Lena Headey, who plays Cersei Lannister on Game of Thrones, has accused Harvey Weinstein of harassment.
According to the Game of Thrones star, Harvey Weinstein was “furious” after she resisted his advances. She made the revelation in a series of Twitter posts.
Lena Headey joins a list of over 40 women who have accused the Hollywood producer of misconduct.
Also on October 17, Harvey Weinstein, 65, resigned from the board of directors of his eponymous film production company.
He has been accused of rape, assault and harassment, but has “unequivocally denied” any allegations of non-consensual relationships.
Despite being fired as chairman of The Weinstein Company studio on October 8, Harvey Weinstein had continued until October 17 to hold a position on the company’s board.
According to Variety magazine, Harvey Weinstein – who has been expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that present the Oscar awards – still owns 22% of his company’s stock.
Amid the fallout over the Weinstein accusations, Roy Price, the head of Amazon Studios, also resigned on October 17 over allegations of harassment.
Roy Price took a “leave of absence” on October 12 after Isa Hackett, a producer on the Amazon series The Man in the High Castle, told the Hollywood Reporter he allegedly harassed her in 2015.
In her Twitter posts, Lena Headey described sharing an elevator with Harvey Weinstein after he had invited her to his room to show her a script.
Image source Wikimedia
The Game of Thrones actress recalled: “The lift was going up and I said to Harvey, <<I’m not interested in anything other than work, please don’t think I got in here with you for any other reason, nothing is going to happen>>.
“I don’t know what possessed me to speak out at that moment, only that I had such a strong sense of don’t come near me.
“He was silent after I spoke, furious.”
“He walked me back to the lift by grabbing and holding tightly to the back of my arm,” she said, adding that she felt “completely powerless”.
After Harvey Weinstein allegedly “whispered” that she should not tell anyone about the encounter, Lena Headey writes: “I got into my car and cried.”
Her story comes as other Hollywood actresses shared their stories of harassment and impropriety in show business.
On October 16, Reese Witherspoon said she had been harassed by an unnamed film director when she was just 16, during a speech to the Elle Women in Hollywood event.
Jennifer Lawrence, who has won a Best Actress Oscar, spoke at the same event and described a casting call where she was made to stand in front of producers who criticized her weight.
DreamWorks film studio chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg meanwhile told a Wall Street Journal conference of Harvey Weinstein: “Make no mistake about it: he is a monster.”
Jeffrey Katzenberg added Harvey Weinstein had been protected by other men around him, who he described as “a pack of wolves”.
Screenwriter Scott Rosenberg also got involved by writing a Facebook post about his early days at Miramax Films.
He wrote the movies Beautiful Girls and Things To Do In Denver When You’re Dead at the time Harvey Weinstein’s profile was rising in the film industry.
In his Facebook post, Scott Rosenberg said that while he never heard any rape allegations, he was aware of Harvey Weinstein’s “dreadful” behavior – and said “everybody” else knew, too.
“I was there. And I saw you. And I talked about it with you,” the screenwriter wrote.
“You, the big producers; you, the big directors; you, the big agents; you, the big financiers.
“And you, the big rival studio chiefs; you, the big actors; you, the big actresses; you, the big models.
“You, the big journalists; you, the big screenwriters; you, the big rock stars; you, the big restaurateurs; you, the big politicians.”
Scott Rosenberg said others chose to ignore what was going on because they were enjoying themselves and because women were told it would ruin their careers if they said anything.
At the end of his post, Scott Rosenberg apologized for not doing anything.
“I reaped the rewards and I kept my mouth shut,” he said.
“And for that, once again, I am sorry.”
Lauren Holly has also come forward, sharing her story of harassment, describing an encounter she had with Harvey Weinstein.
The pair arranged a meeting in a hotel, which the Beautiful Girls actress didn’t find “abnormal at all” because she had routinely met producers, writers and directors in their suites.
Lauren Holly described the early stages of the meeting as normal, but said things turned sour when Harvey Weinstein walked into the hotel suite “wearing a hotel bathrobe”.
“He said, <<OK, let’s get to it, this is what we’ve got going on at my company, these are the scripts we have in the pipeline, this is what I think might be right for you>>, and he gestured for me to follow him.”
Lauren Holly recounted that she followed him into the bedroom part of the suite as he continued talking.
Harvey Weinstein then showered and, when he emerged, started to approach her.
Lauren Holly said she started to run away, but that Harvey Weinstein began to threaten her, saying she needed to “keep him as [her] ally” and that it would be a “bad decision” if she left the room.
At that point, Lauren Holly said, she “pushed him and ran”.
Game of Thrones star Peter Vaughan has died at the age of 93, his agent has confirmed.
The British actor played Maester Aemon in the HBO series.
Peter Vaughan’s many other roles included parts in TV shows Porridge, Citizen Smith, Chancer and Our Friends in the North.
Sally Long-Innes said: “This is to confirm that very sadly Peter Vaughan passed away at approximately 10.30 this morning. He died peacefully with his family around him.”
Peter Vaughan began acting in the 1950s and became a recognizable face by playing numerous mainly supporting roles on stage, TV, radio and movie.
Image source HBO
He specialized in characters with a tough edge – such as police officers, secret agents and authoritarian elders.
Peter Vaughan described himself as a character actor, saying he did not have the looks to play romantic leads.
He was never out of work for long, but Peter Vaughan was not overly fond of only being recognized for Porridge.
However, Game of Thrones brought Peter Vaughan a new level of fame with a younger audience at the age of 86, and he remained in the show for five years.
Peter Vaughan was married to actress Billie Whitelaw for 14 years until 1966 and then married Lillias Walker.
HBO fantasy drama Game of Thrones has broken the record for the highest number of Emmy Awards won by any fictional series.
Game of Thrones triumphed in three categories at September 18 ceremony, including outstanding drama series.
Its total number of awards now stands at 38, which means it has beaten Frasier’s previous record of 37.
Maggie Smith won outstanding supporting actress in a drama series for her role in Downton Abbey.
It is the third time Maggie Smith has won an Emmy for her portrayal of Violet Crawley, but she has never attended the ceremony in person.
Host Jimmy Kimmel joked: “We’re not mailing this to her. Maggie, if you want this, it will be in the lost and found.”
Sherlock was named best made for TV movie for its special episode The Abominable Bride.
Susanne Bier won for best directing in a limited series.
John Oliver won best variety talk series for his HBO series Last Week Tonight, beating James Corden, who was nominated for The Late Late Show.
Veep won the outstanding comedy series award for the second year in a row, while its star Julia Louis-Dreyfus won outstanding lead comedy actress for the fifth time.
In her acceptance speech, Louis-Dreyfus said: “Our show started out as political satire but now feels like a sobering documentary.”
She dedicated her award to her father, who died on September 16.
The outstanding comedy actor gong went to Jeffrey Tambor, who plays a transgender woman in the Amazon series Transparent, for the second year in a row.
Accepting the award, Jeffrey Tambor encouraged the industry to offer more opportunities to the trans community.
Rami Malek won outstanding lead actor in a drama series for his role in Mr. Robot – the first time an actor from an ethnic minority has won the award since 1998.
Tatiana Maslany from Orphan Black won the outstanding leading actress in a drama prize.
Other big winners of the night included The People vs. OJ Simpson – a dramatization of the OJ Simpson trial of the 1990s.
Elsewhere, The Voice took home the award for outstanding reality competition series, beating Project Runway and Dancing With The Stars.
The 38 Emmys won by Game of Thrones includes the nine trophies the series picked up at last weekend’s Creative Arts Emmys.
Game of Thrones is now the most decorated drama series in Emmy awards’ history – the overall record is held by Saturday Night Live, which has won 44.
Game of Thrones has become the first show to win the most Emmy awards in one night after Sunday’s ceremony held in Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, Viola Davis has become the first black woman to win the outstanding lead actress in a drama award for her role in How To Get Away With Murder.
The 67th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards honored the best in US prime time TV programming from June 1, 2014 until May 31, 2015, as chosen by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Jon Hamm finally won a best actor award for his role as Don Draper in Mad Men – after seven years of missing out.
Political comedy Veep was the winner in the best comedy series category.
Photo EPA
Inside Amy Schumer was named best variety sketch series.
It was the first time since it began 2011 that Game of Thrones won the best drama series award. Its other accolades included best writing, best direction and best supporting actor for Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion Lannister.
Amazon’s comedy-drama Transparent won awards for best director in a comedy and for its lead actor, Jeffrey Tambor, who plays a transgender college professor.
The show also picked up best guest actor in a comedy for Bradley Whitford.
Viola Davis won her Emmy for lead actress in a drama for her role as a tough criminal defense lawyer in ABC’s How to Get Away With Murder.
Accepting her award, Viola Davis said: “The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity.”
Jon Hamm, who played Don Draper in the drama Mad Men, set in an advertising agency primarily in the 1960s, said: “It’s incredible and impossible for me personally to be standing here.”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus won best comedy actress for the fourth time for playing Selina Meyer on Veep, while Tony Hale, who plays her bag man, was again named best comedy supporting actor.
Veep, which is set in the office of the fictional vice-president and subsequent president of the US, Selina Meyer, also won the comedy writing award and best supporting actor in a comedy (Tony Hale).
Uzo Aduba, who plays Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren in Netflix prison series Orange is the New Black, was named best supporting actress in a drama.
The TV Academy awarded only four prizes to the main US broadcast networks. But while the pre-awards talk had revolved around streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon, it was cable channel HBO that swept the board, with shows like Veep, Game of Thrones and Olive Kitteridge performing well.
Olive Kitteridge picked up six awards, including best mini-series, best lead actor in a mini-series or movie (Richard Jenkins), lead actress (Frances McDormand) and supporting actor (Bill Murray).
WINNER: Allison Janney – Mom
Mayim Bialik – The Big Bang Theory
Kate McKinnon – Saturday Night Live
Gaby Hoffmann – Transparent
Jane Krakowski – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Anna Chlumsky – Veep
Niecy Nash – Getting On
Julie Bowen – Modern Family
Outstanding variety sketch series
Drunk History WINNER: Inside Amy Schumer
Key & Peele
Portlandia
Saturday Night Live
Outstanding writing for a comedy series
David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik – Episodes
Will Forte – The Last Man on Earth
Louis CK – Louie
Alec Berg – Silicon Valley
Jill Soloway – Transparent WINNER: Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci and Tony Roche – Veep
David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik – Episodes
Outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series
Andre Braugher – Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Adam Driver – Girls
Keegan-Michael Key – Key & Peele
Ty Burrell – Modern Family
Tituss Burgess – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt WINNER: Tony Hale – Veep
Outstanding directing in a comedy series
Phil Lord and Chirs Miller – The Last Man on Earth
Louis CK – Louie
Mike Judge – Silicon Valley WINNER: Jill Soloway – Transparent
Armando Iannucci – Veep
Outstanding lead actor in a comedy series
Matt LeBlanc – Episodes
Don Cheadle – House of Lies
Louis CK – Louie
William H Macy – Shameless WINNER: Jeffrey Tambor – Transparent
Anthony Anderson – Black-ish
Will Forte – Last Man on Earth
Outstanding lead actress in a comedy series
Lisa Kudrow – The Comeback
Edie Falco – Nurse Jackie
Amy Poehler – Parks and Recreation WINNER: Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Veep
Amy Schumer – Inside Amy Schumer
Lily Tomlin – Grace and Frankie
Outstanding writing for a limited series, movie or dramatic special
John Ridley – American Crime
Dee Rees, Christopher Cleveland, Bettina Gilois and Horton Foote – Bessie
Stephen Merchant, Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg – Hello Ladies: The Movie
Hugo – The Honorable Woman WINNER: Jane Anderson – Olive Kitteridge
Peter Straughan – Wolf Hall
Outstanding supporting actress in a limited series or TV movie
WINNER: Regina King – American Crime
Sarah Paulson – American Horror Story: Freak Show
Angela Bassett – American Horror Story: Freak Show
Kathy Bates, American Horror Story: Freak Show
Mo’Nique – Bessie
Zoe Kazan – Olive Kitteridge
Outstanding directing for a limited series, movie or dramatic special
Ryan Murphy – American Horror Story: Freak Show
Dee Rees – Bessie
Hugo Blick – The Honorable Woman
Uli Edel – Houdini
Tom Shankland – The Missing WINNER: Lisa Cholodenko – Olive Kitteridge
Peter Kosminsky – Wolf Hall
Outstanding variety talk series
The Colbert Report WINNER: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Jimmy Kimmel Live
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Late Show With David Letterman
Outstanding reality-competition program
The Amazing Race
Dancing With the Stars
Project Runway
So You Think You Can Dance
Top Chef WINNER: The Voice
Outstanding supporting actress in a drama series
Joanne Froggatt – Downton Abbey
Lena Headey – Game of Thrones
Emilia Clarke – Game of Thrones
Christine Baranski – The Good Wife
Christina Hendricks – Mad Men WINNER: Uzo Aduba – Orange Is The New Black
Outstanding supporting actor in a limited series or movie
Richard Cabral – American Crime
Denis O’Hare- American Horror Story
Finn Wittrock- American Horror Story: Freak Show
Michael Kenneth Williams – Bessie WINNER: Bill Murray – Olive Kitteridge
Damian Lewis – Wolf Hall
Outstanding supporting actor in a drama series
Jonathan Banks – Better Call Saul
Ben Mendelsohn – Bloodline
Jim Carter – Downton Abbey WINNER: Peter Dinklage – Game of Thrones
Alan Cumming – The Good Wife
Michael Kelly – House Of Cards
Outstanding lead actress in a limited series or a movie
WINNER: Frances McDormand – Olive Kitteridge
Maggie Gyllenhaal – The Honorable Woman
Queen Latifah – Bessie
Emma Thompson – Sweeney Todd: Live From Lincoln Center
Jessica Lange – American Horror Story: Freak Show
Felicity Huffman – American Crime
Outstanding lead actor in a limited series or a movie
WINNER: Richard Jenkins – Olive Kitteridge
Adrien Brody – Houdini
Mark Rylance – Wolf Hall
Timothy Hutton – American Crime
Ricky Gervais – Derek: The Final Chapter
David Oyelowo – Nightingale
Outstanding limited series
WINNER: Olive Kitteridge
American Crime
The Honorable Woman
American Horror Story: Freak Show
Wolf Hall
Outstanding writing for a drama series
Joshua Brand – The Americans
Gordon Smith – Better Call Saul WINNER: David Benioff and DB Weiss – Game Of Thrones
Semi Chellas and Matthew Weiner – Mad Men
Matthew Weiner – Mad Men
Outstanding writing for a variety series
Opus Moreschi, Stephen Colbert, Tom Purcell, Barry Julien, Paul Dinello, Matt Lappin, Jay Katsir, Michael Brumm, Rob Dubbin, Glenn Eichler, Max Werner, Eric Drysdale, Nate Charny, Aaron Cohen, Gabe Gronli and Ariel Dumas – The Colbert Report
WINNERS: Elliott Kalan, Adam Lowitt, Steve Bodow, Jon Stewart, Dan Amira, Travon Free, Hallie Haglund, Matt Koff, Dan McCoy, Jo Miller, Zhubin Parang, Daniel Radosh, Lauren Sarver, Owen Parsons and Delaney Yeager – The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Jessi Klein, Hallie Cantor, Kim Caramele, Kyle Dunnigan, Jon Glaser, Christine Nangle, Kurt Metzger, Daniel Powell, Tami Sagher and Amy Schumer – Inside Amy Schumer
Jay Martel, Ian Roberts, Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele – Key & Peele
Kevin Avery, Tim Carvell, Dan Gurewitch, Geoff Haggerty, Jeff Maurer, John Oliver, Scott Sherman, Will Tracy, Jill Twiss, Juli Weiner and Josh Gondelman – Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
Outstanding directing for a variety series
James Hoskinson – The Colbert Report WINNER: Chuck O’Neil – The Daily Show
Amy Schumer and Ryan McFaul – Inside Amy Schumer
Jerry Foley – Late Show with David Letterman
Dave Diomedi – The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Outstanding drama series
Downton Abbey WINNER: Game of Thrones
Mad Men
House of Cards
Orange is the New Black
Homeland
Better Call Saul
Outstanding comedy series
Louie
Modern Family
Parks and Recreation WINNER: Veep
Silicon Valley
Transparent
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Outstanding lead actor in a drama series
Kevin Spacey – House of Cards WINNER: Jon Hamm – Mad Men
Jeff Daniels – The Newsroom
Bob Odenkirk – Better Call Saul
Kyle Chandler – Bloodline
Liev Schreiber – Ray Donovan
Outstanding lead actress in a drama series
Claire Danes – Homeland WINNER: Viola Davis – How to Get Away With Murder
Taraji P Henson – Empire
Tatiana Maslany – Orphan Black
Elisabeth Moss – Mad Men
Robin Wright – House of Cards
Outstanding television movie
Agatha Christie’s Poirot: Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case WINNER: Bessie
Grace of Monaco
Hello Ladies: The Movie
Killing Jesus
Nightingale
Outstanding guest actor in a drama series
WINNER: Reg E Cathey – House of Cards Alan Alda – The Blacklist
Michael J Fox – The Good Wife
Beau Bridges – Masters of Sex
Pablo Schreiber – Orange is the New Black
F Murray Abraham – Homeland
Outstanding guest actress in a drama series
Allison Janney – Masters of Sex
Diana Rigg – Game of Thrones WINNER: Margo Martindale – The Americans
Rachel Brosnahan – House of Cards
Cicely Tyson – How to Get Away with Murder
Khandi Alexander – Scandal
Outstanding guest actor in a comedy series
Louis CK – Saturday Night Live
Jon Hamm – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt WINNER: Bradley Whitford – Transparent
Bill Hader – Saturday Night Live
Mel Brooks – The Comedians
Paul Giamatti – Inside Amy Schumer
Outstanding guest actress in a comedy series
Tina Fey – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Christine Baranski – The Big Bang Theory
Gaby Hoffman – Girls
Pamela Adlon – Louie
Elizabeth Banks – Modern Family WINNER: Joan Cusack – Shameless
Outstanding host for a reality or reality-competition program
Tom Bergeron – Dancing With the Stars
Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn – Project Runway
Cat Deeley – So You Think You Can Dance
Anthony Bourdain – The Taste WINNER: Jane Lynch – Hollywood Game Night
Outstanding unstructured reality program
Alaska: The Last Frontier WINNER: Deadliest Catch
Intervention
Million Dollar Listing New York
Naked and Afraid
Wahlburgers
Outstanding structured reality program
Antiques Roadshow
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
MythBusters
Property Brothers WINNER: Shark Tan
Undercover Boss
Outstanding variety special
Bill Maher: Live from DC
The Kennedy Center Honors
Louis CK: Live at the Comedy Store
Mel Brooks Live at the Geffen WINNER: The Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special
Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek Live!
Outstanding directing for a drama series
Tim Van Patten – Boardwalk Empire WINNER: David Nutter – Game of Thrones
Jeremy Podeswa – Game of Thrones
Lesli Linka Glatter – Homeland
Steven Soderbergh – The Knick
Outstanding directing for a variety special
Natalie Johns – Annie Lennox: Nostalgia Live in Concert
Louis J Horvitz – The Kennedy Center Honors
Hamish Hamilton – The Oscars WINNER: Don Roy King – The Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special
Glenn Weiss – 68th Annual Tony Awards
Outstanding writing for a variety special
Barry Adelman, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Jon Macks, Dave Boone, Alex Baze, Robert Carlock, Sam Means, Seth Meyers, Michael Shoemaker, Eric Gurian and Meredith Scardino– The 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards
Brendan Hunt, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele and Rich Talarico – Key & Peele Super Bowl Special
Mel Brooks – Mel Brooks Live At The Geffen WINNER: Louis CK – Louis CK: Live At The Comedy Store James Anderson, Fred Armisen, Tina Fey, Steve Higgins, Chris Kelly, Erik Kenward, Rob Klein, Seth Meyers, Lorne Michaels, John Mulaney, Paula Pell, Jeff Richmond, Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Tom Schiller, Sarah Schnieder, Marc Shaiman, Michael Shoemaker, Robert Smigel, Emily Spivey, Kent Sublette, Jorma Taccone and Bryan Tucker – The Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special
Outstanding documentary or nonfiction special
The Case Against 8 WINNER: Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief
Kurt Cobain: Montage Of Heck
Sinatra: All Or Nothing At All
Virunga
Outstanding documentary or nonfiction series
American Masters
Cancer: The Emperor Of All Maladies WINNER: The Jinx: The Life And Deaths Of Robert Durst
The Roosevelts: An Intimate History
The Sixties
Outstanding informational series or special
WINNER: Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown
Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways
Inside The Actors Studio
StarTalk With Neil deGrasse Tyson
Vice
“The Americans” • Do Mail Robots Dream Of Electric Sheep? • FX Networks • Fox 21 Television
Studios and FX Productions
Joshua Brand, Written by
“Better Call Saul” • Five-O • AMC • Sony Pictures Television / Gran Via Productions
Gordon Smith, Written by
“Game Of Thrones” • Mother’s Mercy • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead,
Littlehead; Television 360; Startling Television and Generator Productions
David Benioff, Written by
D.B. Weiss, Written by
“Mad Men” • Lost Horizon • AMC • Lionsgate Television / UROK Productions
Semi Chellas, Written by
Matthew Weiner, Written by
“Mad Men” • Person To Person • AMC • Lionsgate Television / UROK Productions
Matthew Weiner, Written by
DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
“Boardwalk Empire” • Eldorado • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Leverage, Closest to the Hole Productions, Sikelia Productions and Cold Front Productions
Tim Van Patten, Directed by
“Game Of Thrones” • Mother’s Mercy • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead,
Littlehead; Television 360; Startling Television and Generator Productions
David Nutter, Directed by
“Game Of Thrones” • Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with
Bighead, Littlehead; Television 360; Startling Television and Generator Productions
Jeremy Podeswa, Directed by
“Homeland” • From A To B And Back Again • Showtime • SHOWTIME Presents, Fox 21, Teakwood
Lane Productions, Cherry Pie Productions, Keshet
Lesli Linka Glatter, Directed by
“The Knick” • Method And Madness • Cinemax • Cinemax Entertainment in association with Ambeg
Screen Products, Anonymous Content and Extension 765
One of Game of Thrones’ biggest characters, Jon Snow, was killed off in the Season 5 finale.
Season 5 final episode saw Jon Snow, played by Kit Harington, murdered by men of the Night’s Watch.
The final scene saw Jon Snow’s young protégé Olly deliver the final blow, with a lifeless Lord Commander left lying in the snow.
Variety described it as “one of the most shocking TV moments of the year”.
Fans expressed hope that Kit Harington would return in the next series, but speaking to Entertainment Weekly the actor said: “I’m dead. I’m not coming back next season.
“I kind of knew it was coming. I didn’t read [George RR Martin’s novel] A Dance with Dragons. But I read the other books and I had heard this is what happens.
“So I had an inkling it should be this season. I didn’t realize it would be the final shot of the season and that made it extra special.
“I loved how they brought Olly in to be the person who kills me.”
Kit Harington said the show’s creators, David Benioff and Dan Weiss, had informed him of his impending doom before production on the Season 5 began last year.
“We did the Tony Soprano walk [to tell an actor they’re going to die]. And they said, <<Look, you’re gone, it’s done>>.”
Fans took to Twitter to express their shock at the episode.
A number of other characters also met their demise in the finale, including Stannis Baratheon – who was executed at the hands of Brienne of Tarth, just hours after his wife, Queen Selyse, hanged herself.
Game of Thrones Season 5 finale also featured a scene where Cersei Lannister – played by Lena Headey – was stripped after having her head shaved and marched through the streets in a public walk of shame after admitting she had slept with her cousin.
If you count yourself as a pretty big Game of Thrones fan, you no doubt know all there is to know about the books and the show. However, how well do you know the cast?
We’re here to help shed some light on some of our favourite actors and actresses that bring those heroes and villains to life so amazingly well.
Peter Dinklage was the author George R.R. Martin’s first choice for the role of Tyrion
They didn’t even do any other auditions except for him. He’s also a vegetarian and apparently an avid karaoke fan!
Sean Bean was also the first choice for his role
They did audition other actors for his part, in case he decided to turn down the role, however. His nickname on set was ‘Beany’.
Sibel Kekilli’s previous roles may surprise you…
The critically acclaimed German actress who played Tyrion’s fiery lover Shae is a former porn star. She’s actually not even the only porn star to have a role in the franchise either…check out this article for more info!
Catelyn Stark (played by actress Michelle Fairley) is surprised by the show’s success
She stated that ‘My first filming was three days of shooting – it was the ambush of Tyrion – and at the end of that first day I was expecting someone to come by the trailer and tell me to pack the bags and go home’.
Acting wasn’t Gwendoline Christie’s first choice of career
The actress who plays burly Brienne was actually a semi-professional gymnast as a child, but sustained injuries to her spine which ultimately ended her progression. So she took to acting and modelling instead.
Theon Greyjoy – Alfie Allen – has a very famous sister
He’s the little brother of Lily Allen, and was the inspiration of her song ‘Alfie’. You can listen to it here.
Scottish actor Rory McCann aka The Hound is a supporter of the Scottish Green Party
He’s actually not just a supporter, but an active campaigner. You can view their campaign video in which he played a big part here.
Your mum might have been a fan of Bronn (aka Jerome Flynn) previously…
The actor who plays Bronn was one half of 90s pop sensation Robson and Jerome.
Theon Greyjoy isn’t the only one with famous relatives
There are even more impressive ones on set. Oona Chaplin is the granddaughter of comedian Charlie Chaplin, and Harry Lloyd is the great-great-great grandson of Charles Dickens!
Wilko Johnson – otherwise known as Ser Ilyn – is especially different in real life
His main hobby is touring is playing guitar in the pub rock group Dr. Feelgood…bit different from his life in Game of Thrones!
They’re a crazy and colourful bunch, and the notion of them in character wearing sun glasses is even crazier. That’s what the team behind this hilarious infographic have envisioned, and we love it!
Author George R.R. Martin has released a chapter of The Winds of Winter on his website.
The new chapter is part of the sixth book in the A song of Ice and Fire fantasy series which Game of Thrones is based on.
However, there’s still no sign of a publication date.
The chapter’s told from the perspective of Sansa Stark, living under the name Alayne Stone.
She is played on the HBO adaptation by Sophie Turner.
George R.R. Martin began the first volume of the A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Game of Thrones, in 1991. It was published in 1996.
The books have inspired novellas, a comic book adaptation, card, board and video games – as well as the HBO TV series.
Fans often complain George R.R. Martin’s not working on the book The Winds of Winter as quickly as they’d like.
It’s been four years since the fifth title in the series A Dance with Dragons came out.
George R.R. Martin has shared a few chapters on his website before now, but Alayne Stone is the first since Mercy was published in March 2014.
Last month, the author wrote on his blog he is freeing up his schedule to make more time for writing.
He said he had decided to cancel a couple of public appearances for 2015 and it’s possible he will withdraw from others too, depending on how his work is going.
That work includes editing the book in his Wild Card science fiction and superhero anthology series, consulting on a couple of video games, helping produce a Wild Cards film, and having “an overall deal with HBO, and three new television concepts in various stages of development.”
He has also formed a new production company to make low budget short films.
Fans of the books can be reassured by this: “Please note, most of these other projects involve me editing, producing, consulting, or financing. The writing I’m doing is all on WINDS OF WINTER.”
George R.R. Martin has decided not to script an episode for season six of Game of Thrones as it “would cost me a month’s work on WINDS, and maybe as much as six weeks, and I cannot afford that.”
He says it’s possible he could finish The Winds of Winter this year.
In the meantime, fans will have to make do with the new chapter, and the fifth season of HBO’s Game of Thrones, which debuts on April 12.
Anna Kendrick let her Twitter followers know on August 13 that despite the romance rumors going around about her and Game of Thrones star Alfie Allen, she is not dating the HBO actor.
“Ahh, this has been hilarious and all but, nope. My apologies to Mr. Allen, who must be equally confused,” Anna Kendrick, 29, tweeted, and later deleted.
Anna Kendrick denies dating Alfie Allen
This message was in response to a New York Post report that claimed Anna Kendrick and Alfie Allen were an item after they were allegedly spotted on a date at Las Vegas’ SushiSamba this past week.
Anna Kendrick called it quits with director and producer Edgar Wright this past year after dating for four years. Before Alfie Allen, she hadn’t been romantically connected to anyone since her breakup.
Alfie Allen, the 27-year-old brother to pop star Lily Allen, reportedly broke up with actress Jaime Winstone this past month.
Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, have met cast and production members from Game of Thrones during a tour of the Paint Hall Studios in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Game of Thrones series is partly filmed in the city’s Titanic Quarter, and is a focal point for Northern Ireland’s burgeoning film industry.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were presented with a miniature version of the infamous Iron Throne, which appears in Game of Thrones
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh began their second day of engagements at Crumlin Road Gaol in north Belfast.
They are on a three-day visit to Northern Ireland.
As well as meeting cast and production staff, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were also given a short overview of the series and the impact it has had on Northern Ireland, not only in terms of employment, but also in the creative arts field.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip also viewed some of the props that have featured in Game Thrones.
Before leaving, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were presented with a miniature version of the infamous Iron Throne, which appears in the series.
Game of Thrones will have two new series – Seasons 5 and 6 – producers have confirmed.
“Raise a glass of Dornish wine. Game of Thrones is renewed for seasons five and six,” the show posted on its official Facebook page.
The statement added: “Send a raven and spread the word across the realm.”
Game of Thrones Season 4 premiere gave HBO its top ratings since The Sopranos finale in 2007, it was announced earlier this week.
An average of 6.6 million watched HBO for the hit fantasy drama.
Game of Thrones is renewed for seasons five and six
The Sopranos drew 11.9 million viewers for its final episode, according to the cable channel.
George RR Martin, the author of the A Song of Ice and Fire novels on which the program is based, is also an executive producer on the show.
He has previously hinted at the possibility of a feature film to round-off the adaptation of his book.
Game of Thrones also holds the record for the most illegally downloaded TV program.
In 2012, one episode of Game of Thrones racked up 4,280,000 illegal global downloads, according to Torrentfreak. That was slightly more than its estimated US TV audience.
Earlier this week the digital service for television channel HBO was forced to apologize to customers, after the site crashed following high demand for the series four premiere.
HBO GO asked fans to wait for a later replay of the episode on the cable channel.
Last month, the service also crashed after demand to watch the finale of True Detective.
Game of Thrones Season 4 will premiere at 9 p.m. on Sunday, April 6, with the two half-hour comedies following after.
The fourth season premiere will be followed by the third season of Veep and the premiere of the new Mike Judge series Silicon Valley.
Game of Thrones Season 4 will premiere on April 6
HBO will also premiere the first trailer for Games of Thrones Season 4 on Sunday, before the premiere of True Detective the new series starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as detectives trying to solve murders in rural Louisiana.
Games of Thrones is the most-pirated TV show of 2013, beating out AMC’s Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead, which ranked second and third, respectively.
According to TorrentFreak, HBO’s Games of Thrones – based on author George R.R. Martin’s fantasy novels – easily topped the list after the Season 3 finale was downloaded 5.9 million times, half a million more than the 5.4 million viewers that tuned in to watch the episode on television.
Breaking Bad, which ended its five-season run last fall, was estimated to have been downloaded 4.2 million times, while an estimated 10.28 million viewers tuned in to watch the unspecified episode.
An episode of Walking Dead was estimated to have been downloaded 3.6 million times, and watched by over 16.1 million viewers.
Games of Thrones is the most-pirated TV show of 2013
Games of Thrones previously beat its own piracy record last June, when 171,572 people shared the HBO series’ Season 3 finale simultaneously, compared to the 163,088 simultaneous fileshares for the Season 3 premiere.
Facebook founding president Sean Parker married singer-songwriter Alexandra Lenas in a lavish ceremony in California.
Photographed in the story-book forest surroundings of Big Sur, California, the $10 million wedding took place in front of 300 friends and family members and the theme has been compared by many to the HBO show, Game of Thrones.
The Internet entrepreneur, who is estimated to be worth $2 billion, is now officially hitched to the mother of his young daughter after his wedding at the swanky Ventana Inn & Spa.
The ceremony and reception featured opulent decorations including a ruin, a waterfall and long feast style tables.
“Forget what you heard about Sean Parker’s wedding,” friend John Perry Barlow tweeted following the ceremony.
“It [was] elegant, tasteful, and magical.”
They “have just been enormously generous to their friends. We are all very grateful”, he wrote.
Alexandra Lenas, 24, wore a dress that appears similar to Daenerys Targaryen from the Game of Thrones.
Sean Parker, 33, is believed to have shelled out $10 million to turn a boutique hotel into what looks like a movie set, equipped with outfits for guests designed by the costume designer for the Lord of the Rings movies.
One source told the New York Post that guests “entered down a long trail and came to a big gate and entered this other world in a forest there … They made the forest come alive”.
The ceremony was officiated by Unitarian Universalist minister John A. Buehrens.
The extensive guest list included Sting and his wife Trudie, Allison Williams, Emma Watson, Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, Perry and Etty Farrell and Lucian Grainge.
Jacqueline Laurita, from the Real Housewives of New Jersey, also attended the event and shared photographs of the lavish hotel on Twitter.
“Words cannot even describe how beautiful the wedding I went to yesterday was,” she gushed.
“Nothing like I’ve ever seen. I felt like I was in a fairy [tale].”
Sean Parker married Alexandra Lenas in Game of Thrones wedding ceremony in Big Sur
The political world was represented by California Attorney General Kamela Harris, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Newark Mayor Cory Booker.
Alexandra Lenas’ gown was by Elie Saab, while Sean Parker, the couple’s infant daughter Winter Victoria and the guests were dressed by Academy Award-winning costume designer Ngila Dickson.
Designer Ken Fulk, caterer Paula LeDuc and designer Preston Bailey, who designed the flowers, all helped coordinate the massive affair. Mark Seliger was the photographer.
Guests enjoyed cake from Perfect Endings as well as music by Loreena McKennitt and The Good The Bad and The Ginger.
Sean Parker had previously denied the Game of Thrones theme on his Twitter account, but admitted they would be instructing guests on what to wear.
“Just because we don’t trust our guests to dress themselves properly doesn’t mean we want them to look like #GoT characters,” he wrote in April.
“Academy award winning costume designer Ngila Dickson is creating gorgeous, inspiring, and unique designs that are both modern and whimsical.”
Sean Parker hired a landscaping company to build fake ruins, waterfalls, man made ponds, bridges and a gated cottage in the surrounding woods at the hotel, sources told TMZ in April.
The venue included two terraces that are used for weddings, that offer “privacy and an uninterrupted 50-mile view of the Big Sur coastline to the south”, according to its website.
The Inn boasts its design is mean to “complement nature and encourage guests to experience the essence of romance”.
Residents in the California community have been less than thrilled with the attention Parker’s spectacle has attracted.
The California Coastal Commission reportedly was called in to investigate whether the inn had procured the proper permits for the wedding-related construction, the San Jose Mercury News reported.
“We’re pretty used to celebrities being in Big Sur. But for this one, they’ve basically built a movie set to have their wedding,” Stan Russell, head of the city’s chamber of commerce, told the paper.
Stan Russell said the construction will go away after the Saturday bash and expects the attention the town receives could actually help the wedding industry in the city.
“The wedding planners in Big Sur are planning ahead for 2014 already, because they’re booked. People want to come and see what all of the excitement’s about,” Stan Russell said.
Guests were expected to enter through a $600,000 gate, dance on a $350,000 floor and walk past more than $1 million worth of plants and flowers, the gossip website site.
The New York Post reported that the save-the-date cards for the June 1 wedding look like wizard scrolls.
“There is a chance the wedding could end up looking like an episode of Game of Thrones,” an insider told the Post.
Game of Thrones is a popular Medieval fantasy TV show on HBO that features knights and dragons and sorcery.
Sean Parker is worth an estimated $2 billion after becoming the founder of Napster and other tech start-ups and working with Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg during the early days of the social network.
The internet guru is most famous for his portrayal in the movie Social Network, which details the role he played in the beginnings of Facebook. Justin Timberlake played him in the Oscar-winning movie.
Sean Parker proposed to Alexandra Lenas, a singer-songwriter, in February, after she gave birth to the couple’s daughter, Winter Victoria Parker.
The first episode of Game of Thrones Season 3 has become the most pirated TV show ever, according to TorrentFreak.
According to the blog, the episode has been shared and downloaded on BitTorrents a million times in less than a day.
There were also more than 160,000 simultaneous peers sharing one file of the episode.
The first episode of Game of Thrones Season 3 has become the most pirated TV show ever
The previous record was for the series three premiere of Heroes which had 144,663 peers in 2008.
Data compiled by TorrentFreak shows that Australia had the highest piracy rate according to population size of popular download destinations, while London topped the list of pirate cities.
Reasons for the high piracy rate include staggered international release of Game of Thrones and the programme being shown on subscription channels.
In America the show airs on HBO while in the UK it is shown on Sky Atlantic.
Game of Thrones was the most-pirated TV show over the internet in 2012.
One episode of Game of Thrones racked up 4,280,000 illegal global downloads, according to Torrentfreak. That was slightly more than its estimated US television audience.
Game of Thrones has become the most-pirated TV show over the internet in 2012, according to news site Torrentfreak‘s latest annual survey.
It said one episode of the series had racked up 4,280,000 illegal global downloads – slightly more than its estimated US television audience.
The site said that overall there had been a “small increase” in the amount of illegal sharing.
That was despite a “leveling out” of the activity the previous two years.
The rise also followed increased efforts to shut down or block websites providing access to copyright infringing material.
Investigations by the US, Mexican and Ukrainian authorities led to two of the best known file-sharing services disappearing earlier this year – digital locker service Megaupload and Bit Torrent link site Demonoid.
The administrators of Newzbin2 – a site which aggregated links to illegally copied material sourced from Usenet forums – also abandoned the operation after the UK courts forced internet service providers (ISPs) to block access.
In addition, UK-based Surfthechannel went offline after its owner went on trial for “facilitating” copyright infringement – a crime which resulted in him receiving a four year prison sentence.
Several countries ISPs have also been ordered to block The Pirate Bay, although political activists at Europe’s Pirate Parties continue to offer proxy-based workarounds.
Despite all the closures, one episode of Game of Thrones racked up 4,280,000 illegal global downloads, according to Torrentfreak. That was slightly more than its estimated US television audience.
The level of piracy may be linked to the fact that the TV company behind it – HBO – does not allow Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime or other US streaming services access to its programmes. It instead restricts them to its own HBO Go online product, which is only available to its cable subscribers.
Outside the US, Torrentfreak noted that Australia was responsible for a disproportionate amount of illegal copies of Game of Thrones and suggested this may have been because episodes were broadcast locally a week later than in the US.
Game of Thrones has become the most-pirated TV show over the internet in 2012
Torrentfreak‘s editor acknowledged that, despite his findings, HBO might still want to keep its current model.
“Not all of the people who pirate do it because it’s free – availability is also a big factor,” said Ernesto Van Der Sar.
“Most of the titles in the top 10 list are behind paywalls and are not distributed very widely. If TV companies offered them online to a broader audience, piracy would be lower than it is now.
“But I’m not sure that would be best for their revenues as they rely on expensive subscriptions which they still sell a lot of. If they allowed people to download individual episodes from Netflix, for example, they might not make as much money.”
The latest effort to combat piracy is a newly announced action plan by Russia and the US.
It involves the two countries:
Co-ordinating efforts with rights holders and law enforcement agencies to force copyright infringing content off the net and take action against those responsible for putting it online.
Pledging to seize and destroy equipment used to make the pirated files.
Working together on legislation, including plans for a Russian law to make ISPs liable for piracy carried over their networks.
“Intellectual property rights not only protect our creators and innovators, but also promote foreign investment, economic development, and job creation,” said US Trade Representative Ron Kirk.
It follows success at introducing other anti-piracy action over the past year.
A series of website blackouts and protests led to the US’s House of Representatives abandoning its Stop Online Piracy Act (Sopa) and the Senate its Protect Intellectual Property Act (Pipa) in January.
An attempt to bring in an international treaty – the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) – was also derailed after the European Parliament rejected it in July.
However, more recently countries have signaled they intend to press forward with anti-piracy efforts,
In September, Japan changed the law to introduce a maximum two year jail sentence for users found guilty of downloading pirated files.
Major ISPs in the US have announced plans to launch a “six strikes system” early next year, under which suspected pirates would be sent a series of warning letters before facing bandwidth throttling and other punitive measures. And the UK also plans to introduce a letter-writing scheme in 2013.
Fantasy series Game Of Thrones has dominated the Creative Emmy Awards, which recognize arts, craft and technical work on television shows.
The HBO programme picked up six prizes including best visual effects and best costumes – the latter of which went to British designer Michele Clapton.
BBC nature show Frozen Planet took home four awards, led by the trophy for outstanding non-fiction series.
And actress Kathy Bates won a prize for her impersonation of Charlie Sheen.
The Oscar-winner was a guest star on sitcom Two And A Half Men, from which Charlie Sheen was fired in 2011, playing the ghost of his character, Charlie Harper.
Game Of Thrones has dominated the Creative Emmy Awards
Kathy Bates, who revealed last week she had had a double mastectomy, was not able to collect her award in person, but proved a popular winner with the audience in Los Angeles.
She was one of a handful of guest actors honored at the technical awards, which precede next week’s Primetime Emmys.
Chat show host Jimmy Fallon won the prize for best guest actor in a comedy series, in recognition of his appearance on long-running sketch show Saturday Night Live.
Actress Martha Plimpton was named best guest actress in a drama for her recurring role in legal drama The Good Wife. She plays Patti Nyholm, a conniving lawyer who has used her pregnancy and, in recent episodes, her baby to win sympathy from judges and juries.
In what was described as a “major upset” by The Hollywood Reporter, Jeremy Davies won best guest actor in a drama, for his role in crime drama Justified.
Jeremy Davies, who beat the likes of Jason Ritter, Michael J Fox, and Mark Margolis, seemed as surprised by his victory as the press were.
“Is this is actually happening and is it officially too late for a recount?” he asked reporters backstage.
British series Downton Abbey, which returns for its third series in the UK tonight, scooped two awards – for hairstyling and original dramatic score.
As temperatures outside the Nokia Theater reached 36 Celsius (97 Farenheit), Glasgow-born Downton composer John Lunn joked: “How do you live in this heat? The ovens in Scotland don’t get this hot!”
Political thriller Homeland won its first ever Emmy award, for outstanding casting in a drama series, perhaps an indicator that acting prizes will be in store for Claire Danes and Damian Lewis at next week’s Primetime ceremony.
Director Martin Scorsese also received one of the coveted statuettes, which depict a winged woman holding an atom, for his documentary on former Beatle, George Harrison.
George Harrison’s widow, Olivia, told reporters the guitarist had been planning his own documentary before his death in 2001.
“After the Beatles Anthology came out, he started filming and was filming for several years to do his own story,” she said.
“I think he would be very happy with the award and the reception.”
The biggest upset of the night was for critics’ darling Mad Men. The 1960s advertising drama, an Emmy favorite, failed to win any of the awards it was shortlisted for.
It is still in the running for the top award at the Primetime Emmys, which will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel on 23 September.
Republicans are calling for a boycott of HBO’s fantasy series Game of Thrones after the creator’s “despicable” decision to include former US President George W. Bush’s severed head in several scenes.
In the tenth episode of the first season, George Bush’s decapitated head is seen impaled on a wooden spike, covered in filthy long hair and slathered in dirt.
HBO and the show’s creators, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, have apologized for the incident.
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, who noted the appearance in the series’ DVD commentary, insist it wasn’t a political statement – just a prop they got from a production company.
But the image has provoked outrage from at least one Republican politician and a backlash on Twitter.
In the tenth episode of the first season of Game of Thrones, George Bush's decapitated head is seen impaled on a wooden spike, covered in filthy long hair and slathered in dirt
HBO called the scene “unacceptable, disrespectful and in very bad taste”.
“We made this clear to the executive producers of the series who apologized immediately for this inadvertent careless mistake. We are sorry this happened and will have it removed from any future DVD production,” HBO said in a statement.
The creators said the regret pointing out that one of their prosthetic heads looked like the former president. They said the rent prosthetic body parts in bulk and no on even noticed the head looked like George W. Bush’s until after they were done shooting the scene.
The finale of the first season of Game of Thrones, Fire and Blood, one of the series’ beloved characters Ned Stark is beheaded by new King Jeoffrey for treason.
In one brutal scene, King Jeoffrey brings his bride-to-be to gaze upon the severed head of her father.
Sansa Stark refuses at first, but then looks up to see not only her father, but also George W. Bush.
The surprise sighting went largely noticed until a user on Reddit pointed out the presidential prop.
When the show’s creators revisit the scene in the DVD commentary, they make sure viewers notice the former Head of State.
“People may not have noticed this but back up…the last head on the left is George Bush,” one says.
“George Bush’s head appears in a couple of beheading scenes,” the other adds.
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss say it was no condemnation of George W. Bush and his policies.
“It’s not a choice. It’s not a political statement,” one says.
“It’s just.. we had to use what heads we had lying around.”
Craig Eaton, chairman of the Brooklyn Republican Party, was disgusted by the former president’s “appearance” on the show.
“I think that it’s despicable. As a country, Democrats, Republicans, we have to have respect for the office and the individuals,” he said.
“Once we lose that respect, the United States looks weak.”
He continued: “Think about what people outside the country think when they see how Americans are disparaging their own former presidents.”
[youtube gEtar1BgI3U]
This website has updated its privacy policy in compliance with EU GDPR 2016/679. Please read this to review the updates about which personal data we collect on our site. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our updated policy. AcceptRejectRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
