‘Game of Thrones’ Actresses Say Their Kiss Was Improvised – And for Good Reason

Major spoilers for “Game of Thrones” Season 7 Episode 2 “Stormborn.”

Yara Greyjoy has established herself as one of the most sexually fluid characters in “Game of Thrones,” so when she flirted with and made out with Ellaria Sand in the Season 7 episode “Stormborn” people weren’t surprised.

However, according to actors Gemma Whelan, who plays Yara and Indira Varma, who plays Ellaria, the kiss was sort of a surprise, since it wasn’t in the script.

“It wasn’t directed that we would kiss,” Whelan told Entertainment Weekly. “It just seemed like something we should do. We led it, very much so. It was meant to be a suggestion [of flirting] and then it became more sexual than we expected because it seemed right. There was only a skeleton crew working because the rig could only take so much weight, so we were left very much on our own. And who wouldn’t want to kiss Indira? I mean, come on!”

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The actors continued to run with the kiss, even in alternate takes with Whelan’s stunt double. The double was brought in for the takes where Euron’s armada attacked Yara’s, rocking the ship.

Although according to Varma, the stunt double was hesitant.

“Gemma had hurt her back so there were some stunts she couldn’t do,” Varma says. “So I had to start kissing this poor stunt double and she was so terrified! That was quite funny, bless her. I don’t think she’d ever been put in that situation before. She’s used to falling over and being attacked and all the stunts, but to be kissed by an actress was a bit beyond her.”

It makes sense that there would be sexual tension between Yara and Ellaria, especially when alcohol is involved. Yara is unafraid of sex and like many of the men in “Game of Thrones,” tends to be sexually aggressive. She has also expressed her desire in the past for both men and women.

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Ellaria, on the other hand, was originally tied to Oberyn Martell (Pedro Pascal) in Season 4, but she was his paramour, so we don’t learn much about her until after Oberyn’s death. She has since risen to power in Dorne after she and her daughters — the Sand Snakes — took out the monarchy at the beginning of Season 6.

Dorne, while a part of Westeros, is culturally different than the other parts of the Seven Kingdoms. It was brought into the fold by the Targaryens in the original invasion, but because the Martells married into the dragon family, they were allowed more freedom to continue their own traditions.

Dorne’s view on sexuality can be seen through Oberyn, who is bisexual and is one of the first Dornishmen viewers meet. When he’s asked (while having sex) about how he is attracted to both men and women, he says of others, “then everyone is missing half the world’s pleasure. The Gods made that, and it delights me. The Gods made this…and it delights me. When it comes to war I fight for Dorne, when it comes to love…I don’t choose sides.”

Basically, it’s very common for people in Dorne to be bisexual, so Ellaria and Yara’s make out session is within character. Now if only they could’ve finished what they started.

 

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