As you might have already read earlier today, Game of Throne‘s Pedro Pascal was at an Ommegang beer launch party at the WIRED Cafe at San Diego Comic-Con last night and told our Editor-in-Chief, Jill Pantozzi, he’s read The Mary Sue. She’s obviously much more professional than the rest of us, because she managed to work through the excitement and shock to ask Pascal some quick questions about his take on the gender roles in the show.
The Mary Sue: So you know we’re a very feminist leaning site and we often talk about strong female characters. Game of Thrones is of course based theoretically in medieval times, but it’s got these characters like Brienne, who are legitimately physically strong characters, and then you’ve got people like Sansa who are emotionally strong, or what have you. What is your take on the gender roles in Game of Thrones and how that plays out?
Pedro Pascal: I think it rides a very fine line and creatively it’s sort of amazing, because I think sometimes people are outraged by how much nudity there is and how compromised women are in these circumstances. And then they find a way to fill these characters with such a richness, and to kind of blindside you with a power that is within a female character, a level of intelligence, a survival skill that can totally outshine any of the other characters that we’re familiar with. And I think that they’re not afraid really shine a light on how fucking terrible it can be for a woman out there. How dangerous it is in this world and the kind of violence that is perpetrated against women.
It’s something that I don’t think they’re afraid of. And whether empowerment is found through fighting, [whether it’s found] sexually, you know, I think it keeps things very, very unpredictable. The show has received a lot of criticism in terms of sexualizing a lot, but then—you can’t argue that Arya Stark and Daenarys Targaryen are probably the two most interesting and powerful characters in the entire series. And that even Lena Heady’s Cersei, who is so cunning and so frightening in terms of what she’s capable of, is still at the end of the day most concerned about her own children, and that’s very original and unpredictable and exciting, so I am in favor of it.
TMS: Do you know the Sand Snakes that are coming up?
PP: I don’t know who they are. I don’t even know which ones they will be actually using, how many or anything. But I have a feeling we’ll be in Dorne. And they’ve already positioned Ellaria Sand to be an enormous badass, a very powerful, powerful woman. I think that Dorne is going to continue ushering in that feminine fucking power.
TMS: have you seen anybody cosplaying as your character yet here?
PP: I haven’t yet. I just got here. I hope to see it!
TMS: I did see one.
PP: Did you see one? I hope to see one too! Were they wearing a robe or were they— [A robe, Jill clarifies.] Oh cool! Those robes are fantastic.
—
So, you heard it here, folks. Pedro wants to see your best Martell robes. Don’t disappoint the guy.
- Pascal was spotted with a Sailor Moon toy. Please make this canon.
- He also described the aftermath of his characters big fight in Game of Thrones
- Here are his thoughts on playing Oberyn Martell
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