Having fun playing the ‘Game’

Pedro Pascal as Oberyn Martell on ‘Game of Thrones’

Chilean-American actor Pedro Pascal has never had more fun portraying a character than taking on the fierce fighter in the fourth season of “Game of Thrones.”

Pascal plays the younger prince named Oberyn Martell a.k.a. Red Viper in the HBO series based on George R.R. Martin’s series of novels.

“Oberyn is a very dangerous man and he’s quite fearless. He goes up against some of the most feared people in Westeros,” he said. “He’s very unique – he sounds different, he moves different. He has integrity. He’s a loyal partner and a fierce warrior so it was nothing but delicious to get to play him.”

Production required him to undergo intense pre-training with a genuine Wushu expert he calls Master Hu, who taught him “how to fight with a spear and move my body in a very synchronized sort of movement.”

The training became useful especially when he shot the fight scene with The Mountain, the largest man in Westeros (played by Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson). Many believe this particular combat sequence is the biggest battle in the show’s history.

“That was very unfamiliar for me so that was physically the most challenging experience I had as an actor,” Pascal said.

Before cameras rolled, the actor spent time researching on his character and “picked up George R.R. Martin’s book and I read some of the chapters where the character was introduced.”

He added, “There’s such an incredible richness in the language which (R.R. Martin) writes and it was very informative and it helped me understand more and more layers of the character.”

Being the newest major addition to a huge and already established cast is proving to be exciting for the actor.

“They treated me like family from day one and it is a large family of amazing actors who cares so much about what they do,” he said.

Asked how was it like playing opposite fan favorite Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Pascal admitted it has been a “very relaxing and exciting experience as he is a very generous and inviting actor. He’s one of the best people I (have ever) worked with.”

He talked about being “very much in love with a lot of the characters” on the show even naming Arya, played by Maisie Williams, as one of his favorites.

The actor has become more famous being on the show, saying that more people recognize him whenever he walks the streets or rides the train in his home city, New York.

“Sometimes a stranger will be looking at me and he will be giving me a very bright smile and a thumbs-up which really makes my day. Sometimes they approach me and so far it’s been a pleasure…”

“Game of Thrones” Season 4 airs Sundays at 10 p.m. on HBO and HBO HD.

Having fun playing the ‘Game’

Source: Mb.com.ph (June 02, 2014 at 02:47PM)

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