Sibel Kekilli on Shae’s relationships, working with Peter Dinklage, and more
Sibel Kekilli recently spoke with Reveal.Co.Uk at a press junket for the Game of Thrones Season 3 DVD launch in London.
In the new interview Sibel discusses her character Shae, including the relationships she has with Tyrion and the protectiveness she shows towards Sansa. She admits that it is a challenge working with some of Thrones’ great actors, but that it is a pleasure acting alongside Peter Dinklage, which leads to their on-screen chemistry. She also reveals that she doesn’t refer to Shae in the books to help develop her character as Shae on television, as they have become quite different.
On Shae
“I don’t think Shae is really a girly girl, I think she is a fighter and she’s acting like a man. She feels responsible for girls like Sansa, like she’s a little sister and she wants to rescue her from the bad world around her. I love that about Shae. I think I’m a fighter too – I hope I’m not just a girly girl. And, like Shae, I’m patient and loyal.”
On Shae’s relationship with Tyrion Lannister
“Everyone was like, ‘Is it real love or not between Shae and Tyrion? Or does she just want to have his money?’ I think she really is in love with him but it’s like taking someone’s hope or home away. He had to tell her he’s going to marry Sansa so it was really like a slap in the face for her.”
On Shae’s protectiveness towards Sansa Stark
“Shae sees Sansa as an innocent girl, a little girl who has had a really hard time. She has lost her family. Sometimes she was really naïve and I think Shae feels she has to protect her from all the people around her and she has to take care of her because she doesn’t want her to go through the same things Shae maybe had in her life. I really do think she would kill for her. And she’s said that too. She thinks, ‘Okay, everybody just wants power in this place and they would even kill a little girl.’ She feels responsible for her.”
On the biggest challenge of Game Of Thrones
“The greatest challenge for me was to keep up with Peter Dinklage (who plays Tyrion) and all the actors. I once had a scene with Lord Varys, who is played by Conleth Hill, and he’s an amazing actor. You feel like, ‘Oh my God, I act really bad and he’s really good!’ I want to keep it up. To give my best always.”
On working with Peter Dinklage
“I love to work with Peter. There are two sorts of actor. One is always there just acting for themselves and they don’t listen to you or really react when you act, but Peter is one of those rare actors. He isn’t vain. He acts with his eyes. It’s like ping pong with a ball, playing back and forth between us. He really listens to me and he really reacts when I act. I think that’s the secret of our good chemistry.”
On whether she reads the books to prepare for filming
“I don’t go back to the books as I don’t want to be confused between the Shae in the books and the Shae in the script as they are a bit different.”
For more from Sibel’s interview, including her reaction to the Red Wedding episode, visit Reveal.Co.Uk!
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