Gwendoline Christie won the hearts of audience members around the world on Game of Thrones as Brienne of Tarth, a women who defied the norms of her native Westeros to become a knight. As Brienne, she was powerful, vulnerable, and unforgettable.
Speaking to Variety, Christie talked about what playing Brienne meant for her. “Brienne of Tarth is just so close to my heart,” she said. “I’d been told that simply because I was a tall woman with somewhat unusual looks, that I would probably never work on screen…I never thought a part like this would come about, in television or in film.”
Christie credits A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin for coming up with the character, and explained how she threw herself into the role. “And I had to take my hair away, I had to acknowledge my height, my strength, my size, my androgyny, and also my vulnerability. And I also had to really get down to the gym, which was probably the hardest thing of all to do.”
"This part, I will never stop loving. And I think has helped to contribute in some small way towards the landscape of how we see women in our modern entertainment because, the amazing thing was, people loved the character."
Who Gwendoline Christie ever play Brienne of Tarth again?
Brienne is indeed one of the most beloved characters from Game of Thrones, and considering how many great characters that show produced, that’s saying something.
Christie has gone on to great success after Thrones; she had a prominent role in the hit Netflix series Wednesday and will be appearing in the second season of the excellent Severance on Apple TV+. “I am hugely invested in playing very different parts now and being pushed and becoming a better actor, developing as an actor, and working with auteurs,” she said.
That said, she’ll never stop being interested in Brienne, and even said she’d consider reprising the role on a potential Jon Snow spinoff. I’m sure many fans would love to see it.
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