‘Game of Thrones’ season 4, episode 2 reaction: Jack Gleeson on Royal Wedding, future

If you’re like us, then you are going to be reeling from the “Game of Thrones” episode Sunday night for quite some time. (Warning: Big spoilers ahead!)

The way to look at it is in very many ways complicated. Obviously, we hated the Joffrey character because he was evil and terrible … but Jack Gleeson was a rather stellar actor in the role. He made this king a very easy one to hate, and his death was all the more complicated. We’re sad to see him go, but happy for the turmoil that his death has brought to Westeros. Calling this a game-changer is an enormous understatement.

So for Gleeson, what was it like to shoot this final scene? After it was done, he spoke to Entertainment Weekly and explained just how weird an experience it was:

“It’s reliving, in a way. You want to do the scene and character justice. It’s a complicated scene; I’ve never had a death on screen before. You want it to look believable — the choking and the coughing. It’s calming to know I’m in the great hands of [director] Alex Graves.”

While it may not have a bearing on the series itself, what is all the more interesting about Joffrey’s death is that his funeral next week may be the final role that Gleeson plays as an actor. He has known for some time that he is no longer interested in the job, but kept on through “Game of Thrones” to finish what he started. He is notoriously private and a bit interview-shy, and is looking to finish his university studies and choose his next career path from there.

You can find out more about the next new “Game of Thrones” episode at the link here, and be sure to sign up to get further TV updates from our CarterMatt Newsletter.

Photo: HBO