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Books

28th Feb 2019

George R. R. Martin on why he turned down a cameo in Game of Thrones

Keeley Ryan

Fair enough.

George R. R. Martin has revealed the reason he turned down a cameo in Game of Thrones. 

The HBO epic is due to (finally!) return to telly screens in April for its eighth and final season.

So, it’s pretty understandable that fans are increasingly eager to find out whatever information they can about what is going to happen.

Now, the author behind the A Song of Ice and Fire series – aka, the books Game of Thrones is based on – has revealed some new Thrones secrets.

The 70-year-old has been working on The Winds Of Winter, the highly anticipated sixth book in the series, for the last eight years.

And while he admitted he was “tempted” to film the cameo, he just couldn’t justify the trip from New Mexico to Belfast when there was work to be done.

He explained to Entertainment Weekly:

“David and Dan invited me to a cameo in one of the final episodes, which I was tempted to do.

“But I didn’t think just for the sake of a cameo I could take the time to return to Belfast.”

The author explained that he had previously filmed a cameo for the show, but it didn’t end up making it to the final cut of the episode.

He said:

“There was a cameo in the original pilot that was cut. I was a guest at Dany’s wedding.

“But that was when she was played by Tamzin Merchant so all that footage got thrown out when we recast with Emilia Clarke.”

Looking for more Game of Thrones news?

Urban Decay recently announced they were going to be launching a makeup collection inspired by their favourite places in Westeros and the strong women of the Seven Kingdoms.

And it turns out there was one particular death “so horrible” it couldn’t make it to air – and it was all because of Cersei Lannister.