Game of Thrones was notorious for toning down or altering some of the greatest characters in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire for various reasons, but Ser Barristan Selmy actor Ian McElhinney understood that depiction in television is very different from books.
The famed knight tragically died at the hands of the Sons of the Harpy in what seemed to be a very insulting way to go for one of the greatest swordsmen in Westeros. Even the actor was pissed off in the beginning, but he had come to accept his character’s fate.
Ser Barristan Selmy actor was disappointed with his Game of Thrones death
As mentioned, Ser Barristan Selmy, or Ser Barristan the Bold, was a skilled fighter who perished in the fifth season of Game of Thrones during a skirmish involving a gang of rebels from Meereen. Ian McElhinney wasn’t happy with the decision of the showrunners as evident in his interview with GamesRadar+: “Rather than being killed by a bunch of Harpies in a back alley he should have been gloriously fighting in battle and probably had a few more victories left before his death.”
Even fans couldn’t accept his unheroic death. Ser Barristan was a much better character in the books; in fact, he’s still alive in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, and he will be a point-of-view character in The Winds of Winter.
Despite the bitterness, the Northern Irish actor had made peace with it. He told The Belfast Telegraph that one should accept the fact that the demands of television differ from the demands of writing books. There is so much pressure to create high points, which includes the elements of surprise and shock factor. “They’ve got to keep that up because people expect that now,” he said.
Having been in the industry for more than four decades, McElhinney understood the depths of his role. In the books, he was more influential and even feared by Jaime Lannister, so we understand why there’s so much disappointment around Ser Barristan’s death.
The character, however terrible his fate ended, brought wonders to McElhinney’s career. No one knew him before Game of Thrones, even though he starred in several television shows. Now, he has become a superstar and even gained his own fanbase.
Ian McElhinney fought to keep Ser Barristan a little longer
It’s impressive to hear that the actor argued against the underwhelming death of Ser Barristan. Imagine walking up to David Benioff and Dan Weiss to tell them to keep their hands off your character—priceless. Sadly, they were still the bosses, and it was their call at the end of the day.
Our only hope now lies in the hands of Martin. We can expect to read more exciting adventures for the famed knight and, of course, a nobler ending to the character. Even McElhinney could not wait to read the upcoming book to witness a more nuanced resolution.
Game of Thrones is currently available to watch on Max.
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