Quick hits: Thrones gets press, both good and bad

Here are some of the smaller news items from a busy week of Game of Thrones news:

• The story of the possible environmental damage sustained at Dwerja in Malta doesn’t seem to be going away. A recent article in the Times of Malta has quotes from an environmental expert stating that the laying of sand on the rocky coast has “obliterated the micro-habitat in the area.” And the story has gained more exposure thanks to it being picked up by io9 and NY Magazine. Adam Whitehead of The Wertzone has a good summary of the events so far. In my opinion, it is an unfortunate situation but one where the blame should fall on the Maltese government in the first place for issuing the permit. It looks like they were seeing dollar signs and quickly issued the permit without properly assessing what the effects of the filming would cause to the local habitat.
• Thankfully not all the press has been bad. Mark Addy was interviewed recently in the York Press where he talks about his role in Game of Thrones. He confirms that he has finished filming and also mentions that he has heard they plan to start airing the show in April. Here is what he has to say about his role:
  

“I’m playing King Robert Baratheon, who has assumed power through a rebellion against the former regime – and in this game of thrones you either win or die.

“They’re pretty good stories actually. It’s a bit like Tolkien, but with sex and violence…there’s something for everyone!

“Not so much the sex for me, but there’s a little bit of violence. He’s not your standard idea of what a king would be. He’s stuck in a loveless marriage and having to make decisions he doesn’t want to. He once wanted to sit on the throne but now it’s not the bed of roses he might have wished, as he’s surrounded by enemies everywhere – and he’s a bit of a grump, which is different from what I usually play.”

The fantasy genre is not over for you after “Harry Potter.” You’re now going to be in the new HBO series “Game of Thrones.” How is that going?

It’s amazing. We’re shooting in Belfast. We’ve been doing scenes in the forest. The forest is beautiful. There is a lot of shade so we’ve been working during very cold days. I think the show is going to be something quite impressive.

• Published on 11/22/2010 at 10:12 AM CDT
• Last updated on 11/22/2010 at 2:02 PM CDT