Part of the problem with reading the books ahead of time is trying not to get too invested in an actor you know is slated for the proverbial chopping block. This was especially hard for many fans who loved Renly Baratheon… and three times harder knowing he was played by Gethin Anthony—by reputation one of the nicest, even-keel and giving actors in the world today.
Gethin Anthony has ridden quite a rollercoaster with the ASoIaF fan base. I remember when he was first cast, and the majority of responses were pretty positive. Fast-forward to Renly’s actual introduction and the reveal that he and Loras were gay (a fact that was somehow still shocking to certain book-readers who hadn’t picked up on that rather obvious twist before)…
The response was clearly mixed. Some people reacted badly to the sight of a man kissing another man; others flinched at the infamous shaving scene. We heard various other complaints; “his hair is too short,” “Renly shouldn’t be so meek, why does he fear blood?” “Where is the brazen younger brother we know and love?” Etc.
But as season 1 grew into the powerhouse it became, so did he. Renly was one of very few who dared call out his brother the king, and—as noted by most people—was strategically ahead of the game when he tried to urge Ned Stark to make the first bold move and take Cersei’s children captive. It seemed a much stronger, intense Renly that left King’s Landing.
In season 2, Renly was reintroduced with a vengeance; political-minded and intense had been replaced by kingly and confident. It’s easy to see where Gethin gets the reputation for being a “giving” actor; when Renly looks at you, he really looks, and he allows the talents of other actors to play their course—not so much a typical “straight-man” as an active sounding board, of sorts. He seems comfortable in his own skin in any scene, unthreatened by other, more showy performances. Gethin’s eyes don’t just train on another actor’s gaze, they flicker back and forth between the eyes (not held in a dead stare the way some actors do while trying to recall their lines), or glance off past, as though Renly’s mind is already onto wherever the conversation is ultimately going. Watching Gethin, I always imagined Renly to be just a bit impatient with conversation, especially if he already knew where it was headed.
Of course actors are trained to use their eyes (John Bradley wields his puppy-dog look like a weapon), but Gethin has the range to express nearly every emotion without his mouth so much as twitching. And this is hard to do when your character is trying to project a kingly patience!
But anyone who ever questions Gethin’s skill needs to remember: this is a straight man who made us all believe he was so disgusted by kissing Natalie Dormer that he almost threw up in his mouth. Some people will claim it’s hard to kiss a man if you’re a straight male. You can’t tell me that’s more difficult than not kissing Natalie “Is So Hot We Often Insert Chuck Norris-style Elucidations For Hotness” Dormer.
Scoreboard. That’s basically Emmy-worthy right there.
The way Gethin inhabited Renly, from beginning to end, allowed us to see that growth amidst all the other thousand things happening on the show. No one on Game of Thrones gets the king’s share of screen time (not even kings) and the fact that he was able to show us his range during his limited time onscreen…
Well he did the character justice, and more, in the end. He made Renly more beloved than the already-beloved one in the books, and that’s the highest compliment an actor on this show can be paid.
Gethin is clearly not done with entertaining, both in front of and behind the camera; he’ll appear in Justin Trefgarne’s Dreck, and is producing a short thriller called David. (You can see the trailer for David here!) He continues to be a highly recognizable face for the Straight But Not Narrow project; is it any wonder this guy is so beloved?
Fire And Blood: Gethin, you will be sorely missed. You did this story proud. And yes, you would have made a great king.
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114 Comments
RIP Sweet Renly.
“When the sun has set, no candle can replace it.”
And thank you Gethin for a truly wonderful performance and endless hours of entertainment.
WeirwoodQuote Reply
RIP Renly! You would have been a great king! And you look better with a beard.
TyrionFan57Quote Reply
R.I.P Renly/Gethin. David film looks interesting.
sjweningsQuote Reply
Gethin tore it up in season 2.
Big ups to a great actor.
The DarkStarQuote Reply
He really grew on me, did a fine job!
From ChaosQuote Reply
GoT will never be the same without you.
Hope to see more of Gethin in the future, wherever that is.
xo
PeachKingMyLoveQuote Reply
Loved Gethin Anthony! His Season 1 character was a bit meh, but Season 2 felt like book Renly to me. And he looked like book Renly too. Gonna miss him!
“Such a shame, Littlefinger. It would have been so nice for you to have a friend.” Hahaha!
LexQuote Reply
I love him so much. A truly gifted actor.
RIP King Renly. “He was the king that should have been. He was the best of them.”
Dayo HernándezQuote Reply
He sold me on the character when I hadn’t paid that much attention to book!Renly. Well done.
cranscapeQuote Reply
One of the curtain calls i was most (least?) looking forward to. I really liked the Renly of the books and Gethin Anthony made me like him even more. Sad to see him go. :(
John-Michael LelievreQuote Reply
Don’t worry, Renly: We won’t hold Brienne back from Stannis either.
A+, Gethin Anthony. You’ll be missed.
H, aka VeeQuote Reply
The sweetest of the kings.
That smile, that voice. I totally buy that Renly is “the loved one”. He’s a natural charmer.
Gethin really nailed the part, especially in Season 2. He has a new fan in me.
Will be missed.
Hi-FiQuote Reply
rip renly! should have kidnapped ned when you had the chance :P
Damryn of DorneQuote Reply
My favorite moment of his was when he told Robert off about makin’ the eight. He absolutely nailed it; what an excellent scene. I remember thinking “wow this guy’s really good.”
Best of luck to him in the future.
PhilQuote Reply
I hadn’t read the books before I watched season 1, so Gethin Anthony will always be my image of Renly. He was great in the role, really inhabiting it. He balanced a sense of warmth and humanity, against Renly’s underlying arrogance. I loved the hunting scene where he quarrels with Robert, great performance.
Kudos Mr Anthony!
The KingshaverQuote Reply
The man who would have been king. Gethin Anthony, a name others shall now remember for his unforgettable rendition of a princely man who would have served the realm well if only he had the chance. RIP. Brienne will avenge you. It is known.
Mrs. H’gharQuote Reply
I was disappointed in season one because Renly was a bit too serious. But he grew on me in season 2.
Gethin should show up at an interview with a peach and say, “There, are you guys happy now??” :D
ScottsdaleSamQuote Reply
The Beatle ‘do works so very well for you!
Oh and you did a fantastic job across the board; in limited screentime you showed a great deal of growth for Renly – excellent work.
KGQuote Reply
It seems I was among the minority who prefered show-Renly to book-Renly.
True to be told – never much cared about the character while reading.
Not sure why it happened – maybe due to the writings maybe due to Gethin himself.
But one thing I know – Gethin is the great guy – I miss him so much on Twitter already – and I ll miss him on the show!
Goodbye dear King !
The_Rabbit01Quote Reply
I’m with you, The_Rabbit01, I found him a much more memorable character in the show.
Morgan KingQuote Reply
A fond farewell to the queen with two beards and armor by Armani!
Nagga’s KinQuote Reply
I grew extremely fond of Gethin Anthony and Harry Lloyd watching Game of Thrones. They’re both extremely talented young actors and I love how they both became their characters on screen, how they gave life to Viserys and Renly in an unforgettable way, giving them authenticity and humanity.
I’m going to miss you so much in this show Gethin, the way I sorely miss Harry already :(
featherdreamQuote Reply
For me this has stayed a bit of a mis-cast till the end, but that’s a personal thing, and I’m glad to see that Gethin won over most people before his run at GoT came to its brutal end. Thanks, GA, and I look forward to seeing you in future projects!
Tar KidhoQuote Reply
Renly was actually one of my favorite characters on the show, so I’ll miss him very much. I hope Brienne will avenge him soon!
New WolfQuote Reply
RIP Renly, goodbye and good luck to Gethin.
ConorQuote Reply
Great job, your Grace, you will be missed!
Props to givin Brienne a spot on your Rainbow Guard, even though she couldn’t save you from Melly Sander’s evil vag monster :( Also, your crown was totes the coolest!
the goatQuote Reply
This.
MorriganQuote Reply
Anyone know how much Sean Bean get paid for Game of thrones?
KibQuote Reply
My King. I swear I will avenge him.
He was my favorite character in season 2. We always called him “Bambi”.
I am weary of liking a character because George RR Martin, the Sadist, always kills him. Mmm… What if I make Joffrey my favorite?
Marco Díaz CallejaQuote Reply
Marco Díaz Calleja,
That’s sure to work, long live King Joffrey!
Mad props to GA who not only won me over to Renly but also to his fandom~
And every bit worth remarking: FaB you absolutely own words and sentences and stuff. I live for your views on peeps and tweets and GoT in general – a gaggle of thank yous for your hard work! Don’t ever doubt it’s appreciated!
Ed McDonellQuote Reply
I can honestly say tv Renly is one of the few characters I actually appreciate more than the character in the book. Even though his relationship with Loras (I didn’t pick up on it until a friend told me during my 2nd readthrough last year) was a lot more obvious than in the book it gave a lot more depth to his motivations and his personality.
My only disappointments with Renly are in the writing. The absence of the peach remains one of the changes that bugs me the most from book to screen. I also wish they could have ended Renly at the end of episode 4 or as it was in the book without the obvious lead up to it with Melisandre in the cave so it would have had the impact it deserved.
For Gethin – Zero complaints. A job done beyond well. Many thanks.
IcebirdQuote Reply
When the sun has set, no candle can replace it.
João AmaralQuote Reply
sweet dreams, king of my brown flower. your beautiful face will be extremely missed.
PacoQuote Reply
Another character that I like and will certainly miss took the dirt nap! Damn…I really liked Renly, the best of the Baratheon brothers. Even though Gethin Anthony shared only the briefest of on screen moment with Stephen Dillane (Stannis), I think that that scene between the two brothers was one of the strongest so far on the show. That brief exchange underlined many things that were otherwise left unsaid.
Renly was another one of the few characters, and I loathe saying it, whose moral compass pointed the right way, was he perfect, no, for none of the ASOIF characters are, their flaws is what actually make them so beloved, because we can see soo much of ourselves in them, instead of some ideal, flawless, faultless or stereotypical douchebag.
Beyond his personal traits, what made Renly so endearing was his humanity and the fact that he still had some left, which is a thing of beauty in a world as brutal and merciless as that of ASOIF (see Bran Stark and Jon Snow for some of that too). Renly had the common touch and still appeared to care for the common people, for the little people around him. Because otherwise, the common folk seem much like cannon fodder…plus he did take the awesome Brienne as a member of a usually all-male group, his Knightsguard, inspite or Loras’s jealous objections…talk about breaking the glass ceiling…LOL!
Anyways, I’ll miss the character and the man who brought him to life from page to screen with such talent, craft and originality.
RIP Renly
Gethin Anthony you will be missed.
loco73Quote Reply
So sad to see Renly go! I already liked him in the books, but Gethin sure made an impression. He looked so fabulous in that, stag crown too! You’ll be always missed, king that should’ve been.
Julia MathiasQuote Reply
Gethin is a really good bloke as my Aussie friends would say. A true gentleman. His performance in Game of Thrones was great bringing a much needed warmth and charm to the show, making his death all the more tragic.
He was at Belfast Moot 2 in 2010 and was so happy to meet the fans and hang out at the bar with us. Gethin also turned up for one of our BWB London meet-up’s last year in the company of one Jake Stormoen. Just a few weeks ago Gethin put in an appearance at Eastercon, sadly he could not get there in time for the cast panel with Miltos and John Bradley West because of filming earlier that day, but he stayed for our party that night. Good times.
I wish Gethin all the best with his future career and hopefully we’ll see him again sometime soon.
theMountainGoatQuote Reply
He played Renly as a character that grew into his role as King – you could see him develop, and through relatively limited screen time.
I was lucky enough to meet him at the Belfast Moot in 2010 – and there he was generous with his time and chatty, you really got the impression he was enjoying himself and the somewhat obsessive fan attention !
He was also the subject of my favourite photo of the night – the two late Baratheon brothers:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54790185@N05/5128227822/in/set-72157625146578445
He would have been a great King, if only Ned hadn’t been so stubborn, Westeros could have been in safe hands and so many lives saved (GRRM may even have finished the book series now – with a happily ever after conclusion).
wyvernwoodQuote Reply
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here is facebook page…: https://www.facebook.com/gameofthroneswarband
here is forum page…. : http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,194575.0.html
Jenish KachhadiaQuote Reply
I’ll miss Gethin. In the books Renly seems to be loved mostly for being the most handsome of men and very charming. Gethin Anthony added a depth to the character that wasn’t always there in the books.
FaboamantoQuote Reply
RIP!we’ll miss you and your fruits…
negarQuote Reply
RIP Renly! I loved his performance especially this season, he’ll be truly missed.
ShellyQuote Reply
First time posting…..had to do it. Renly is one my favorite non POV book characters for some reason. I just loved his personality and wanted him to succeed. Alas, we can’t have everything we want. Gethin did a great job as Renly and I loved him on screen. So sad to see him go…..he would have made a great king!
TerryQuote Reply
‘Tis a shame he never got to play the peach moments but the hunting scene was just brilliant. Awesome work Gethin, Renly will be missed.
Lady LunaQuote Reply
Thank you, Gethin Anthony for bringing Renly to life! Renly was a character that I wasn’t too bothered about in the books, but watching you on screen made me want to delve deeper into his motivations. Even though I knew it couldn’t happen, I chose you as my king. You will be missed!
MiraxQuote Reply
I forgot that scene! Yes, there is so much there – little-brother resentment, gay impatience with straight misogyny/stupidity, disgust at Robert’s boorishness and disappointment that his big brother is not more admirable.
I think this is a problem with many AGOT actors (Gleeson, Dinklage, Bradley): they are so good they make it look so easy we don’t appreciate what they’ve done as much as we should.
Yellow DogQuote Reply
Icebird,
I agree about the shadow birth, I wish they had not shown it before because it was so shocking in the books and it would have been more shocking on the show.
That said, I loved book Renly and I loved show Renly even more, something I attribute to Gethin’s perfect acting. RIP Renly!
dmfQuote Reply
Didn’t much care for him in season 1, fell head-over-heels in love with him in season 2. With careful precision and boatloads of charm, Gethin managed to elaborate on a character that was rather flat (if dashingly so) in its original form. And though he failed to conquer the Iron Throne, I daresay he more than succeeded in conquering the fandom. Thank you, Mr Anthony – you are and shall continue to be missed. *cue Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd*
LanaQuote Reply
A job well done ! He will be missed….
Coltaine777Quote Reply
Gethin Anthony is one of the many many proofs that GoT cast is perfect. Even characters in relatively small roles shine.
He’s a very talented actor (indeed, watching him act as if kissing a topless Natalie Dormer is disgusting was great) and I wish him all the best in the future. Thank you for the great role.
Alexander DubrovskyQuote Reply
Gethin was great. I didn’t mind at all the slight departure from book Renly. I thought it served the show well. Good Luck to him.
dizzy_34Quote Reply
Renly was gay!?!?!?!
Yoosteen BoseQuote Reply
Was not into the book Renly but enjoyed the HBO Renly very much. He would have made a wonderful king on the Iron Throne and Ned or Rob King in the North. Ah, but I am not Mr. Martin. All things to those who wait. Much luck in your future endeavors Gethin. May the Seven surround you and the Godswood always be at your back!
Jen@House StarkQuote Reply
I’m another one who wasn’t interested in book-Renly at all. His death was shocking, but not emotional for me beyond that, in A Clash of Kings. Gethin made him real and complicated and a man who would been a good king instead of just playing at it. And he made me cry.
Thanks for being a great part of the show. :)
Ours is the FuryQuote Reply
Nagga’s Kin,
Nailed it!
AlexBaratheonQuote Reply
I think most people who have read the books were always sort of rooting for Renly (in vain, perhaps, but nonetheless). He was definitely the least medieval of the lot. But of course, Ned had to go and screw that all up. Way to go Ned.
Varamyr FourskinsQuote Reply
Ah, thank you WiC for this curtain call!
I didn’t care for book!Renly, so the changes they had for the show didn’t outrage me. I even liked it, as I’m a big fan of characters who are not always the exact same in every circumstances, in public or in private.
And thanks for explaining some of Gethin’s eyes thing. Ever since the show’s debut, I was kinda fascinated by his stares that are so intense and yet feel very natural, but I didn’t quite grasp the technicalities of it. I went and re-watched some scenes and it’s true: he looks like he’s actually thinking of the discussion, not like he’s an actor thinking about lines.
My husband summed Renly beautifully: he’s not a book reader so after episode 4, he was joking, saying “yeah, the shadow’s going to kill Renly next episode” and I did as we already agreed I should do when he talks about GOT things; regardless of if his theories are true or not, I just nodded and said “yeah, that’s an interesting theory you have”. Then it actually happenned, and while I was prepared for it (but still sad about it), my husband went nuts, like “what? WHAT? NO!!! He can’t… he’s gonna be fine, right? No?! Oh…. no. He’s dead…. DAMMIT! He was the only NICE guy who could be king! AND HE WAS GOING TO CHOP JOFFREY’S HEAD OFF!!!”
bhdQuote Reply
Bravo Gethin!!!! Glad you at least got to 3 episodes this season!!! People keep saying he should’ve been killed off in the same episode as the “Stannis’s Son” was born, but people keep forgetting it’s a show where more than half the people watching haven’t read the books and therefore the end of episode 4 was a cliffhanger to get newer viewers to keep watching…..Let’s just hope they bring him back in season 3 as a DUH!!!! HE’S DEAD!!! HE WON’T BE RETURNING NEXT SEASON!!!! GOTHA LOLZZZZZ!!!!!
KlavonivsQuote Reply
RIP Renly, the best laid plans undone by a ham.
LordStarkingtonQuote Reply
I agree with you one that. I think it was necessary to have Renly die at the begining of an episode. The Shadow’s birth created more suspense as an ending then Renly dying would have created.
Also, it would have been weird with the scenes following Renly’s death, if they had been in an episode AFTER Renly die, instead of being in the same episode.
bhdQuote Reply
BRAVO!!!
I actually liked Gethin’s version of Renly better than the books.
Well done.
fuelpaganQuote Reply
RIP Renly. Thanks Gethin! Good luck for your future endeavors.
MetalgoddessAMBQuote Reply
This.
Bravo.
MikeQuote Reply
VIVA LA RENLY!
Finn JonesQuote Reply
Goodbye Gethin. We will sorely miss you. Be sure to audition for other shows as well so we can see you more. :(
LalaQuote Reply
Here’s my one problem with HBO-Renly: when I was reading the books, I never got the feeling that he was so effeminate (i.e. he wasn’t scared of blood, or violence, etc..). He was more of a Hadrian-style character; gay, but still masculine and capable of kicking someone’s ass. I mean, he fought the Hound at the Tourney of the Hand, for crying out loud. Not exactly a prissy move. I just got the feeling that HBO-Renly would’ve been more in his element around Sansa than Randyll Tarly.
Perhaps they made him so stereotypical so as not to confuse people? i.e. You mean he’s gay AND tough? C’mon HBO. That’s impossible. It’s one or the other.
Don’t get me wrong. I still liked the character, and thought Gethin Anthony did very well in the role, but I definitely prefer book-Renly over the show-version. That’s all.
Varamyr FourskinsQuote Reply
All Hail King Renly!
Gethin – you were brilliant. You took an often overlooked character and made him dear, with such depth and passion – you will be sorely missed.
Please pursue more films and television that can be seen by we poor Americans who can’t get to London often for theatre! :)
I know you will have a long a distinguished career. Best of luck and best wishes for you future endeavors!
ColleenQuote Reply
Bravo, Gethin Anthony; much success hereafter in all you do.
While I too wanted Renly to be King while I was reading the books — and enjoyed show Renly even more than book Renly due mostly to the performance — we should remember that Catelyn was right, and that Renly would have been the Summer King at best. Someone in the books called Renly bright copper rather than the true steel.
I think that King Renly would have managed nonetheless, but not without losing some of that humanity which made him such a great man. He would have been mostly surrounded by the knights and damsels of summer, and all of them would have been, inevitably, disabused of their illusions about the brightness of the world. It would have been brutal.
Imagine the struggle between Renly and Tywin Lannister had Renly’s host taken King’s Landing. The ruthlessness of his opponent, the inhumanity of the man, would have been the lion’s share, literally, of what Renly and his court would have had to face about the real world and its harshness; the coming Winter thereafter would just have made it worse.
As you can see, I like to fantasize about what might have been, what would have happened if Stannis had not had Melisandre deploy that demon child. To start with, Renly would have crushed that prick of an older brother and hopefully have beheaded him (though actually I think that he would have made the mistake of being more lenient with Stannis than that).
As the story goes on, never lose sight of the fact that Stannis murdered Renly. Stannis is a villain, no matter what he does or comes up against later on.
Maester TcostQuote Reply
My favorite King, and I still feel cheated the way “Stannis killed him”.
Oh well, I still got Arya, Snow, and that new guy Jaqen seems interesting.
Flow101Quote Reply
All hail King Renly Baratheon, first of his name (titles, titles)!
Bravo, Gethin! Thank you so much for all your hard work to bring Renly to life. It is much appreciated. Don’t be a stranger! :)
MichelleQuote Reply
I agree with Phil. As soon as I saw Renly react to “making the 8″ I was convinced. He surpassed my impressions of book!Renly and continued to impress me. May he live in the hearts of Loras and Brienne forever <3 (P.S. I love his beard too!)
Maester VictorQuote Reply
What a lovey send-off! Thank you FAB
I am not a book reader but my husband is. I’m only familiar with the characters as they are offered by the cast and I loved the Renly that Gethin portrayed. I think he matured Renly right before our eyes, from the easily disregarded younger brother of the king to a formidable force himself and quite believable as the chosen, if not the rightful heir. His scene with Catelyn just prior to his demise at the hand of that awful creature was nothing short of brilliant. He was very kingly in not dismissing Robb’s claim outright – as the unyielding and intransigent Stannis would have undoubtedly done – but he was diplomatic in reminding Catelyn that the Starks and the Baratheons are natural allies as seen in Robert and Ned’s relationship. I just loved that scene, and Gethin sold me on being a charming and pragmatic king.
Lots of luck in future projects and as it has been said up thread, please keep auditioning for roles so that we may be privileged again to see your talents showcased.
LyneQuote Reply
I am one of those who truly loved show Renly more than book Renly. I had not read the books last year and I had a hard time remembering who he was while watching. This year as I watched I knew his fate. It was painful. He brought Renly to life and he was so lovable. His death on the show was sadder to me than in the books. Reading the books I never felt like he had a good claim to the throne so his death did not really bother me. One less false king in the mix. I do disagree with some posters who call Stannis a murder and a bad guy. I guess maybe TV Stannis could be called those things. Did book Stannis know about the shadow baby? I thought it was unclear.
KaliceQuote Reply
I don’t think Stannis is a villain, he’s more complicated than that… like a Littlefinger or a Varys. There are very few all-bad characters (Joffrey and the Mountain, Rorge, Biter, Vargo Hoat) but most of them are complex, conflicted people. You can find good in alot of them and I think Stannis is definitely good on some levels.
dmfQuote Reply
Long Live the King!!! Rest in Peace, Renly!
EdQuote Reply
I was looking forward to Renly making the Westeros Comedy Club rounds. What a shame he is no longer!
Gethin did a fantastic job of bringing humor and justice to the Renly role. I’ll miss his teasing smirks. Great job, Gethin. Great job!
MimsyQuote Reply
What a great post Lyne! YOU should be writing the essays on WIC!
EdQuote Reply
What a very kind thing to say, Ed! I am very flattered indeed but I’m afraid I would wither under severe scrutiny :-)
LyneQuote Reply
I am a woman and the scene with him and Loras in the tent actually turned me on…I know, weird huh? THAT was great acting!
Handmaiden of DanyQuote Reply
Desipite the *shudders*, played a badass Renly…
Stannis4lifeQuote Reply
Farewell King Gethin
Shadow baby killed you; Now
where will Loras pray?
haiku_hodorQuote Reply
Finn Jones,
Lousy Tyrells! Always supporting the wrong King. Make sure to keep Renly’s armor safe and sound now. :P
NoHeddardStarkQuote Reply
Natalie Dormer is so hot
ONLY THE GREAT GETHIN ANTHONY
Can act like she’s not
Mike ChairQuote Reply
We’ll miss you, Geth! You played a FABULOUS Renly, couldn’t have asked for better. I’ll definitely be looking out for more of your future projects. And as Finn said, VIVA LA RENLY!
DeeQuote Reply
The Renly of the show was very different from the character in the novels, but much more nuanced. His influence on the other characters will definitely be missed. More than that, it’s a shame that we have to lose Gethin! He did such a wonderful job with this role, bringing a character that was completely opposite to what was expected to life in such a way that we cared about him, and wanted him to succeed despite everything. Well done, and we’ll see you in your next project!
KatieQuote Reply
Haha I love how the cast members comment on this site :) Makes it seem like we’re all just a big family.
LalaQuote Reply
On the Interwebz, nobody knows if you’re a ham.
Nagga’s KinQuote Reply
Best of luck with you future projects, Gethin, and thank you for such a fine treat!
ROFL. You guys crack me up.
MachaQuote Reply
Viva indeed, Ser Loras.
Marco Díaz CallejaQuote Reply
Finn Jones commenting is perfect. Long live Renly is right, I hope as Americans, we can just see Gethin Anthony’s future endeavors in his next films like “David”, etc since we don’t have the theatre here either. He’ll always be my favorite character. Hate you Stannis. But glad you have to live with the nightmares and the guilt ;)
My only wish would be if we could of went back and make his death more climatic, but I guess that’s just me being bias cause he’s my favorite.
Mike SnowQuote Reply
I was one of those early ppl who were unhappy with Renly’s casting. I always pictured Renly like “Gaston” from Beauty and the Beast, and I didn’t think Gethin was going to work. But by the time we got to the ep. where he is hunting with Robert, his acting had won me over. Plus, Sue had posted some incredibly hot pix on her fabulous Tumblr account and I saw his inherent hotness in his own way. I just had to get that “book Renly” image out of my head. And now it’s gone, and Gethin will always be Renly for me :)
Then when S.2 came along, he was completely Renly for me. The voice, the look, the mannerism, they had all settled in to a wonderful Renly. I still mourn the lack of a peach at the parlay with Stannis, because I think Gethin could have done that scene perfectly, but you can’t have everything. Now I will just think of Paco as Renly’s Peach instead…
I was sad to see him go. But we know GRRM lives on the salty tears of our despair, so no one stays happy or successful (or alive) for long. Anyone can be killed indeed. But it was still too soon for me to say goodbye to Renly!
Farewell, Renly, and now we can look forward to seeing him in new projects!
purplejillyQuote Reply
I was never particularly attached to Renly as a character in his own right, but Gethin Anthony made me love the little bugger and dread the episode where he died. I loved how in the second season his voice carried this bravado– like Renly was testing out how a king should act. He also managed to make Renly innately empathetic without sacrificing the snarkier side of the character, and I’ll forever be grateful for his performance with Natalie Dormer: Renly’s reaction to Margaery was played seriously, and not treated like a joke. I get a little sympathy panic attack every time I watch Gethin’s face too closely during that scene, and its wonderful to see that situation given the proper respect.
I think the highest compliment I can give is that I found myself whining the week before “Ghost” aired: “It’s not fair, he’s so good at the character, can’t they just turn off all the lights so the shadow can’t find him or something?!”
I eagerly look forward to seeing him in other products, and thank him wholeheartedly for all his work on the show.
VickiQuote Reply
I think Gethin Anthony would be a fantastic choice for WiC’s next interview.
IcebirdQuote Reply
What a fantastic last picture. We’ll miss you, Gethin–as others have said, you made a huge impact with relatively little screen time. Am looking forward to your future projects–just avoid anything that looks like a hulking shadow monster!
IsabelleQuote Reply
Renly will remain as one of my favorite characters in the show. Indeed a great and true king.
Gethin did a wonderful job, his performance of Renly was charming, elegant, funny, adorable. Will be highly missed.
Descansa en paz, bello Renly Baratheon.
¡Bravo, querido Gethin!
CassyQuote Reply
I miss him already. Guy wore a beard better than any man. And he would have made a great king.
MWQuote Reply
Now that Finn Jones has commented on here, can we pray for the day when Natalie Dormer responds to one of Arthur’s posts? ‘Cause that would be on my bucket list.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
Kalice,
TV Stannis in my opinion is just as or even more complex from the Stannis in the books. Stephen Dillane makes Stannis so uncharismatically charismatic. There’s a shadow of a smile or a wildness in the eye that appears on his emotionless,somewhat OCD visage, indicative of a fiery personality left only to boil under the surface.
If there’s a problem with Dillane’s Stannis it is because we have not seen a lot of him. But his scenes in episode 4 and 5 were the best so far this season. I may be in the minority, but I am so ecstatically happy with the Dragonstone casting in the show. Dillane, Cunningham- and disagree with me if you will-Van Houten have managed to make potentially over the top/bland characters into living, breathing individuals.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
Finn Jones,
Viva La Loras as well! Ser Loras has hair almost as pretty as my Jaqen’s.
Mrs. H’gharQuote Reply
Great job Anthony. You played Renly better than I could have expected.
Joshua Taylor,
I think the main problem with TV Stannis is that they removed all the things from the book that made him more immediately likable. He wasn’t on the small council ruling with Jon Arryn, they haven’t mentioned his policy of gelding any rapers in his own army, and they haven’t gone into detail all the things Stannis did as a soldier. Not to mention that until they really say why he didn’t like Robert he comes across as whiny.
sunspearQuote Reply
sunspear,
Season 1 pretty much established him as a warrior, from Ned Stark, a character the Unsullied really identified with, we hear that Stannis smashed the Greyjoy fleet among other praises of virtue. And one of the previews we saw a month ago shows Stannis leading his troops in battle at Blackwater. Or at least commanding from the deck of his ship.
This is again points out to the problem of adapting from the books. In the novels the characters are pretty much fleshed out right there on the page that they just pop, they don’t really have to get into the characters like an actor or a tv writer does. An audience has to get to know a character gradually. If the Hound was as upfront as he was in the books he would lose his mystique. Book fans may hate it, but the Hound is a constant topic for the Unsullied. People are looking for little signs that point to a possible meltdown moment for the character. The same for Cersei. Her being straight up evil as the Cersei in the books would have been toocampy. No, that’s not fair. It may not have been campy but it was a risk that D &D wished not to take. Now we are getting a nuanced portrayal of the Queen. I can’t wait to see Headey take her into the next season and beyond especially after the Purple Wedding.
Littlefinger is another example of this. They had two options really, give him a great moment in season 1 and place him in the background until he becomes relevant or flesh him out more. But Aidan Gillen is second tier billing on the show so they can’t just write him off. They had to change his character slightly, more as an impulsive brash yet sneaky opportunist with a Machiavellian agenda rolling on deep beneath the counterfeit he presents. He’s also somewhat clumsy and human when the highborns push him around who obviously keep him for his talent with money and the services he provides. His rising to the bait to Cersei’s taunts, showing contempt for Renly et al, speaks to a character who hates his lowborn status and wants to destroy everyone who would put him down. To quote the infamous sexliloquy from “You Win or Die” He wants to fuck over everyone. This to me seems to be the aim of Gillen and D &D’s interpretation of his character. I look forward to his conversation with Tywin next episode to see if he comes off smug or servile.
As for Dillane’s Stannis, I have said what I think of his portrayal.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
Hey all, this thread is about expressing our appreciation for Gethin’s work. Let’s take the Stannis discussion to one of the other threads. Thanks!
Winter Is ComingQuote Reply
lol, if this doesn’t sum up my sentiments perfectly.
The TV version of the character was unique, but no less compelling than the text. I enjoyed the maturation of Renly, his reluctance and fear slowly giving way to the man who told his brother, “no one wants you for their King!”
I have to commend him also for not holding back in the sexytime scenes. Not that Finn Jones is hideous or anything, but…it had to take dedication.
Best of luck in your acting future! I will be keeping an eye out.
ZackQuote Reply
Favorite GA/Renly lines:
to Littlefinger – “I don’t like you. I don’t like your face…”
at the meeting with Stannis – “Is he a ham?”
This one LOL’d. Having been apathetic to Renly in the books (started reading after HBO season 1), Genlith Anthony made Renly a king you would want to reign…reasonable, warm, tough, authoritative, sardonic wit. Again, well done.
Mrs. H’gharQuote Reply
His final scene was so well-written that even knowing what was about to happen it was still shocking. That scene and Gethin’s portrayal of Renly in it was magical. Just for that one moment, the viewer could see what Loras saw in Renly. The viewer could see the mature, thoughtful, kingly Renly. Renly finally showed how kingly he could be in his discussion with Catelyn and then… he’s dead. Just like that. Very powerful stuff and Gethin was pitch perfect with it.
A big drawback to having such a wonderful cast that is almost entirely European is that we don’t have an opportunity to see these actors much in the states, except when they appear in movies or on TV shows like GOT. I would dearly love to be able to see these actors on stage, but it just isn’t going to happen unless I win the lottery or a rich relative I never heard about dies. Maybe I’ll get lucky and some of their productions will be filmed and I can watch them in action.
LangkardQuote Reply
Winter Is Coming,
Sorry Winter,
Gethin Anthony: I was at first surprised to see the difference in the portrayal of Renly in the series as opposed to the novels but like many people I warmed to him so that by the time his scenes in season 2 came around I was completely floored. I actually like the idea of the writers suggesting that even book Renly might have been putting on the bravado like cologne and deep down was an insecure man who believed in some way that he could be king. It is a great testament to Gethin’s acting that he only appeared to be weak and instead found an inner resolve. His arc really culminated in the parlay with Stannis. By the end of that tete a tete you could feel that Anthony’s Renly was supremely confident that he had the upper hand, yet at the same time I saw no real arrogance but determination. I actually liked how he wasn’t too flippant. He never really mocked Stannis either, just Melisandre and the foolery that to him she represented. His parting line out of Stannis’ earshot, “To think I loved him once.” Was delivered with such sadness, resignation and determination. By his death scene, Gethin had become book Renly in my eyes, actually even superior to. I don’t think book Renly could have been actualized on screen personally. Gethin brought him to life with flaws, insecurities, a hidden kind of courage and a sense of honour that was absent from Westeros resulting in an end that was truly tragic.
I hope the Unsullied viewers won’t let the manner of his death detract from their opinion of his character. Renly could have made a difference to the narrative, to the whole outcome of the war. Gethin’s performance reinforced this. Mission Accomplished.
And yes you have to be a good actor to have a topless Natalie Dormer inches away from you while you feign to be sick.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
The only regret is that Renly didn’t have more screen time in season one. He was perfectly captured this season, similar to Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark in his insouciance and wry wit in the most serious situations.
“Is he a ham?”
HouseLarkQuote Reply
I loved Gethin’s take on Renly. He had a more subtle charisma than the book version, and I also always thought TV Renly truly cared a lot more about the common folk than book Renly. He would have been a good king! I also really loved his work in the Renly-Loras scenes. Those scenes weren’t fetishized and the characters weren’t stereotypes. Renly is shown to have to set aside his emotions and desires to marry for politics (a role usually reserved for the women of Westeros). Gethin did a great job with that aspect of the character, and I think it was an interesting look into gender stereotypes.
Moreover, I love reading/watching interviews with Gethin. He seems like a really cool, down-to-Earth guy, the kind of person who’d be great to just hang out with. I wish him only the best in the future!
LinaQuote Reply
In the book, we were told Renly was popular and thought to be a good King. In the show, we saw and understood this.
He was utterly convincing throughout, and I particularly liked the way Renly grew into his regal mode in series 2. Renly’s death had much more impact than in the books- a real personality to be missed.
Best of luck to Gethin Anthony in his future career- he did a great job as Renly and I hope he looks back with pride.
ShinyteapotQuote Reply
Gethin did a good job with the material provided on Renly. In the books, we don’t have all that much to go by up until Catelyn meets with him. There’s the brief comment from Master Cressen and Daniel Noye calling him copper (although that might be in the 3rd book).
The only complaint I have is against the direction or the adaptation. Book Renly comes off as much more dismissive when he tells Stannis no one wants him to be king. Obviously, they wanted TV Renly to be more intense about the assertion. When I first saw it, it came off as if he really hated Stannis. The writers did try to make amends right after when he says “Can you believe I loved him once?”
As far as Stannis is concerned, Dillane has done a good job with delivery and portrayal for the lines he’s been given. Melisandre’s seduction came off as too hasty in its success but he did what could be done. Without the peach in his confrontation with Renly, he could not describe how it haunted him and how it made him realize his younger brother’s death did profoundly affect him as a person beyond the “I grieve for the boy he was, not the man he grew up to be”.
They cut out some of his acerbic wit when he doesn’t call Renly on Margaery likely going to be a maiden in his bed forever. The line I was really looking forward to is when Stannis explains to Davos why he goes along with the religious mumbo jumbo and trusts Melisandre. Hopefully, there’s still time for it. That exchange really sold me on why Davos could be so loyal to Stannis. As a reader, I felt like Stannis showed genuine emotion and a hint weakness.
MadmageQuote Reply
Icebird,
I like your comment. And in case your friend didn’t also tell you this, Bryndon Tulley is also not straight.
StrepsiQuote Reply
I think Gethin did a marvellous job throughout the series (the changes in the first season weren’t so much because of the actor, I thought, as they were because of the scrip and directorial decisions, which were out of his hands). Although Gethin did a great job in season one, it really was season two where he shone and he will very much be missed.
I feel like he’s one of those characters though, that really lives on in the others (Loras in particular, but also Brienne). I’m looking forward to some emotional scenes from Loras in future seasons. XD
Also, my mom was so upset when Renly died! She has a Baratheon stein and was distraught because now she feels like she’s supporting Stannis, when it was Renly she liked, haha. I pointed out that Stannis has a different sigil though, so maybe that will help.
Steve Hugh WestenraQuote Reply
Renly is *gay*! Renly is a homosexual!
This was obvious in the books!
How much more will it take to convince some people of this?!
HE PREFERS THE COMPANY OF *MEN*!
What do we have to do, draw you a diagram?!
The author *said* they were gay, on top of all the in-text hints.
@Gethin Anthony: God night, sweet king. A flight of angels sing thee to they rest.
The Dragon DemandsQuote Reply
My wonderful King! I will always be in a constant mourning period! He would’ve been a Great King!
GlaphiraQuote Reply
Long Live The King! He will live in our hearts forever! I refused to believe in his tragic and untimely death in the book, and now after this had happened in the show, I’ve got a gaping wound in my heart. I already miss him sorely.
Gethin, you did the brilliant work and gave the best performance as Renly from beginning to end.Everything you did was perfect. Your role of Renly personifies true king, and his courtesy, kindness and care of his people.
Before the death scene his conversation with Catelyn Stark, had been the moment when it all could have ended. The war for the five kings. Peace was almost there.
Renly’s victory over Stannis was clear and everything should have finished well.
He would have been a true king. A good king.
And nothing can we call our own but death
And that small model of the barren earth
Which serves as paste and cover to our bones.
Let us sit upon the ground
And tell sad stories of the death of kings and queens.
God Bless you, Gethin. The true king will never die!
MarthaQuote Reply