Game of Thrones: Gwendoline Christie credits fans for “exceptional female characters”

Game of Thrones premiered in New York City yesterday and Gwendoline Christie thanked fans for how women have come to be portrayed in the series.

In an interview with a Variety reporter on the red carpet of yesterday’s Game of Thrones premiere in New York City, Brienne actress, Gwendoline Christie, was asked how the role of women had changed in the series over the years. Christie credited fans, saying the show heard what fans wanted from the show and responded.

“What they want are more female characters,” Gwendoline Christie told the Variety reporter, “and they want more complex female characters.”

Christie also said:

"“I think that this huge phenomenon that is Game of Thrones has illustrated that people want to see female characters. They’re interested in those stories, and it has provided some really exceptional female characters. I’m very proud to be a part of it.”"

You can watch Christie’s whole response below.

Christie’s red carpet comments come only a month after Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams and Lena Headey (Sansa, Arya, and Cersei, respectively) sat down for an extensive interview with Vogue where, in part, they addressed some criticisms of the show. (It’s worth noting that Christie was also part of this interview, but is not quoted in response to this topic.)

“There are some people who make comments like, ‘It’s a misogynistic show because all these women are getting raped,'” Turner told Vogue. “[But] most of the people coming out on top are women.”

Williams is then quoted, noting that all of the key players in the final season are women.

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Headey then adds that the producers knew all along who came out on top. “That’s why they could shoulder all of the criticism,” Headey said in the Vogue interview.

You can read some of the criticisms leveled against the show in this Nerdist article from Kelly Kanayama and this Guardian article. The latter article also brings up the questionable (at best) way Game of Thrones handled race and POC characters. It’s from 2014, but (in my opinion) the way the show handles race hasn’t gotten much better.

Now, it’s hard to say how much pull fans actually had. But it’s clear the producers behind the hit series (and George RR Martin) heard the complaints and heard their fans passionately speaking up.

Christie points out, the internet has given fans an equal voice and that voice can have power. When fan voices demand seeing women (or POCs or people with disabilities) on screen, they can force change. And that’s pretty cool.

Well, less than two weeks left until Game of Thrones kicks off its final season. What are you most anxious about? Let us know all of your Game of Thrones thoughts in the comments.

Source: Comicbook.com