HBO's Game of Thrones star Gwendoline Christie explained how much the role of Brienne of Tarth means to her.
In an interview with Vogue, Christie claimed that she still holds Brienne, whom she played from Seasons 2 through 8 of Game of Thrones, close to her heart. The actor stated she always wanted to do screen work, but had been told, "Simply because I was a tall woman with somewhat unusual looks, that I would probably never work on screen." However, she praised author George R.R. Martin for crafting such a powerful female character. "I never thought a part like this would come about, in television or in film... And I had to take my hair away, I had to acknowledge my height, my strength, my size, my androgyny, and also my vulnerability."
Christie continued about the importance of Brienne, not just for her, but also for other female actors. She claimed that while the role was a breakthrough for her, it also played a small part in pioneering similar roles for others. "This part, I will never stop loving," Christie said. "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."
Since news broke that HBO is developing Snow, a Game of Thrones spinoff series which follows Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) after the events of the original show, Christie expressed interest in reprising her role as Brienne. "I love the sound of the Jon Snow spinoff. I really do. I loved watching [Game of Thrones] too. It's very surprising to feel this wave of interest that people are still so invested and that the love is still so real. I think many people feel that they would love to see that story continue," she said.
Moving On from Game of Thrones
However, Christie admitted that she is more interested in exploring new roles at the moment. "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." Despite her new pursuits, she stated she'll never stop being interested in Brienne.
Since breaking out on Game of Thrones, Christie has worked on a number of popular projects, such as Star Wars and The Sandman. Most recently, she starred in Netflix's Wednesday, which she claimed was the first time she ever felt beautiful on screen. "It was an opportunity to create that and to inhabit that sort of impenetrable, imperious character with that classic idea of femininity," she said.
The complete Game of Thrones series is available on HBO and HBO Max.
Source: Vogue