The late Game of Thrones icon Diana Rigg was not only an inspiration for her co-stars but also had a formidable presence on set

Game of Thrones has been a huge success in the fantasy drama genre for almost a decade and the universe is still branching out with multiple spin-offs. The show is not only a big deal because of the impeccable creative direction but also a star-studded and experience cast.

And one of them was the late Diana Rigg who made her Game of Thrones in the third season back in 2013. The Tony Award winning star was always admired by her co-stars while on set and her witty, outspoken presence is what kept them enthusiastic and active while filming.

Looking back in time, when Game of Thrones was being shot, the creative team recalled that having Diana Rigg on set was an inspiration. Speaking highly of the late actress, showrunner David Benioff added in 2020, per Entertainment Weekly:

"We had tea with her. Dames don't audition for you; you audition for them. We loved her, she was funny, she was bawdy, she was everything we wanted for that character."

Diana Rig was quite the inspiration and set an example for her Game of Thrones co-star

Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg, commonly known as, Diana Rigg bagged an Emmy nomination for her first guest appearance in Game of Thrones Season 3. She played the part of Olena Tyrell, one of the most intimidating matriarchs the HBO drama ever had.

Olenna was the face of House Tyrell whose sheer intelligence and prowess in politics kept the clan alive from Season 3 to Season 7. She was also given the honor of the Queen of Thorns and co-incidentally, her real life avatar, the late Diana Rigg was somewhat a similar personality.

Back in 2020, while on an interview with Entertainment Weekly, one of the Game of Thrones directors Mark Mylod mentioned that Diana Rigg always had her own way to deliver her shots. Sometimes, she would even leave the creative team 'terrfied' with her formidable presence.

To Mylod's exact words, EW:

"I was terrified of Diana Rigg. My very first scene with her, I asked her to do a very minor thing. Like, 'Would it make sense if you close the door and walk a few paces before this moment?'"

He further added:

"She came back with some rebuttal about why she wanted to do it another way and then said: 'Thank you! Go away!' I became a five-year-old boy. I could feel myself blushing and creeping back to my monitor, stripped of any kind of dignity or authority."

Not only this, but she also received high praise from creator David Weiss because of her on-screen experience and huge success as an actress. Weiss had justified the same to EW, saying:

"Olenna was probably the only character to win her own death scene."

Diana Rigg's co-stars got inspired by her strong persona and her expertise in acting was what blew their mind. She was spoken highly of by other stars namely Emilia Clarke with whom she had shared an intense face-off sequence.

As mentioned by the Game of Thrones crew in the 2020 interview, the late star did not need a lot of time to get ready or prepare her lines before a shot.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Jessica Henwick (portrayed Nymeria Sand in Game of Thrones) had said:

"She walked onto the set, and she went, 'I'm ready now!"

Game of Thrones star Natalie Dormer who played the iconic Margery Tyrell, the granddaughter of Olenna Tyrell, also praised the late Emmy nominated actress saying that if "someone who has that many accolades" is on the set, it is better to sit back, learn and enjoy the delivery. The 43 year old star further added, per EW:

"She had a very dry sense of humor and was aware of the parody of herself. Sometimes I think she was mischievous to see what she could get away with."

Trending

Stay tuned to SoapCentral for regular updates on daily soaps, TV shows and movies.

Also Read: Trigger K-drama's Episode 1 is a commendable introduction to a dystopian thriller (with the best closing sequence)

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback