Game of Thrones star Gemma Whelan just detailed her “racy” audition process to play the fearsome Yara Greyjoy. The actress, now 43, appeared on the U.K.’s This Morning talk show last week, where presenter Ben Shephard mentioned that he was re-watching Game of Thrones with his teenage son. When he described seeing Yara’s introduction to the show recently, Whelan revealed: “That was my audition scene!”
As fans may recall, Yara was introduced in one of the most awkward scenes of the entire series. It’s in Season 2, Episode 2, “The Night Lands,” where Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) arrives home on the Iron Islands in the hopes of gaining military support for Rob Stark’s (Richard Madden) war. The arrogant young Theon assumes that Yara is some kind of servant sent to escort him from his ship to the castle, and he gropes her while offering a sexual proposition. Yara calmly and mockingly informs him that she is his long-lost older sister.
Official promotional photo of Game of Thrones character Yara Greyjoy, played by Gemma Whelan
– HBO)
Whelan laughed when Shephard mentioned the scene on the talk show last week. She said: “It was quite racy, yeah. I don’t know… you’ve just gotta do it haven’t you. Commit. They didn’t provide a horse unfortunately, it was a chair. It was very difficult because I’m very method. I was in casting for something else and it was the same casting director and he said, ‘I think you’re perfect for something I’m doing at the moment,’ which was Yara.”
Shephard said that Yara was one of his favorite characters on the show, and Whelan said that she is still fond of the character as well. She said: “She was very front-fronted and quite witty. A joy to play.” She also revealed that it was gratifying to hear from fans – particularly women who had resonated with Yara’s side story. She said: “At the height of it, you’d have people queuing up for your photograph and autograph and chatting about how you’ve influenced their lives, or women who were gay and able to come out because of Yara… just small things and tiny differences that you’d never get to understand if weren’t out meeting the fans.”
Game of Thrones has been back in the headlines a lot lately thanks to the prequel series House of the Dragon, which aired its second season over the summer. Comparisons between the two shows have flared back up as well due to some fan dissatisfaction and other behind-the-scenes drama.
House of the Dragon Season 3 is in pre-production right now, while another spinoff A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight is filming now and is slated to premiere in 2025. George R.R. Martin’s books are available now in print, digital and audiobook formats.