lights on set.It was a very funny moment when somebody asked: Are you afraid of
us fans? He answered: Not at all.GRRM repeated many of the things he already mentioned at Worldcon. Pointed out once again the possibility of making ASOS into two seasons (if we get there) and making all the stuff of AFFC and ADWD all
together, not separately.He mentioned once again his concern with the butterfly effect.
And the influence that the series eventually could produce on his
writings, he mentioned one character he might change a bit
due to that (I think it is Osha).GRRM also stated that the composer has been picked up but not yet
announced.Maybe there is more, but I think I wrote down the most
interesting things.It was great! Great! Great!
Winter Is Coming: Many thanks to The Rabbit for this excellent report! Sounds like Kristian is having a blast on set. And it’s great to hear again how close all the Stark kids have become. And of course, more raving about the costumes and the sets.
Interesting that the composer has been selected, I wonder if this person is responsible for the score on the few videos that have been released already? Hopefully we get the announcement soon.
Great to have one of the cast members talk to the fans today, thanks to Kristian and thanks to GRRM!
UPDATE: LugaJetBoyGirl from the Westeros forums also has a report from the panel that fills in some of the things The Rabbit missed. Be sure to check it out to hear how Kristian had planned to enter the panel!
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35 Comments
Thank you, The Rabbit! :)
Hear Me RoarQuote Reply
Thanks for the report, look forward to seeing it uploaded on you-tube
GrinbombQuote Reply
/jealous! Great report Rabbit!
Lord Ned’s HeadQuote Reply
I love how many of the cast are willing to talk to the fans and how genuinely excited they seem to be apart of GoT. We have actors going to moots, actors communicating with fans regularly on Twitter, Kristian doing the convention, etc. A lot of that will probably change when the show starts airing, but still…
I think GoT is going to make a few stars and it’s a lot of fun to see these new actors where they are now.
ChrisQuote Reply
Thanks Rabbit, good work. You deserve an extra carrot. Interesting GRRM mentions ADWD, I wonder how close he is to completion.
Two FeathersQuote Reply
Thank you so much Rabbit! :)
I am so curious who the composer’s going to be…my personal hope is that it’s Bear McCreary, but I won’t mind if it’s somebody else, I’m sure whoever they picked is going to be great. hope they make the announcement soon :]
KangaQuote Reply
I cannot wait for the composer of the series’ score to be announced. Maybe this a fine opportunity for WiC to show off some more of its research skills? :D
Peter van StralenQuote Reply
Kanga,
Won’t be BEAR …he’s busy doing ‘The Walking Dead’ among other things…
coltaine777Quote Reply
coltaine777,
Yeah, I know he’s busy with Caprica and Eureka and The Cape, and The Walking Dead like you said. I’m not saying it’s likely, but a girl can dream.
KangaQuote Reply
This made my night. Your diligence here is SO appreciated, Rabbit.
Also, I seriously love this cast. I’m thrilled that they all have seemed to gel with each other so wonderfully. And that they seem to enjoy talking to fans.
Come on Christian! Finish the books! You’ll love ‘em :D
ZackQuote Reply
Thank you, The Rabbit, for great report!
maryQuote Reply
Kristian is a great man for joining the panel so early in the process – love the blush! I’d change colour around GRRM too, especially when talking about the books.
Deidre KQuote Reply
I love this blog, but I want to request that you give us more context in your posts as to who the people are. I find myself having to look up names in most of your posts because I do not remember who they are, including Kristian Nairn in this post. If you could provide their position/role on the show when you mention them I for one would certainly appreciate it. Thanks!
AlexQuote Reply
http://winter-is-coming.net/features/cast/ << cast page is here if you get stuck. Also the quoted text actually says "OMG It is Kristian Nairn. It is our Hodor! He has arrived at last!"
Sorry for calling you out but the info is there for you.
Crotalidian (Paul)Quote Reply
OT: Followed this on Twitteras it came out was good to hear from GRRM and someone from inside the actual filming.
Is it me or does Kristian have a very tough job for a small part, he spends half his scenes (if not more) carrying someon on his back and has to express a range of emotions and feelings with body language and a Single word. not a job I envy
Crotalidian (Paul)Quote Reply
Alex,
It’s a fair point in some other cases. We’ll pay attention to that and make sure we’re clear.
Hear Me RoarQuote Reply
Thx, Rabbit! I’m more and more convinced the GOT series is unique in the history of fantasy literature and TV. The media (Twitter especially) are a big asset in this new way of relating between the fans and the professionals working on the series. Being able to follow every step, to tweet with the actors… It’s special! Even the making of LOTR wasn’t this “personal”.
Blackfish BluesQuote Reply
I keep reading this headline as “Report from Octomom Panel.”
JHQuote Reply
Thats weird I keep reading it as Otacon “OTACON?, SNAAAAKE!”
Crotalidian (Paul)Quote Reply
It was my plesure :)
I colud not log in here from Dublin, so I have a little task I promised I would have done here:
Silvestar, who used to post here before, wished to say hello for everyone here.
She is not at the net at all, lately, but she promised to come back. :)
The RabbitQuote Reply
Just to add:
There is Luga s report on Westeros forum with some more details on Sunday s panel with Kristian and GRRM.
The RabbitQuote Reply
I love that pair of epic beards going on in the picture. :D
BlueCanaryQuote Reply
Rabbit, thanks!! Extra carrots all round!
BradQuote Reply
Are they going for a grey haired bearded Hodor then?
Given that Kristian Nairn’s look is so different to what he looked like in his audition I guess they are.
MormegilQuote Reply
A bearded Hodor is never what I pictured. That said—it makes sense. Hodor doesn’t strike me as the sort of man who would remember things like shaving. And I don’t picture Maester Luwin taking the time to do it.
Another interesting aspect is the gray hair. It’s been alluded by some (Osha and possibly Old Nan) that Hodor possibly has giant blood in him. It would be interesting if a sort of premature graying were one of those odd traits (besides the freakish size and strength). Sort of like my Schnauzer.
Guess we won’t know ’til we see Mag the Mighty.
There’s also the chance they could age Hodor up, which would also age Old Nan up … which would make her older than dirt.
Fire And BloodQuote Reply
If Hodor has silver-platinum blond hair in the TV series…even if its a little dirty-blond….oh crud, he’s another lost Targaryen.
VQuote Reply
V,
He does enjoy the hot-spring baths :P
Hear Me RoarQuote Reply
Fantastic report, Rabbit!!! Love that Kristian was able to make it out, and sounds like both he and George played off each other well during the discussion. I hope those that attended had a blast! :)
Jake StormoenQuote Reply
Jake Stormoen,
Looking forward to seeing your short!
Hear Me RoarQuote Reply
Hodor?
Hodor!
For some reason, I always pictured Hodor as beardless, maybe thinking along the lines of “childlike.”
Great face though.
and of course he’d have to be huge.
ChrisQuote Reply
Hear Me Roar,
Thanks so much! I need to post here more often, I’m sorry for being so infrequent! Will keep you posted, for sure…it’s all wrapped now, so just on to post production. Tweeted earlier that for those interested (and to help him out with some page views!), my cinematographer posted a few behind the scenes photos to his portfolio/blog, viewable at http://kaowensheng.com/2010/10/18/in-hoc-signo-behind-the-scenes/ :)
…did not mean for that to get so off topic. Umm….Hodor!!!
Also, on a final note, I’m so glad The Rabbit was able to report and seemed to have such a great time at the con. I know you were nervous, but it sounds like you had a blast! So happy for you :) :)
Jake StormoenQuote Reply
Rabbit – thanks for the great report! Glad you enjoyed yourself – I was only down on Thurs so didn’t get to meet up. Maybe another time !
SilverjaimeQuote Reply
Congrats, Jake!
For those of you with time on your hands, an interesting discussion regarding gay characters and graphic sex has exploded out of nowhere on GRRM’s latest Not-A-Blog.
Fire And BloodQuote Reply
Fire And Blood,
Interesting?
Gods, it’s some painful reading.
For my part I could do without ever reading dude-on-dude in aSoIaF.
GaRQuote Reply
Fire And Blood,
I would argue that it is moreso infuriating and depressing than anything else.
Personally, I don’t care what kind of sex he chooses to include in the books, as long as he thinks it is important to character and/or plot. What is upsetting is the double-standard and veiled homophobia of a lot of the posts. Now THAT is gross.
Steve WestenraQuote Reply