Image Credit: Helen Sloan/HBO
Fantasy geeks have been abuzz for months now about HBO’s upcoming adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s best-selling epic Game of Thrones — the question is what’s going to draw neophytes into the fictional land of Westeros. The answer, most likely, is the sex. Lots of sex. “There’s a lot of sexual intrigue going on,” says Lena Headey (who plays Queen Cersei), in a massive understatement. “And we don’t shy away from that.”
The first two episodes alone include exhibitionist sex at a wedding, girl-on-girl sex lessons, and a startling bit of incest. This all adds up to, well, lots of nudity. “I lay naked in furs a lot,” says Jason Momoa, who doesn’t wear much to begin with as warlord Khal Drogo. “I think I’m naked more than I talk.” The costuming for Peter Dinklage, as prostitute enthusiast Tyrion Lannister, reflects the amped-up “sexual intrigue” as well: “He’s mainly in nightgowns,” Dinklage says of Tyrion. And Emilia Clarke, the relatively unknown English actress playing Drogo’s innocent betrothed, Daenerys Targaryen, appears the very first time on screen in the buff — but, she promises, it’s all in good taste. “There are a few naked scenes in the beginning of the series for me,” she says. “The thing is that it really is integral to the character. It’s the growth of a woman and it’s a sexual awakening as well.” As HBO Entertainment President Sue Naegle says, “I don’t think we’re always looking to be deliberately provocative, but we certainly allow for that. I like my fantasy a little dirty.” So do we!
Read more:
‘Game of Thrones’ premiere episode recap
‘Game of Thrones’: 36 Sneak Peek Pics
HBO packs schedule with more ‘Game of Thrones’
Game of Thrones is going to be epic. 1st 15 minute preview was fantastic. Absolutely epic!!!
Jennifer Armstrong naked made little Roger happy.
More Sarah Connor in the buff.
Why does EW articles about Game of Thrones always seem to focus on the fact that there is sex in the show. Theres more to Game of Thrones than just sex, its not just some porn show.
No kidding. They did the same thing with Spartacus. Although, I must admit, even I wasn’t fully prepared for how much sex was in that show. So much so that I never finished the first season….
Well Spartacus is some what of a soft core porn show. I’m sure Game of Thrones will be racy but it wont be like Spartacus.
“Spartacus” also had some of the best drama and acting on any show last season. The sex is just part of where they are at. And if there has ever been as important and beautifully shot sex scene on television as the one between Andy Whitfield and Viva Bianca, and the two characters that despised each other the most, I haven’t seen it. For everyone that bashes “Spartacus” take a second and actually watch the show. Its a great drama with the best filmed fight scenes of any program, ever, and yes it has sex. Its got a large cast and the acting is wonderful for the entire cast. It was a helluva lot better show than the overrated “Boardwalk Empire”.
You should go back and finish SPARTACUS, it turned out to be a fantastic series! The last 5 episodes are like crack and the final of Season One was *awesome*!
I agree, but it’s not just EW. It reminds me of every time I mention that I loved Rome and someone says “Wasn’t that show just glorified porn?”. Not that I’m complaining about the sex scenes (sigh…James Purefoy…) but the show was so much more than that.
Rome was fantastic. I agree that it was so much more than EW (or anyone for that matter) made it out to be. I will definitely be checking out Game of Thrones too.
Agreed. Rome was amazing, but non-viewers just seem to mention the nudity and violence. :/
ALL pay cable shows have nudity and sex. ROME, CALIFORNICATION, SHAMELESS, L WORD, SPARTACUS. It helps bring viewers. But the nudity/sex in GAME OF THRONES was perfectly fine and in keeping with the show’s overall tone.
There was a lot of sex in the book. However, have you noticed recently that movies and TV shows that focus on the sex and nudity, like Love and Other Drugs, have to do so because they are terrible?
If it’s a good program, focus on the program, not the T&A.
Maybe because (for a segment of the population) it gets butts in the seats. then after they see what it’s all about, they’ll be hooked.
Nudity and sex good. Incest bad. Vive la Quebec!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s a very sexy story for sure, but I do hope that all this talk of sex doesn’t take away in anyone’s head from the fact that its an amazing, complicated story with great characters
What a sexist article. “lots of nudity” it says, but then goes on to talk solely about female nudity.
Typical.
Except for the part about Khal Drogo laying naked on his furs and Tyrion spending a lot of time with prostitutes, right?
Jeff B is an idiot.
Not so fast — male nudity really doesn’t count if its only above the waist, which is all you saw in the first episode. I was more concerned about the gratuitous eviscerating of a dude at the wedding scene. Yick! First episode still rocked though.
Well, Jeff’s comment was about what was talked about in the article, not what was in the actual episode. His gripe was that all they talked about was female nudity, which is clearly not the case.
So the Internet (Mostly out pedobear contingent) wonders if Daenerys’ age was changed to accomodate the fact in the book she’s only 13.
Yes, most of the characters were aged up for the show.
I don’t think it takes being a pedobear to be concerned about seeing a 13-year old girl having sex on screen (well, maybe that depends on the nature of the concern), but yes, I believe that GRRM said on his blog that was pretty much exactly why she’s older in the show.
if they had cast soemone more like the girl with the dragon tattoo, it would have been possible to “blend” the interpretations better. ya?
What about Sean Bean? Any nudity there? He’s the sole reason I’m going to watch and all this talk of nudity is only setting me up for disappointment.
Sean Bean goes full frontal for the season finale
Yeah, probably not.
oh James, that is just cruel
Yowza! I wish!
I am so with ya. I read the book as well and his character “Ned” was indeed my favorite..So I am hoping that we get to see HOT Sean a little in the buff..LOL!!
While it’s hardly the reason I’ll be watching, a bit of Bean in the buff wouldn’t go unappreciated.
Co-sign.
ditto
My sentiments exactly Moonllama . . . Sean Bean is the big draw for me, and–if he’s nude–so much the better!
I saw the whole first episode two weeks ago at my school and there is not a lot of male nudity in the first episode, which is unsurprising. However, I agree that most of the nudity is done in good taste, and the nudity of supposed 13-year-old daenerys is surprising but definitely necessary for the story. I’m not surprised they are playing it up because honestly if you can’t stomach it, you won’t be able to enjoy the show. Same thing for beheading– a lot of beheading.
Yeah, I do think it makes some sense for them to be really upfront about the levels of sex and violence in the show. That way people who haven’t read the books still have some forewarning about what they’re getting into.
Also (as was mentioned a bit further up), Dany will be 17 at the beginning of the series rather than 13 as she is in the books.
Are the actors having real sex on this show? I’ve heard rumors to that effect about this and “Spartacus.”
of course they don’t actually have sex!
either you are young enough to believe stupid things like that, or you are just pathetic to even ask
+1 jodipo.
No they don’t have sex in real life on GAME or SPARTACUS. Please. Grow up.
only a couple more hrs!!! yeahhh bring it on hbo!!!!
How typical of our society to focus on the sexual content and how much is appropriate and yet very little mention of the gratuitous violence. Personally I do not have a problem with either gratuitous sex or violence and I love this book so I cannot wait for GOT tonight.
They’ve talked plenty about the violence in other columns and reviews.
that was… AWESOME! I’m so glad HBO had a free preview weekend for this! Pity the rest of my household establishment finds it “base” and “pornographic”… well, I’ll still definitely be keeping up with the synopsises…
Team Arya! I’m so like that little girl I can practically see the words running through her head…
Watched “Game of Thrones” uhhh are the “Child Actors” actually being subjected to fully naked actors/actresses and simulated sex as per the last seen and many others..or are they just blue-screening it. Plus do they get to see an edited version of the film…this thing is gruesome and as usually HBO makes it pornographic
Are you seriously asking if the actor playing Bran actually saw —- and —- simulating sex? Of course not. I’m sure the parents of the younger actors wouldn’t let them watch the more graphic scenes of the show. Children have acted in horror movies for years, it’s not big deal.
The sex on the show is pretty tame. Nothing more then what we usually see on HBO/Showtime/Starz. People seem to be overhyping that part of the show.
Yeah, after all the buildup to it on the sex front, I was actually expecting it to be much more graphic than it ended up being.
Tedious. I had not read the books but the ads I saw seemed interesting. I do not agree that the nakedness was either necessary or “tasteful.” It was, in my view, in the story only for sensationalism. Same with the violence. Lazy, lazy writing (I expect in the books as well as the HBO program). Won’t be watching.
There must be more than one Doris posting, because I did not write the above remark. I wasn’t even on the computer yesterday. I thought there was too much nudity, but I thought Daeneris’ first nude scene made a point about her horrid brother!
With all this promotion for “Game of Thrones” it would be dignified to disclose EW and HBO are both owned by Time Warner.