Sophie Turner Says Game of Thrones ' Sansa Stark Taught Her 'True Strength' in Heartfelt Tribute
Sophie Turner is joining her fellow cast members in saying a final farewell to her character, Sansa Stark, ahead of the long-awaited finale of HBO’s hit series, Game of Thrones.
In an emotional post to her Instagram on Sunday, the actress, 23, thanked her character and the show for the past decade together, alongside photos of the cast from behind the scenes of filming.
“Sansa, Thank you for teaching me resilience, bravery and what true strength really is,” Turner began the heartfelt tribute. “Thank you for teaching me to be kind and patient and to lead with love.”
Turner was cast as the eldest Stark sister when she was 13 years old. Like most of the cast, she grew up with her character, portraying Sansa during some of her most formative years.
“I grew up with you. I fell in love with you at 13 and now 10 years on.. at 23 I leave you behind,” the star continued. “But I will never leave behind what you’ve taught me.”
Also in her tribute, she thanked the show for making her the person she is today.
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“To the show and the incredible people who make it, thank you for giving me the best life and drama lessons I could have ever asked for. Without you I wouldn’t be the person I am today,” Turner added. “Thank you for giving me this chance all those years ago.”
The Dark Phoenix star concluded her tribute by thanking the fans for supporting the show over the last 8 seasons, and for “falling in love with these characters.”
“Finally to the fans. Thank you for falling in love with these characters and supporting this show right through till the end,” she concluded her post. “I’ll miss this more than anything.”
Recently, Turner opened up about her struggles with mental health, growing up in the spotlight as Sansa Stark and in the age of social media.
In an interview with the Sunday Times, she credited her new husband Joe Jonas during a “phase of being very mentally unwell” and “having your adolescence being displayed in public.”
“That’s something I really wish hadn’t happened,” Turner said. “Being in the age of social media when that’s happening, I think I would be a much saner person if I hadn’t been documented from 13 — your most awkward, uncomfortable, unsure-of-yourself years.”
The final episode of the series will air on Sunday, May 19th at 9 pm ET.
