What Really Happened While Filming Hodor’s Fateful 'Game of Thrones' Scene

The exterior of the cave of the Three-Eyed Raven is constructed successful a quarry adjacent Ballymena, Northern Ireland—an astir cleanable bowl-shaped hollow present filled with scenery, tents, and cabins. The cave’s interior and its assorted tunnels person been constructed astatine the workplace successful Banbridge, and it’s determination wherever we’ll walk the bulk of our time. The walls person been covered successful moss and the level strewn with existent carnal bones. On our archetypal day, we’re besides joined by the 85-year-old histrion Max von Sydow who plays the Three-Eyed Raven—one of the aged defender of actors I emotion to ticker truthful much. Physically, Max seems much frail than adjacent Margaret John had been, and I interest astir him sat for hours successful the cold. But conscionable similar Margaret did, helium tin drawback into quality similar an aged pro.

Since I’ve returned to the series, this is the archetypal country wherever Hodor has to interact. Meera volition speech with him astir the nutrient she’s been dreaming of erstwhile they scope home. The notation of location and sausages lights up Hodor’s face.

It’s expected to beryllium a lovely, lighthearted infinitesimal earlier each hellhole breaks escaped and the undead descend connected us, but I conscionable can’t relax. In fact, I consciousness suffocated by the enormity of everything that’s expected of me. Jesus fucking Christ, Kristian. You request to beryllium connected your A game, I archer myself, but I’m agitated, truthful overmuch truthful that Jack notices I’m struggling.

“Are you OK?” helium asks aft a fewer takes, which I’ve hardly managed to get through. “Are you having difficulty?”

“Yes, it’s awful,” the words tumble from me. Hodor’s subtle tics utilized to travel easy to me, but present I’m tying myself successful knots trying to explicit them. I explicate to Jack the huffy travel I’ve been connected for the past year, and the idiosyncratic travel I’ve been on, too. I’m uncovering stepping backmost into inhabiting idiosyncratic different than myself precise hard. Then I stop. Did I conscionable accidental each of that … to a manager I don’t know? I think. Years ago, I would person kept silent, similar erstwhile my backmost was breaking successful the Great Hall. I halt talking and ticker Jack’s eyes carefully. Is helium going to understand? Help maine enactment this out? Or disregard maine and determination on?

“OK, conscionable instrumentality it easy,” helium smiles.

“I’ll beryllium fine, but everyone mightiness request to beryllium a spot patient,” I accidental quickly. Jack gives maine a enarthrosis squeeze.

“Just relax. It volition each travel flooding back,” helium reassures me.

Jack is right, conscionable similar John Ruskin had been years ago. And aft a while, I bash commencement to remember: Do not overthink Hodor; bash not overthink your performance. As the greeting wears on, Hodor reappears similar an aged friend.

[My stunt double] Brian is besides worthy his value successful gold. As soon arsenic the magical shield keeping america harmless successful the cave vanishes and the wights and White Walkers travel for Bran, we request to hotfoot it out. This means instrumentality aft instrumentality of maine pulling Isaac connected the sled, which is attached connected runners to the passageway floor. Thankfully, Brian volition instrumentality the reins connected galore of these shots—the shots wherever my look is not successful view. My backmost hasn’t yet wholly recovered, and this besides gives maine the accidental to ore connected what’s ahead. Besides, Isaac has gotten adjacent heavier successful the intervening years.