As hard as it might be to imagine, Jack Gleeson is nothing like his Joffrey Baratheon.
While his “Game of Thrones” character subjected multiple characters (specifically women) to violent horrors on the show, Gleeson is aware of the problematic nature of violence on TV. When interviewed by The Daily Beast about a new stage show he wrote and produced, Gleeson talked about the depiction of brutality against women on the show, which reached a peak this year with Sansa’s sexual assault scene.
Gleeson said he found some of Joffrey’s horrific scenes difficult to film, but also recognized that the fact that “Thrones” representing violence doesn’t necessarily means the show supports it. “It’s a tricky thing when you are representing misogyny in that way, because I wouldn’t say the show ever implicitly condones misogyny or any kind of violence towards women,” Gleeson told the website. “But, perhaps, it’s still unfair or unjust to represent it even if the gloss on the representation is a negative one.”
The young actor also acknowledged that the conversation becomes even more problematic when violence toes the line between awareness and entertainment. “Obviously, as a 23-year-old man, I can never put myself into the mindset of a woman who has been sexually assaulted,” Gleeson said, “but I think that sometimes you have to represent awful things happening onscreen even if they’re for entertainment because you have to expose the brutality of them, because the chances are you’re not going to see that anywhere.” He does know it’s a gray area though, adding that some of the violence on “Thrones” could be “very traumatic and stressful to watch” for viewers.
Gleeson said that he has yet to actually see Sansa’s controversial rape scene, though. Having worked on the show for so long, Gleeson explained it was difficult for him to suspend disbelief and enjoy the fictional show. Other “GoT” stars who have addressed the violence include Sophie Turner, who said Sansa is still “strong” after the fact, and Gwendoline Christie (Brienne), who applauded the show for its exploration of female characters.
For the full interview, head to The Daily Beast.
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