Those who have finished the entire Season 5 of Game of Thrones may know that there is much speculation over what role Melisandre will play as we move into the sixth season of this groundbreaking fantasy epic. In anticipation for the entire Season 5 being made available to own on digital download (through retailers like iTunes, Playstation Video, Fetch TV, Google Play, and Quickflix) we look back at an interview Carice Van Houten, who plays Melisandre, did back this February when the season was still being prepared for release.
Where did we leave Melisandre at the end of season four?
She’d gone north, up to The Wall. You’ve seen her clock Jon Snow, which is a great ending because you think, ‘Uh oh, what’s going to happen there?’ So that’s where we left my character off.
What can we expect in season five?
You feel that she is concentrating more and more towards Jon Snow, and Stannis is sort of concerned. She is almost distracted by him, because there’s something about him that gets her attention, apart from the fact that she might be attracted to him in a sexual way. There’s a lovely scene in the first episode where we go up The Wall to talk to Stannis, and I take him in the elevator. He says, ‘Aren’t you cold?’ and I say, ‘No, I’m never cold.’ I ask him to feel my face, and I say, ‘I’m always warm because the Lord of Light is always in my heart,’ and then all of a sudden I ask him, ‘Are you a virgin?’ He says, ‘No,’ and I’m like, ‘Good.’ (Laughs). It’s such a great scene. Then they walk off and she hands him over to Stannis, but there are slight hints that something’s going to happen, of course.
It sounds like there are some big developments this season.
It’s great. It’s my favourite season – for myself – definitely. It’s so nice to have another group of actors around me apart from Stephen [Dillane] and Liam [Cunningham], who are great. It’s like Laurel and Hardy all the time. It’s wonderful to be around them, but it’s nice to have John Bradley, Kit [Harington], and Hannah Murray.
What’s she like to play?
It’s lovely to play because I haven’t really played anyone like that before in my career, but I also have to say that I really longed for some emotion. It’s great to watch, but it’s not always fun to play someone who’s always in control because, as actors, we like to play with our flaws and with our own scars. That is our instrument, basically. I quite like it when Melisandre becomes a little bit more human, just because I like to act that more, so Season Five gave me that opportunity.
Do you think such slow character development is only possible on long form TV?
Yeah, that’s the great thing – it’s such a build up that it’s a nice change.
Do you ever refer to the books for hints on how to play Melisandre?
I never read the books. I’m not attached to any of that, with all respect to the writer. I always felt like this is the script we’re working off, and if I get too attached to what’s in the books I might get disappointed. We’re veering off from the books, yes, but I don’t know in what way. Readers will tell me.
Do you get a lot of feedback from fans?
Yeah, on Twitter I get a lot. Some people really hate me, but I think they like to hate me, which is nice. What’s great to do is when someone is mean – and there’s ugly stuff on the internet sometimes – I tend to not go into it that much, but sometimes I like to threaten them with a shadow baby. It always works. It’s very funny. It’s something I can play with. The whole Lord of Light thing is a wonderful friend to me, like a shield.
Where do you film mostly?
In Belfast. There’s a lot of stuff in the studio, but there’s also stuff in the field. This was mostly in Castle Black. It’s a beautiful set. It feels like something that was built hundreds of years ago, but it’s just a set. It’s unbelievable. You see The Wall, and they have just a cliff, and it’s painted white, for big parts of it. The sets are amazing, I have to say. They’re unbelievable.
Does that make your job easier?
Yeah, it feels like you can just walk into it. It’s funny how you get used to that, and to the way people look. It’s so different from our regular lives, but it’s funny that you sit in a green room with guys in armour and we’re playing ‘Name That Tune’ (laughs). I’ve had really lovely times there. Also Tara Fitzgerald (who plays Selyse Baratheon) is a wonderful woman, I love her. She’s very special.
How far ahead do you know about your character?
I was doing ADR the other day and then the producer was there and he was saying something that I’ve heard before, which is quite spectacular, for next year, which I really can’t say anything about (laughs).
Do you joke about who might be next to go?
All of the cast joke about who might be the next to get killed off. In the make-up room, sometimes I will be like, ‘Maybe this person’s going to die. What do you think?’ and they’re like, ‘We don’t know!’ And they obviously know because they have to be prepared – they’ve read all the scripts before we have, which is sometimes frustrating (laughs).
Do you get scripts for the whole season at once?
We get the scripts three weeks before we shoot them. They come in pairs. Never the whole thing at once.
Are you surprised by how popular the series is?
I never expected it at first, no. But when I saw the first season I completely got why. It’s not a niche community like The Sopranos, which is a very specific cultural thing that people cannot necessarily identify with. In this, there is someone for everyone to identify with, in a way, and it is like a very intelligent soap opera, a brilliant drama and you never know what is going to happen next.
Does the show feel relevant to things happening today?
Yes, it’s very modern, and that’s also why. The story is about power and how people get seduced by power, and how they deal with their own ambitions, and that’s very modern. It’s almost scary sometime how much it has to do with our current days. It’s like Shakespeare. I think it’s for everyone.
Do you agree that Game of Thrones is at the forefront of ‘the golden age of television’?
Oh, definitely. There’s so many times throughout the year that I’m like, ‘I’m really in this series? That’s so cool!’ It’s unbelievable, and it’s a great opportunity. It has made my life very interesting. My life wasn’t boring before, but it has opened a lot of doors. I’m very, very, happy.
You knew Liam before Game of Thrones, right?
Yeah, Liam is never going to get out of my life. He’s a keeper.
Have you made other friends on the show?
Yeah, and that’s the thing that I really love about the show. There’s a ‘no asshole’ policy. Everyone is very friendly. If there’s too much ego, people will get removed. That’s what I like about British actors, and British people in general – they’re so kind. Dutch people, or people from that part of Europe, we’re not as good as you are at making conversations. We’re not good at small talk. It’s nice if you come in the trailer and someone says, ‘How are you? How did you sleep?’ Even though it is just general politeness, I like that.
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Game of Thrones Season 5 available to own now on digital download through several retailers including iTunes, Google Play, Quickflix, Playstation Video and Fetch TV
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