āGame of Thronesā: Richard Madden talks Robb Starkās romance
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āGame of Thronesā isnāt a show heavy with romance. On this epic fantasy series, beating hearts are usually cut out and thrown into the fire. But if thereās one character close to a romantic lead, itās Robb Stark, the eldest son of Eddard Stark (who got beheaded last season).
Scottish actor Richard Madden is the man in the leather and furs, leading the men of the north of Westeros into battle against the Lannister clan. And to hear him tell it, pretending to be a medieval leader on the HBO series isnāt far from actually being one. At least when it comes to the smell.
Have you started to experience the intense fandom of āGame of Thronesā?
A: Not so much. I look quite different than I do when Iām on the show, I think. So people will go, āIs that? No, not really. That guyās much bigger on the show.ā Iām cleaned up. My hair is a bit shorter, and Iām not in fur and leather and armor. So Iām a little smaller. This press tour is nice. I went down to Brazil and Mexico, and the people there know the show so well, itās kind of overwhelming. I take that as a compliment to all the hard work everyone on the show does.
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So classic European medieval fantasy translates well all over the world?
The books have their following in so many countries, and Iāve been asked all over: Why has it worked? I think itās because itās about human beings in their most raw form. Weāre in this fantasy world, but itās almost like trickery what George does with these fantasy elements. You see with Cersei in one episode, she blows off whatās happening up at The Wall. The people in this world are like, āFantasy, whatever.ā The people that are on the same page as those characters get pulled into it, because the fantasy is becoming real for these people. Magic is becoming real for these characters as well. Thatās why a nonfantasy audience becomes engaged, because itās just a political drama, really, and these magical elements are coming in and nudging from the sides.
Were you a fantasy fan before this show?
Iām a sci-fi guy. But I like fantasy too. If I wasnāt in this show, Iād still watch it. You get to see what drives people, whether itās power or lust or just plain greed or justice or raw honesty in doing the right thing. I think itās the kind of things people from any country can relate to -- these aspects of human nature. I think thatās what the show manages to capture. Itās why thereās no stereotypical heroes or villains in this; everyone has all those aspects, just like me or you.
Did growing up amongst castles in Scotland affect how you view the medieval fantasy of this show?
I never really thought of it from that point of view. I think landscape-wise, with these castles and rolling hills and forts by the water; itās something I loved getting into and seeing when I was a kid. And even when I was older and touring in theater as an actor, I saw so many castles in England. Iāve never been a part of a drama thatās set in that kind of place, so you get to see it from the inside and be part of something like that. We have that medieval history, so much of it there. I underestimated how much I learned in primary school and just being there and being a kid. Last summer I went with my mom and dad to Hadrianās Wall, that huge wall that separates Scotland from England that the barbarians and the Romans built. It makes you really appreciate the history of things ā weāve got our own Wall.
It seems like your experiences as a child actor are kind of a parallel to Robb Starkās experience.
You know youāre a kid, but at the same time Iāve got a job to do and I have to come on set and give my lines like the adults do and play my part like the adults do. So, yeah, itās much like Robb having to grow up really quickly. I had to do that. I didnāt have my mom and dad on set with me. Youāre out on your own and being asked a lot. Thatās much like what Robb does and hopefully thatās what Iāve done as an actor. I saw it as a parallel from Season 1 to Season 2. Robb starts Season 1 and he gets pushed and pulled and more is asked of him and he has to step up and react to these situations. In Season 2, heās much more his own man. But heās wearing a mask. Heās pretending to be a man. And me as an actor, I showed up on Season 1, and as the season went on I was asked to do harder stuff and more dramatic stuff and [showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss] pushed me. Then into second season, Iām running scenes. Iām driving drama much more. Itās more responsibility.
The show has a big cast, but essentially youāre the star of your own story.
I can be out at a bar and someone can come up to me and say, āHey, Iām in āGame of Thronesā as well.ā And Iād have to say, āAre you? What character to you play?ā Iāve never seen them before. Itās strange being in a show like that. My character doesnāt get to have those interactions as much. Heās in his own little world. When I hear about things, itās in the scene. Catelynās been away and come back or one of the Lannisters sends a messenger. I do stay in my own little world, which is great for Robb but maybe not so great for Richard since I donāt get to go to Iceland or Croatia [where other parts of the show are filmed].
You really are on your own in Ireland now.
During Season 1, we were all so tight and all so together. And then we knew at the end of Season 1, everyone was off on their own journey and youāre isolated completely. Thatās useful as an actor. The parallels are real a lot of the time. I find it funny coming onto set for the scenes that havenāt got Michelle Fairley (Catelyn Stark) in them, I realize, āGod, Iām completely on my own here now. Iāve lost everyone from Season 1.ā
Your character is always going into battle or coming out of battle, but battles themselves are never shown.
Actually the characters are too interesting for me. I donāt want to waste the time watching a battle scene that Iāve maybe seen before. I can imagine what this battle would be like. I would much rather see what came before or after, because thatās more interesting. But this season, if you missed the action from last year, you are not going to be disappointed. Theyāre really going to turn it around.
You get more chance to develop your skills? Swordfighting?
Yeah, I have to keep on top of that as much as I can. And horseriding. I didnāt know how to do that before I was cast and then I realized, āOh, no, I need to learn how to ride a horse.ā I know a lot of actors who lie and say they can ride a horse and then they get cast and have to learn quick. But I told them straight away, I canāt ride a horse at all. They were OK. But I wanted to look as good as Robb Stark would look on a horse. I trained four or five times a week. If I have 20 minutes between scenes, Iāll get on a horse and go riding just to stay connected to it. So I can concenrate on my acting in the scene.
Do you think Robb Stark is tragic?
I donāt see him as tragic. Because heās so honest, and he follows his heart so much. Heās in tragic situations, and thereās so much pressure on him, but, my God, heās so strong. Especially later this season, youāre going to see how tested he gets. I canāt pity him in any way. I just admire him.
In this weekās epsiode your character met a potential love interest in Teresa.
Itās a huge change for Robb. Especially at a time when Robb as a character is mentally and physically knee deep in mud. He gets to meet this foreign creature, this light in the darkness for him. Someone who doesnāt bow down and call him king. He needs that. Heās not had that yet. Like Robb in this season, everything is a first time for him. First time heās leading an army, first time heās fought with his mother, first time heās met a woman. Itās all new experiences for him and heās riding this wave and trying to keep on top of it.
And itās a nice change of pace as an actor.
He gets to smile at certain points. And thatās rare for Robb.
Have you read the books?
I read season by season. I read the first one a lot. I kept re-reading it when I got cast. One of the things that terrified me is that thereās tens of thousands of people who have ownwership over Robb before I do. He was their character before he was mine. I wanted to make sure I did that justice. David and Dan have interpreted Georgeās book, and Iāve interpreted David and Danās work. And I have this other source material, the book, to interpret as well. And I wanted to know it inside out so I could do it as well as I could. I could get the character as honest to what George wrote as I could. My biggest struggle at the moment is not reading too far ahead. So I couldnāt read the second book as I was shooting the first series. As an actor, I make a decision and stick with it, but if it doesnāt exactly align with what George wrote, I have to turn that and make it real. Thatās a challenge all the actors on the show have. If I read too far ahead, subconsciously Iāll pre-empt things. And I want it to be as much of a surprise for the audience as it was for me when I read it. Luckily, weāve been greenlit for Season 3 now, so I can read the third book and see what goes down.
It must be strange for an actor to have fans know more about your characterās future than you do.
Itās hard with Season 2, because Iām not in book two as much as I am in season two and I panicked a bit because I didnāt have that source material to reference again. It made it something really good for me in Season 2 and then into Season 3. I have a strong sense of ownership over Robb because I had to make a lot of decisions on things George hadnāt given me. Hopefully Iāve managed to do that and make the right ones off my own back.
Getting into the armor must really help your mindset when it comes to getting into character.
Yeah, it changes your mind because it changes me so physically. It changes everything about how I played Robb. It changes how I breathe and how I walk and how I stand. So I can get into that costume again and feel all those things physically from the outside that helps me go on the inside into who Robb is. You remember how his posture is and how hard it is for him to breathe sometimes when heās strapped in. Itās great as an actor. Though Iām not going to lie, I donāt enjoy it at 4 a.m. when Iām thinking, āI donāt want to be in this costume.ā The armor, the leather, the fur, the cloak, the sword. Just donāt ask me to get on a horse when Iām in it. It really adds to my body weight.
Does the set smell?
Yeah, you stink. I donāt know why, but in my mad brain I thought it would be nice to get back into the costume. But then I came back for Season 2, and the same mud was caked onto the costume. I thought āOf course it would be.ā But I also thought, āI really donāt want to get into those boots again. They smell like they did last year, and now theyāre crusty and horrible. This is not pleasant.ā
But it all adds to it. HBO does that so well. When Iām on the Winterfell set, they burn an incense that makes it smell like no other part of the kingdom does. Kingās Landing smells different. Robbās camp, if thereās not too many horses around, smells different. It smells like all the foods we have on the table. Theyāre made with medieval recipies, and they smell and taste so different. Thereās all these things you wouldnāt see as a viewer, but as an actor they really help.
What kind of food do you have?
I donāt even know what half the things are, but they are delicious. The wine isnāt real wine, sadly, and usefully, because it would be disruptive. A lot of cinnamon gets used. You have to watch yourself that you donāt eat too much. Though once you get into Robbās camp, itās much more meat and potatoes. Things to keep men strong.
What other details do they provide for the actors on set?
Well, the breath that you see coming out of my mouth is real. It really is that cold. And sometimes itāll be snowing and weāll wonder what to do and David and Dan will add a line, āAh, summer snow!ā So we really make use of all the details. If itās that real for me, then itās real for the audience.
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ā Patrick Kevin Day