Game of Thrones’ Disturbing Scenes Leave a Long-Lasting Impact on Sophie Turner

In the glitzy world of Hollywood, it’s not common for actors to spill the beans about the darker sides of their projects. They usually prefer to sing praises and keep the gloss intact. But the cast of HBO’s Game of Thrones is breaking that tradition! We’re talking Jason Momoa, Emilia Clarke, Iwan Rheon, and more, revealing the tough times they faced on set. Brace yourselves; it’s quite a shocker.

But the most heart-wrenching story comes from the talented Sophie Turner, who was just a young starlet when she stepped into the shoes of the most traumatized character on the show.

Acting is a profession that demands everything from its performers. They dive so deep into their roles that they often lose themselves in the process. The more they become their character, the less of themselves they have left. And when the character goes through traumatic experiences, that emotional baggage can unconsciously seep into the actor’s life. We’ve heard stories of actors scarred by emotionally charged performances, and it’s no joke. Some even need therapy, breaks, or in extreme cases, retirement.

Take Adrien Brody, for example. After his portrayal of a Holocaust survivor in “The Pianist,” he was so consumed by the character’s pain that he battled depression for a whole year after filming. Anne Hathaway, who played an ailing sex worker in “Les Misérables,” lost 25 pounds and cut herself off from loved ones to prepare for the role. Her commitment won her an Oscar, but the happiness eluded her after living as Fantine for so long. Then there’s Daniel Day-Lewis, known for his intense method acting. He takes years-long breaks between projects because of the toll it takes on him. After “Phantom Thread,” he hinted at retiring from acting due to the grueling role.

Now, consider the grim fates of the characters in Game of Thrones. The show extracts an emotional toll from every character, sparing no one from its unimaginable horrors. In the Seven Kingdoms, when you play the game of thrones, you either win or you die. Orphaned, maimed, sexually assaulted, and killed off without warning—no one gets a free pass. But amidst all this tragedy, it’s Sophie Turner’s character, Sansa, who bears the heaviest burden.

When we first meet Sansa, she’s a sheltered, naive girl dreaming of marrying a prince and becoming a queen. She may have been a bit spoiled, but she was meek and kind-hearted. Her personality clashed starkly with the harsh North where she grew up.

But her journey takes a nightmarish turn. Manipulated into betraying her father, Sansa witnesses Ned’s brutal beheading and is forced to look at his severed head on a spike. Her mother and brother are murdered, and she’s held captive by those who killed her family. She’s passed from one tormentor to another until her marriage to the sadistic Ramsay Bolton, a character whose actions sparked controversy for their brutality.

Now, imagine being an actor who has to embody such a character and experience these horrors vicariously. It doesn’t matter how skilled or experienced you are; anyone can be overwhelmed by the character they portray. But here’s the kicker: Sophie Turner was just 15 when she began playing Sansa, and on set, she was treated like an adult.

In an interview, Turner revealed that she essentially grew up on the show, both personally and professionally. But it wasn’t easy. She carried a significant part of Sansa with her, even after the series ended. She played the role for over a decade, from her teenage years into her mid-20s. During that time, she didn’t have the space to figure out who she was as a person. She admitted that it took her a while to start evolving as a person, something she should have done ten years ago.

Playing Sansa took an emotional toll on Turner, as it involved dealing with heavy themes. She confessed that there were dark elements she couldn’t fully comprehend at her young age. She believes that she might exhibit symptoms of trauma down the road. To cope, she developed her own mechanisms, including enjoying fun moments between takes with songs and dances—a practice she continues to this day.

While Game of Thrones gave Sansa a happy ending, turning her into a resilient queen of the North, it’s impossible to believe that she isn’t permanently scarred by her traumatic experiences. Turner herself battled anxiety and depression as a result of the emotional toll of her role. She regularly checks in with her therapist to manage these challenges.

Game of Thrones may be over, but the echoes of the emotional journey it subjected its actors to are still felt. It’s a reminder that even in the world of glitz and glamour, the toll of portraying dark and distressing characters can be profound.

So, as we binge-watch Game of Thrones on Max in the U.S., let’s not forget the real-life struggles behind the scenes that brought these characters to life.