If seriousness and grim realities could bring out laughter, then Game of Thrones could raise a hand in attendance. Among a variety of human emotions displayed in the outrageous action-packed drama, laughter only managed a shaggydog appearance. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the show-runners, created one of the most popular and intense shows on the spectrum of film and TV. So, what do we expect after that? Certainly, no comedy! But that’s what has happened. We find that David and Dan decided to not take themselves too seriously and the result is a Netflix comedy special for Leslie Jones, a popular stand-up comic and Saturday Night Live (SNL) star.
Although it may sound a bit out of place, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have indeed directed the special by Leslie Jones, called Time Machine. Leslie Jones is an American comedian, who’s known for her stand-up comedy and her regular appearance on the American late-night comedy show, SNL as a writer and cast member. Moreover, she is a huge Game of Thrones fan. With Time Machine, she returns to the stand-up comedy scene combining genres such as observational, blue, and physical comedy.
Leslie appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and talked about how she got the Game of Thrones writers and creators to direct her comedy special. She started off by saying:
“I had a list of directors I wanted.” The list included Steven Spielberg, who was busy; J.J. Abrams, who was making Star Wars. GoT fans might not be amused, but wait for it. “Then I was like, okay wait a minute! Who else could catch action but somebody who shoots a dragon! And what am I? A dragon!” she exclaimed. Now, that sounds like a perfect match.
Leslie also spoke about the idea behind her special:
“I am 52. Life is what it is. Everybody says ‘life is short’. No, it’s not. It’s very long! I want people to know I had a 20s, and I know what you 20-year-olds think that you’re going through. You all are not having fun. I know what it is to be 30, I know what it is to be 40, and now I am 50! I want people to embrace the wonderfulness of your individuality.”
This soulful insight and the fact that she “loves people to laugh” – especially by catching them surprisingly – promise a riot of laughter.
This special could be the beginning in the greater scheme of things for David Benioff and D.B. Weiss at Netflix. It’s certainly intriguing to see them operate in this territory. We wish them godspeed! What are your thoughts? Share them in the comments section below.
Humility is a virtue possessed by few. Even though Game of Thrones reached great heights, the show’s cast was always humble to their roots. They have won the admiration and respect of fans all over the world due to their down-to-earth nature. For example, Jason Momoa reached out to a young Aquaman fan battling cancer last year. Kristian Nairn (Hodor) talked to Digital Spy about the show’s success and praised his co-stars.
He said, “It didn’t happen overnight, and I think for us that was a good thing. I mean it was always immensely popular, I just think as the seasons went on it moved from a really amazing TV show into a kind of phenomenon. It sort of turned into that thing that everyone talks about, people say over the watercooler at work. “
“It’s crazy, because every TV show you watch these days, every single TV show or movie, they all reference Game of Thrones. It always blows me away. I watch a show I love and there’s a reference to Hodor, there’s a reference to Khaleesi. It’s become such a huge part of the public psyche. I don’t think we ever dreamed before season one was out that that would happen. It still happens!”
“It kind of grew, it really doubled per season. But we grew into it, which made it kind of easy. The cast was really down to Earth. I can say hand on heart we’re all really down to Earth. I think that’s a really nice thing. Just the whole Hollywood thing, we’re all kind of aware of that… Game of Thrones is so brutal and real. It’s important to keep it real.”
Have you ever met a Game of Thrones star in real? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
Game of Thrones was an enchanting journey that lasted for nearly a decade. Some of the show’s cast was very young when the show began. They sort of grew up with the show, like Maisie Williams, Sophie Turner and Isaac Hempstead-Wright. Stardom can be a bit scary when you are young. Especially for someone as studious as Isaac Hempstead-Wright. He revealed about his nervousness in an interview with Digital Spy.
Isaac (Bran) said, “It was actually a little bit intimidating. I remember seeing the show go interstellar. Especially when you’re separate from it a bit [Bran was off-screen during season five], you really just see how huge it is when you’re not in the midst of the whole thing.”
“I really think season five was when it had its meteoric rise. So coming back into season six – and I hadn’t acted for a year; I’d been doing my GCSEs – coming back in was kind of like, ‘Argh! I’ve forgotten how to act!’”
He continued, “I think also there had been a lot of bonds forged in that season, and a lot of people had grown up. I’d kind of grown-up, but I had that key year of being 15, 16 away from it. So it was a weird one to come back to. But after a couple of days, it was business as usual.”
Did you ever find your job to be intimidating? Talk to us in the comments below!
Game of Thrones ended more than one and a half years ago. It was a beautiful journey for both the fans and the crew that lasted for a decade. The fantastical series still holds the record for the most number of Emmy Awards won. On the occasion of New Year, the cast of the show came together for an interview with Digital Spy. They shared their experience while shooting for the fantasy epic. Gwendoline Christie (Brienne) and Kristian Nairn (Hodor) talked about how they were cast for their roles.
Gwendoline recalled, “I immediately rang my agent and said, ‘I want to do this’. My agent said, ‘What are you talking about? I’d never ever put you up for this. She’s ugly, her nose is broken, her teeth are broken and you’ll need to use a sword’.”
Nairn remembered, “I was a first-time actor. I was glad I didn’t know anything about the show at the time. Because if I had I would’ve realised what a huge audition I was going for. I had no idea what Game of Thrones was. I had auditioned for a part in another movie called Hot Fuzz, and I didn’t get the part. It was the casting director Nina Gold who remembered me – she called me in for this audition. I didn’t know it at the time, but when you’re called for an audition, that’s really in your favour.”
What are your best memories from the show? Talk to us in the comments below!
