Lord Varys is one of the most compelling Game of Thrones characters, and actor Conleth Hill is sharing why he decided to star on the hit HBO drama.
Hill played Varys from 2011 to 2019, and in an interview with The Irish Times, Hill said that he was uncertain that he wanted to say yes to the role for a while. He said:
“I was resistant for a long time. I’m not into wizards.”
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However, when Hill read one Game of Thrones scene, he agreed to star as Varys. In season 3, episode 4, “And Now His Watch Is Ended,” Varys shares his story with Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) and explains that he became a eunuch because a sorcerer abducted him when he was a child. This scene is so memorable because Varys opens a crate and shows Tyrion that the sorcerer who abused him is in there. Varys has many meaningful scenes with Tyrion as they are allies, but fans remember this one the most.
It’s interesting to hear Hill’s explanation of why he was drawn to playing Varys on Game of Thrones because fans often wonder what attracts actors to certain parts. Varys has an unforgettable character arc on Game of Thrones. He is also the Master of Whisperers and Daenerys Targaryen’s (Emilia Clarke) dragon Drogon kills him in season 8, episode 5, “The Bells.” This is one of the most memorable episodes about Daenerys and packs an emotional punch. While there are some off-screen deaths on Game of Thrones, viewers get a close look at the fire that ends Varys’s life, and it’s terrifying.
Hill is honest about what scene made him want to say yes to playing Varys, and he has shared his thoughts on other parts of the show as well. It’s never easy when an actor learns that their character is leaving a show, and Hill told Entertainment Weekly once his last episode aired that he “took it very personally.” When Hill gave an interview to The Times UK, he talked about what it was like when he found out that Varys would die. He said, “I thought I’d done something wrong” and continued, “I felt that last series was a bit rushed. I was inconsolable, but now I’m fine about it.” Fans have been critical of the final Game of Thrones season, and so has Kit Harrington, who told GQ that he felt that Game of Thrones season 8 was “rushed.”
Although he was unsure about agreeing to the HBO series at first, Hill was a great fit, particularly thanks to his Shakespearean background. He appeared in All’s Well That Ends Well at London’s National Theater and told The Irish Times:
“I don’t think it was a typical casting call. They wanted people who could handle the language, who had done Shakespeare.”
Hill’s other roles include playing Edward Darby in several episodes of Suits that aired in 2013. The actor has appeared in many mysteries, playing Mendel Liebermann on the TV drama Vienna Blood from 2019 to 2024 and Alan Conway on the 2024 series Moonflower Murders. He also played Pope Gregory XIII in one episode of the Netflix sci-fi series 3 Body Problem.
- First TV Show
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Game Of Thrones
- First Episode Air Date
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April 17, 2011
- Where to watch
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HBO Max
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Source: Theirishtimes.com