Rose Leslie on Emotional 'Game of Thrones' Episode
You know the drill - SPOILERS!
June 9, 2014 — -- You know the drill - SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
If you haven't watched Sunday night's "Game of Thrones," now is the time to stop reading. If you have a free hour, go watch the show and come back!
Ygritte, played by Rose Leslie, was the latest casualty in the never-ending massacre that is called "Game of Thrones."
During the battle of Castle Black, she hesitated to kill her lover Jon Snow and eventually was killed by Snow's protege.
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David Benioff, a "Game of Thrones" showrunner called the actress one of their "favorite people."
"It’s fitting that her dying shots is one of my favorite shots we’ve ever had on the show," Benioff told Entertainment Weekly.
Leslie herself spoke with EW about her character's demise.
When asked what killed Ygritte, she said, "She hesitates. It’s that hesitation that’s the ruin of her, really."
Leslie said the death was obviously one that was hard to stomach after being part of the "Game of Thrones" family for a number of seasons.
"It was emotional from my perspective," she said of filming the death. "I’m saying goodbye to a character after three years. You don’t enter this without knowing the act of your character so I was well aware this was coming. But it was beautifully shot. It was a lovely thing on Thrones to be able to say goodbye with a bang. It’s lovely she’s in Jon Snow’s arms."
She also revealed what it was like saying goodbye to the cast and the sentimental gift she was given on her last day.
"It was really lovely," she said. "I know that everybody mentions this but we are very much a close-knit unit on set. They did a wonderful send-offs for their actors. After my final take I was given my bow and arrow. They replaced the handle on the bow, replacing the grubby Wildling wrap with white leather. One one side of the handle is an emblem of a red rose, on the other was a silver placard that read, “Kissed by Fire.” Everybody huddled around. I felt very privileged. It was absolutely beautiful."
