Alfie Allen talks Season 5 and Theon’s private parts

Alfie Allen is also ready to open up a bit about playing Theon Greyjoy, then Reek, then Reek pretending to be Theon Greyjoy. He also talks with Digital Trends about Theon’s, erm, “penis power”, filming in Belfast, and teases Season 5 something fierce…

The first half of the interview centers on Theon’s character. Allen uses Theon’s divided loyalties to the Greyjoys and Starks to talk about why his castration mattered:

“So his only point of authority, really, was in the bedroom. He does start trying to make his own decisions, but he messes up. His lot in his own life was made by himself. But now he’s being punished for his sins, strapped to the cross.”

I hadn’t really thought about the Christ imagery in Theon’s story before, though the show does make it more explicit by hanging Theon up like that. (Also, death and resurrection are key to the Drowned God religion of the Iron Islands: “What is dead may never die, but rises again, harder and stronger.”) Of course, there is plenty of talk about Theon’s castration, with the interviewer even coining “The Rains of Castrate-amere” which just makes an already-painful listening experience, given the song’s associations with the Red Wedding, even more cringe-y.

Speaking of which, Allen does note that only men bring up his castration when he’s at conventions. In real life, though, he and Ramsay Snow himself, Iwan Rheon, are good pals:

“You know, it’s funny when people see us out together in Belfast. They literally cannot get their heads around the fact that we could be friends in real life. It’s a testament to how well the show puts that relationship across, but, to be honest, I really couldn’t do it without Iwan. I really need him there.”

Of course, not all friendships are perfect; Allen supports “United” (Manchester United, right, UK readers?) and Rheon supports Arsenal. But the most exciting part of the interview is the little hints Allen throws us about what’s to come in Season 5 for the broken kraken prince:

“I can tell you that there will be characters crossing paths and interacting — especially in my storyline — who have never met, or have had just minute amounts of screentime together. That relationship blossoms, and the running theme of Season 5 is that you get so many different characters who were in different parts of the world crossing paths with each other.”

Characters crossing paths who have never met? Likely this quote is teasing events building throughout A Dance With Dragons. Given that Allen spent all of his time filming in Belfast, though (“[Belfast is] the only location I’ve been in. I keep trying to drop hints to David and Dan to send Theon somewhere, but they don’t take those hints“) perhaps it hints at more than that?

We won’t know for certain until April 12th, but in the meantime, try and grab an autograph from Allen if you can–he draws “willies” on them now, presumably as a tribute to the brave soldier who gave his life so that Theon may (sort of) live.

• Published on 02/23/2015 at 10:00 AM CDT
• Last updated on 10/21/2016 at 1:06 PM CDT