Gwendoline Christie on how Brienne of Tarth broke the mold

Gwendoline Christie has many fond memories of working on Game of Thrones, from swearing herself to Catelyn Stark to getting knighted by Jaime Lannister to biting the Hound’s ear off that time. Just look at how happy she is about it behind the scenes!

And that’s just one of many moments that stand out for Christie on Brienne’s journey. In an interview with GQ Style, Christie looked back on her time on the show with a lot of pride, because Brienne was more than a role for her. One of the things Christie felt had been missing from mainstream media was someone that looked like her — all 6’3” of her. Diversity comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and being a woman of great height was something she had to come to terms over the years.

"I think, because my body seems to draw such extreme responses from people, that, well… it’s fight or flight, isn’t it? Sink or swim. […] You either exist in a state of shame about not fitting into society or you embrace what you have. […] As time goes by, you become very aware of your own mortality and you want to inhabit who you are fully."

So of course, embracing the role of Brienne was huge for Christie. And in doing so, she became someone who others can look up to.

"So many women come up to me and talk about what it means to feel represented outside of the constraints of conventional society. […] In 2011, I didn’t think I would ever see women that looked like me in mainstream entertainment. It felt like there was one mold that wouldn’t be broken and diversity was not part of the conversation. So the fact that Brienne existed? Wow."

Honestly, while watching Game of Thrones as it aired all these years, it never really sunk in for me just how powerful a character Brienne of Tarth was, and how much she symbolized. Looking back, it’s easier to appreciate everything Brienne represents. Christie broke the mold with this character.

“What occurred was a shift,” Christie continued, “something spoke to me and allowed me an insight into humanity. Thrones, and Brienne, together they gave me a lot of hope, and a lot of experience.”

Christie’s full interview with GQ Style is on newsstands and available for digital download.

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h/t Breaking News and Independent