"It was crazy": When Game of Thrones star Aisling Franciosi shared her feelings about playing Lyanna Stark in the GRRM classic

Game of Thrones was a show that transformed entertainment forever. Millions of people watched it and became devoted fans. George R.R. Martin created a fantasy world that felt complicated yet real. One character who shaped the whole storyline was Lyanna Stark.

She only featured in a couple of sequences. But her story mattered more than almost anyone else. Aisling Franciosi portrayed this role and brought Lyanna to life in those limited moments.

Her work is connected to the show's biggest secret about Jon Snow. Fans still talk about those scenes today. Franciosi recently shared what it was like to be part of this massive show. She explained how she knew nothing about it before her audition. Her experience demonstrates that even small roles can sometimes have the biggest impact. The way her character tied into the main plot was incredible.

Did Aisling Franciosi know about the show before her audition?

No, she didn't. Franciosi had never watched Game of Thrones before trying out for the part. She walked in completely blind to what the show was about. This created a funny moment with her agent. While looking at the audition script, she figured something out. The material seemed incomplete to her. So she guessed at what was really happening.

She called her agent to talk about it. He loved the show and watched every episode. When she shared her theory with him, his reaction was mixed.

He thought the idea sounded amazing. Then he realized something unfortunate had happened. She had just revealed a huge secret he didn't know yet. The secret was about Lyanna being Jon Snow's real mother. This twist wouldn't appear on TV until the end of season six.

Why was Lyanna Stark so important to the story?

Lyanna barely appeared, but her past drove major events. The war that removed the Mad King happened partly because of her. Robert Baratheon started a rebellion over what happened to her. Everyone thought Rhaegar Targaryen had kidnapped her. This belief sparked a conflict that changed everything in Westeros.

The truth was different from what people believed. Lyanna actually loved Rhaegar. They married in secret. She gave birth to their son before she died. That baby was Jon Snow. Ned Stark kept this secret for years to protect his nephew. He let everyone believe Jon was his own child born out of wedlock. Bran Stark learned all this by looking into the past with his powers.

What did Franciosi do after getting the part in Game of Thrones?

She started watching Game of Thrones right away. Franciosi needed to understand what she was joining. What shocked her was how much people discussed Lyanna throughout the show. Characters kept bringing her up. The show built up to revealing her story over multiple seasons. Fans had been waiting years to learn the truth.

Franciosi felt happy to join something so big. Game of Thrones became more than just a TV show. People gathered to watch it together. They spent hours discussing theories online. She thinks it would be great if another show could do that again. Creating that kind of excitement is a rare occurrence. It doesn't matter what type of show it is. What matters is bringing people together in that way.

How long did filming take in Game of Thrones?

Franciosi worked on the set for a very short time. She filmed two scenes total. Each one took about a day to complete. Her entire involvement lasted just two days. This made it the tiniest role she ever accepted. Most actors wouldn't expect much attention from such limited work.

But something unexpected happened. People ask her about Lyanna more than her other roles. She finds this really surprising. Those two days of filming created more buzz than bigger projects. The character held great significance for the overall story. Fans connected with those moments in a deep way.

Franciosi called the whole thing "crazy" when she looked back. Being part of Game of Thrones felt special despite the short time involved. The show's cultural reach was enormous. Her scenes conveyed genuine emotion that resonated with viewers. Even now, people remember and care about what happened in those brief appearances.

She said the following on ṭhe same

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"It was strange because I’m in two scenes, and I think each one took a day to shoot, so it was very short and very quick for me. It was probably, on paper, the smallest role I’ve ever played. But it’s also one of the ones that people ask me about the most. So, yeah, it’s interesting."

Aisling Franciosi's limited time on Game of Thrones demonstrates that meaningful moments matter more than extended screen time.

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