Ballroom 20 is just about packed to the brim, but that shouldn’t come as a surprise because Game of Thrones is on deck to take the stage. Once things kick off, be sure to keep refreshing your browser as I’ll be continually updating the page with the latest information.
It’s just after 3:00pm and here we go. The author of the books, George R.R. Martin takes the stage.
3:06 – First up is a short video presentation sampling what we’ve seen this past season. Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen) is a fan favorite and gets a nice cheer during her clips. Oddly enough, it’s her on-screen brother, Harry Lloyd’s (Viserys Targaryen) clip that received the bigger reception as the montage feature a certain crown for a king.
3:13 – That’s that for the video. Big cheers from the crowd.
3:14 – Martin is back on stage to welcome Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister), Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Jason Momoa (Khal Drogo), Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen) and finally, the writers, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.
3:16 – The chat is starting with Benioff and Weiss. Benioff recalls his first experience with the books. Back then, the plan was to make a movie, but, of course the plan changed.
3:18 – Next up, a question for Clarke. She came straight to Game of Thrones from drama school, so now, three years later, she’s confident in the path she took and “wouldn’t change a thing.” When asked if she’s recognized she explained not much and it might have something to do with the fact that she isn’t a blond off-screen.
3:20 – Headey discusses going from playing a hero in the Sarah Connor Chronicles to a villain.
3:21 – Of SDCC, Coster Waldau says, “Thank you for coming. It’s a ridiculous experience. I can’t feel my feet.”
3:22 – Martin asks Momoa who would win, Conan or Khal Drogo. Momoa responds, “Between you and I, Drogo.” He does an impression of Drogo and the crowd goes wild.
3:24 – The crowd cheers for a question for Dinklage. Martin congratulates him on his Emmy nomination then tell him Tyrion is his favorite character. He asks Dinklage if knowing how beloved the character is changes his approach to the part. Dinklage recalls when the first started working on the show, they all knew that had big shoes to fill.
3:26 – A question for Harington is next. The ladies cheer and Martin warns him his picture is going up in their bedrooms. He replies, “Scares the crap out of me.” In response to his new found fame, he recalls someone just recognized him while he was getting coffee. He says every now and then someone comes up to him and asks, “Do you watch Game of Thrones?” He calls the journey thus far remarkable.
3:28 Benioff and Weiss field a question about the upcoming DVD. Weiss says they didn’t have deleted scenes as they had an ambitious and challenging schedule. The DVD team is putting together some great supplementary material from Will Simpson, the show storyboard artist. Benioff says he’s most excited to show the first auditions, which will be featured on the DVD. He recalls Momoa’s audition and then thanks the fans because they had a tough time filling that role and only found Momoa through a fan recommendations.
3:31 – Martin asks Momoa how it was to work with so much dialogue that’s in a made up language. Momoa recalls going to the cast reading when he found out he’d be using this new language and how strange it sounds the first time he heard it. “Ordered a lot of pizza, had a lot of Guinness,” he laughs.”
3:32 – What’s everyones favorite scene? Coster-Waldau jokes pushing Isaac (Hempstead Wright) who plays Bran Stark. Harington goes for the scene with Arya (Maisie Williams). Dinklage opts for the scene when he’s on trial – as does the crowd. He explains it was a long day and there were a lot of extras, so he felt like a master of ceremonies. Clarke picks the final moment of season one.
3:36 – Martin takes the time to mention some of the cast and crew who could not be here today like Maisie Williams (Arya Stark) and Harry Lloyd (Viserys Targaryen).
3:37 – Time to switch gears and take some questions from the audience. First question asks how many read the books to find out what will happen on the show. Clarke says that after her first audition, she got the first book. Her copy of the book is packed with notes. Her celebration for wrapping season one is starting starting the second book.
3:39 – A question for Martin; why are you always killing off people’s favorite characters? He says he wants people emotionally involved and when you’re in a dangerous situation, you’re almost afraid to turn the page.
3:40 – One fan asks Headey how she plays all of Cersei’s sides. Headey says, “I just think she’s a confused woman” and “she just tries to cope with what is and move on.”
3:44 – Of doing his fight scenes with such long hair, Momoa recalls wearing a six pound dread wig on Stargate: Atlantis.
3:45 – Someone asks what moment hooked them on the show. Dinklage says “I like the very beginning of the show, the White Walkers and all that stuff.” He jokes, “I lost interest when I came on. My scene was over, then I was interested again.”
3:47 – Now time to talk season two. Benioff says the readers know what to expect. He says, if they have a season three, that’s when it won’t correspond so neatly. For season two, it’s time to see the dragons and the wolves.
3:49 – For season two, will you film the Battle of Black Water the way it’s written? Martin jokes about passing his hat around to get contributions. Beniff and Weiss assure, “there will be a Battle of Black Water.”
3:50 – One fan treads into testy territory asking if there’s any concern of “pulling a Lost.” Martin admits there is a concern, but he’s “juggling as fast as he can” and hopes to “bring everything together in a magnificent way.” He adds, “I certainly hope the ending will tie together.” He hopes to make people happy with the ending, but admits being a fan of the bittersweet ending.
3:54 – Next, one for Clarke. A fan asks how she can portray such a strong and realistic women and if she has any tips. After thanking her, Clarke says that when she first read the books, Daenerys already felt real. “It was her instinct to be able to survive that was fundamentally the thing I got.”
3:56 – A question for Harington, what drew you to the character and what are you looking forward to most in the upcoming seasons. Harington says, “He’s got a big journey ahead of him” and goes beyond the wall. He explains how he spent most of the first season being concerned with his family, but now,moves beyond that. As for what drew him to the character, he likes that he’s a “mysterious sort of guy.”
3:57 – Again with Kit, a fan asks if he knows who Snow’s mother is. Harington laments no, but he’s love to know. “I haven’t got a clue, so I’m sorry I couldn’t fill you in there.”
4:00 – And that’s a wrap on the Game of Thrones panel.