In the aftermath to the highly anticipated finale to HBO’s award-winning series Game of Thrones, Platform writer Alex Mace caught a few minutes with Bella Ramsay, A.K.A Lyanna Mormont…
Alex: After your last episode of Game of Thrones, how was it for you and your family to watch your death scene?
Bella: I did wonder whether to warn my grandma or not. (laughs) She was okay, though my auntie was a bit disturbed but it’s fine because I was with them anyway. It was just the amazing graphics of that scene, and you even hear my bones crushing which is a bit…It wasn’t great but hey, if you’re going to die in Game of Thrones, you have to die well!
A: Are you quite proud for having survived until the last season?
B: Yeah! I didn’t even expect to be asked back after season six, but then I was asked back for season seven and then again for season eight, so I’m very grateful to David and Dan, the writers. Also, the fans, they played a massive part in me returning.
A: We got a glimpse of Lyanna turning into a Wight – were you a bit disappointed you didn’t get the chance to try and attack one of the main heroes?
B: Yeah, that would’ve been really cool – but I think maybe the eyes popping open made it a bit more dramatic, and had people guessing what on earth she did.
A: The Long Night had quite a mixed reaction from fans, with a lot of people saying the Night King was killed off too easily. Do you think the show made the right choice with his death?
B: I think so, yeah – with Maisie Williams and all of Arya’s training, it seems like all eight seasons have been building up to that one moment, so I think it was a fitting end for the Night King. The fact that a pint-sized female took him out was – I mean – it was pretty cool! It’s a pretty great moment for Arya.
A: Have you made any good friends through your time on Game of Thrones?
B: There’s a girl called Megan Parkinson – she plays Alice Carstark – she’s 20-something, but we get on really well. She was kind of an on-set sister, so that was great. But all the cast were lovely and supportive, and I got on really well with them.
A: Did you know how everything was going to play out in the final episodes?
B: I knew nothing – I knew absolutely nothing! I only got given the bits of script that I was in because it’s all so secretive and they wanted to make sure nothing got leaked, so really I knew as much as you did. (laughs) I thought Daenerys was going to turn evil, as she was just on that path – but I had no clue, basically.
A: Is there anyone you wanted to see on the throne, apart from yourself?
B: That’s out of the question! (laughs) I think Arya – she really deserved it, I think. Maybe her and Gendry could’ve joint-ruled – that would be cool.
A: You’re now going on to smaller projects like Hilda on Netflix. How is it going from such a huge project like GOT to something on a much smaller scale?
B: It’s still the same really, to me – it’s just the size difference. I love doing the big projects just as much as doing the smaller ones. Some of the independent films and scripts I see are so important and it’s a shame that some of them will never been seen on a bigger scale – these are important stories that need to be told.
A: Do you think GOT has helped you to mature as an actress?
B: Definitely – it was the first thing I ever did. I’d never been on a film set before, so I was kind of thrown in the deep end straight away, but I’m kind of glad that happened and I didn’t have to learn everything gradually. It was kind of like: “Right, here’s Game of Thrones – learn.” Which was great – I’m very, very glad about that.
A: Did they let you have any souvenirs from your time at the show?
B: No, they didn’t. (laughs) Some of the cast actually stole the odd thing, but I didn’t – I was good! I have got a GOT water bottle and hat they sent me, so it’s alright.
A: Through your time as Lyanna, do you have a favourite moment of hers?
B: That very first scene in season six where Jon, Sansa and Ser Davos come to Bear Island and she just defies everything that they think she’s going to be. That moment was definitely a great one.
By Alex Mace
Feature image credit: Warner Bros. Television