Gwendoline Christie was forced to "really question" what it means to "be a woman" because of ‘Game of Thrones’.
The 40-year-old actress is feeling "so emotional" about the end of the HBO fantasy drama series and admits playing the newly-knighted Ser Brienne of Tarth forced her to "confront" her "physicality" and other characteristics and believes the programme her helped her to evolve.
Speaking at the GQ Heroes event in association with Flannels at Soho Farmhouse, she said: "I am so emotional about it. I am grateful. It’s been eight years of employment.
"This part came along and I knew it would force me to confront my androgyny, my physicality, my height, my strength, my inconsistencies in my face and body.
"It made me really question what it means to be a woman, how we are defined in society, and how we’re defined in media and mainstream entertainment. It’s been a privilege to play that part. It has been an evolution of self."
Now the show has wrapped filming, Gwendoline is returning to the theatre for a new production of ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and though she’s excited, she admits it is "terrifying" being on stage.
She said: "I’m currently preparing to go back on stage again after a very long time and I’m working with the absolutely astounding Nicholas Hytner, who has taken over the Bridge Theatre, and we are doing a production of ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ together.
"That is an extraordinary experience, because it’s ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ interpreted in a way in which you’ve never really conceived and there are some fundamental changes, which will be big surprises. It will be a visual spectacular.
"It’s terrifying [being back on stage], but it’s exciting, because it’s an interesting experience.
"When you work on film and television, you’re on a film set it can be a very insular experience. That’s part of what makes it wonderful, because you become invested and immersed in a world. But in the theatre, it’s all about the audience."
Read the full interview with Gwendoline at https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/gwendoline-christie-game-of-thrones
Gwendoline Christie questioned ‘being a woman’
