Game of Thrones is one of the shows that showcase extremely mature content, from violence to sex. Some may find the nubile topic normal, but others might be in the position to draw a line or get uncomfortable by the excessive amount of obscenity being shown on screen. Of course, that uneasiness not only applies to the viewers but also to the actors who act in the scenes or get to witness how they are made. Ciarán Hinds, who played Mance Rayder in Game of Thrones, reveals he was turned off by the show's lavish number of sex scenes.
In a recent interview with The Independent, Hinds recalls being apprehensive about joining Game of Thrones because of its overwhelming sexuality. All of the graphic sex, according to him, was detracting from the underlying tale being portrayed. “I was rather put off by the amount of sexuality that was going on in it because it was taking away from the actual political storytelling. But that’s business, I guess, from their perspective,” he said.
Game of Thrones, particularly in the early seasons, was packed with sex scenes and explicit nudity. The fantasy drama is far from the only one with mature content in television history, but even by HBO's standards, several critics found it overwhelming. While the sheer amount of sex and nudity was part of the problem, the way these scenes were constructed and presented was also criticized.
The HBO drama routinely showed an abundance of female nudity amid typically low-key expository moments. In introspection, the nudity wasn't necessary for many of these moments and was only there to make what was happening on film appear more intriguing. To make it more problematic, Game of Thrones frequently depicts disturbing sexual assault against women, depriving female characters of autonomy.
Aside from the issues on-screen, some information surfaced that the on-set environment during the production of these sex scenes was not always optimal. Gemma Whelan, who played Yara Greyjoy on the show, described filming her sequences as a "frenzied mess." However, as the show progressed through more seasons, it gradually toned down its sex scenes. And now, its spinoff, House of the Dragon, has been more considerate in this area.
Game of Thrones is available on HBO.
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