There Was More Going on Behind the Scenes of Game of Thrones Than Anyone Could Have Known

Weighed Down

Walking around set in Jon Snow’s gear was no easy feat—the costume alone weighed thirty-three pounds, and his sword weight four. Kit Harington also wore heels to make himself look taller. “I was in f***ing high heels, because I’m short and they need me to look taller than other people,” he said, “so I’m carrying fifty pounds in high heels!”

Mother of Dragons

As it turns out, Emilia Clarke wasn’t always the Mother of Dragons. English actress Tamzin Merchant was cast as Daenerys Targaryen for the Game of Thrones pilot. Even though the original version of the pilot never aired, George R.R. Martin called Merchant’s performance “wonderful.”