Game of Thrones actor Richard Brake has said he wishes the show ended with The Night King killing everyone.
Brake, who played the show’s antagonist until season six when a scheduling conflict meant the part had to be recast, explained that he was still happy, however, with the way Game of Thrones ended for his character.
“I wanted him to wipe everyone out, I was hoping for that,” Brake told NME. “But you can’t always get what you want!”
He added: “But I love the fact that Arya killed him. That was to me one of the highlights of that season.
“And for the whole series, the way they developed her character from this little girl who watches her father get murdered, into this incredible assassin, who saves the world. To me that was the most genius thing of the whole series.”
Discussing his character’s demise and the way Game of Thrones ended as a whole, Brake said he was “totally satisfied with how the Night King ended.” In terms of the series finale, he added, “I felt before this season that there would always be a backlash. People are always sad when something comes to an end.”
He added: “Especially Game of Thrones, everyone had their ideas on how it was going to end, with all the theories banging about for the couple of years it took to make that final season.
“I sensed there would be a portion of people who would be disappointed no matter what they did, but I honestly thought it was great.”
Brake is currently starring as Merlin in new fantasy epic Arthur & Merlin: Knights of Camelot, out this week.
Speaking about the new role, Brake said he didn’t watch any other versions of the classic wizard to prepare. “I didn’t even have the time, but I probably wouldn’t have because it would have filled my head with greater anxiety about playing such an iconic character,” he explained. “There’s been some wonderful actors who have played Merlin over the years.”
‘Arthur & Merlin: Knights of Camelot’ is on Digital HD and DVD now
The Night King was recast between season 5 and season 6 of Game of Thrones. What was the reasoning behind the casting decision according to the actor?
Actor Vladimír Furdík took over the role of the Night King from Richard Brake in season 6 of Game of Thrones - but what was the story behind the recast? The Night King first appeared during Bran's vision in the season 4 episode "The Lion and the Rose," and Brake played the leader of the White Walkers in a total of three episodes over the course of season 4 and 5 before he was replaced.
The Night King was a key antagonist in the later seasons of Game of Thrones. In season 6, one of Bran's visions showed a captured member of the First Men (played by Furdík) being turned into the very first White Walker by the Children of the Forest, who stabbed him with a shard of Dragonglass in order to transform him. He then gained the power to convert others into his fellow White Walkers (like the poor sons of Craster), who in turn had the ability to reanimate the dead. With the White Walkers on his side and his Army of the Dead, he was nearly unstoppable - until he met Arya Stark. But why was the role of the Night King recast in the middle of his arc?
Brake portrayed the Night King for only a few episodes, but they were important in explaining his immense power. He was in the role when the Night King turned Craster's final baby son into a White Walker with the touch of a finger. Brake was also still around for the episode "Hardhome," which was the first time that Jon Snow killed a White Walker using a Valyrian steel sword. The Night King never spoke a word but his icy blue glare was enough to understand that the living had a new enemy. By the time the Night King reappeared in season 6, the role was played by Furdík - but to this day there's no real explanation behind the recasting. In an interview with EW, Furdík revealed that even he doesn't know why he took over the role.
"I don’t really know why they cast me. When we did season 5, I was the White Walker who fought Jon Snow [in “Hardhome”] — the first time Jon Snow killed a White Walker, that was me. After that, [showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss] asked if I’d play the Night King for seasons 6 through 8. I never asked why. Maybe they were happy with what I did in season 5."
As explained in the interview, before Furdík became the Night King, he played the very first White Walker that Jon killed. He also served as a stunt performer and stunt supervisor on various episodes from season 5 and beyond. Even though the Night King role was more extensive, Furdík had no qualms about his new part in the HBO series.
It's very possible that Game of Thrones wanted to go in a new direction with the Night King based on Furdík's stunt work. The Night King was much more active in season 6 and beyond and it seems likely that Furdík made an impression in battle as the season 5 White Walker. During Furdík's portrayal, the Night King led the assault on the Three-Eyed Raven's cave, attacked Jon's men during the Wight Hunt, and traded in his horse to instead ride an ice dragon. He may have been mute, but he was a menace nonetheless.
Since the Night King had been alive for thousands of years during Game of Thrones, it's plausible that he might reappear in the prequel series heading to HBO in the near future. That series will focus on the first Long Night, when the White Walkers brought terror and darkness to the land, and the official synopsis teases that it will reveal "the true origin of the White Walkers."
Next: Game Of Thrones: Why The Mountain Was Recast (Twice)
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The Slovak actor began playing the iconic villain in the series' sixth season
WARNING: The following contains spoilers from season 8 of Game of Thrones.
He can raise the dead, he’s immune to dragon fire, and he’s one of the greatest villains in recent TV history — but who is the real face behind the dreaded (and recently deceased) Night King in Game of Thrones?
Vladimír Furdík, a Slovak actor, has played the Night King since the series’ sixth season, when he took over for Richard Brake. However, his origins in both the HBO hit show and prior films aren’t acting roles, but rather stunt roles.
Furdík, 48, has a long history of doing stunts in films. He appeared in movies such as Sherlock Holmes, Skyfall, Spartacus, and Thor: The Dark World strictly as a stunt double, at times not even being credited for his role. In 2015, he transitioned to the small screen when he landed his first Game of Thrones gig.
The actor started off as a stunt double and a stunt supervisor, specifically in season 5’s epic “Hardhome” episode, as he explained in an interview with Entertainment Weekly in March.
HBO; Jakob Ratz/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty
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“When we did season 5, I was the White Walker who fought Jon Snow — the first time Jon Snow killed a White Walker, that was me,” he explained to EW. “After that, [showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss] asked if I’d play the Night King for seasons 6 through 8. I never asked why. Maybe they were happy with what I did in season 5.”
Upon assuming the role, Furdík was involved in the series much more frequently, especially the show’s most recent episode, which saw the end of the Night King’s reign of terror at the hands of Arya Stark (Maisie Williams). However, much of the character’s backstory still remains a mystery, and with just three episodes left in the series, it’s unclear how much fans will learn about him.
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“He never wanted to be the Night King,” Furdík explained to EW regarding his character’s intentions. “I think he wants revenge. Everybody in this story has two sides — a bad side and a good side. The Night King only has one side, a bad side.”
And while he’s had the opportunity to play an iconic villain in one of the most popular shows of all time, unlike the rest of the cast, being regularly stopped by fans doesn’t come with the role for Furdík.
“Not often,” he said of being recognized. “Sometimes. Many people ask me: ‘Can you please kill Jon Snow?’ It’s very interesting. Sometimes I watch YouTube reactions after the season airs. Fifty percent of people love the Night King and 50 percent of people hate him.”
Game of Thrones airs Sundays (9 p.m. ET) on HBO.