Spoilers ahead from the last episode of Game of Thrones.
Poor Loras Tyrell — right now, he’s a pawn in Cersei’s game against the Tyrells, part of a larger plot to isolate Margaery. Loras is just collateral damage for now, but you never know how things will go, as this part of the story line was created for the purposes of the show. Finn Jones, who plays Loras, was particularly excited about going off-book, and as an avid reader, happy to geek out with Vulture about his theories about his and other characters ahead of Sunday night’s episode.
Let’s talk about this Loras story line, which is a departure from the books. Well, actually, everything we know about Loras on the show is a departure from the books, because of the change in perspective.
Right! The reason Loras’s sexuality is more subtle in the books is because Loras is seen through the eyes of Sansa, as this capable, confident, gallant knight. Which he is, but that’s his public persona. The show is able to go behind doors and see how Loras behaves in his private life. I’m happy with this story line, because it’s a lot better story than just going off to Dragonstone! And it keeps everything more concise, gives it focus, keeps everyone in one place. In the books, Loras is the youngest of the brothers, but on the show, he’s the heir to Highgarden. So what the show is doing, what it seems like they’re doing, is they’ve amalgamated all three Tyrell brothers, and when you do that, Loras needs to stay in King’s Landing. He can’t go off to war.
What’s coming back to bite him is that birthmark …
I don’t actually have a birthmark there, and there was nothing on my leg as far as makeup goes! They said in the script that there was going to be a birthmark, but I thought maybe they’d let the audience imagine there was one. And when I saw it, I was like, “Where the hell did that come from?!†They must have found a Finn Jones thigh extra! [Laughs.]
Even though you don’t use body doubles for your other nude scenes?
If it serves the purpose of the story, then do it. And so far, it’s served the story. It’s not been gratuitous. We’re telling the story of Loras behind closed doors, and of course, when he’s with his lover, he’s naked. So let’s get on with it. But what I liked is at first, you thought that was just another male nude scene. There wasn’t much to it. It’s only later that you realize it’s so important for the events later on in that trial. If it weren’t for those two being naked and intimate — and Margaery walking in on them — Loras would never have been sent to prison.
That, and Olyvar being willing to testify.
What a bastard! [Laughs.] I can’t believe he did that. I saw stuff online where people were really quick to condemn the show for that first scene with Olyvar, without realizing that it needed to breathe, that you needed to find out what the show was actually doing. Hold on. Don’t jump to conclusions. It’s a delicate, complex story that’s being woven throughout the whole series.
Without giving away any spoilers, what would you like to see happen to Loras at this point? Â
Would he go through a trial by combat? Would he get shipped off to the Wall? Would he die in a cell? Even if Loras is imprisoned, I would like to see him get disfigured by the Sparrows, the same way he gets disfigured at Dragonstone with the boiling oil. I think that would be really interesting, because the only thing he has left are his looks and his ostentatiousness. And that’s been stripped from him. Keep him alive, but keep him disfigured. That would be really awesome to play, to really fuck him up, because he’s been pushed and pushed and pushed, and he’s about to snap. And that would let the knight that he truly is become unleashed. Summer is over, and winter has come for Loras. Will he be a warrior, and step up to the plate? Or will he cower, and be a little bitch? No. He’s a fighter. He’s going to meet the challenge head on.
And maybe the Tyrells can form an allegiance with someone else? Maybe they could team up with the Martells, to get rid of the Lannisters, and prepare for the war from the North. Because the Martells and the Tyrells are similar in ambition, scope, morals, and I think hating the Lannisters would bind them. I’d like to see Loras try to secure his family’s power and victory. He’s not properly been to war before, but I think he could do it. And he’d have Margaery by his side, so the two Tyrell siblings could take on this powerful House. Oh, and Loras eventually becomes the Lord of Highgarden, even though that means daddy dying. [Chuckles.]
I don’t think many folks will miss Mace.
And then maybe if the Martells and the Tyrells had an alliance, Daenerys could join them? They would be the fire element. It’s “A Song of Ice and Fire,†so I think the two polar opposites are going to war. These are just my own personal feelings. That’s just me fantasizing. With all the characters, I like to look into the future and try to predict what’s happening. So I think ice and fire will go to war, and they will pretty much destroy themselves, and then, like a phoenix out of the fire, Bran and his tree people will grow Westeros back anew. My hope for Westeros is that Bran dissolves the Iron Throne; he gives the power back to the individual realms. Him, his Small Council, which would be Brienne, Tyrion, and maybe some of the Tyrells, because I’m biased. But they try to keep the peace, after this devastating war has struck Westeros and killed a lot of people. They’d renew and regenerate Westeros and give the power back to the people, rather than keep it. You need to get rid of that Throne. That’s what I’d like to see at the end of the series, but that’s very utopian. We’ll see.
So it sounds like you’re part of the geek squad? Because some of the cast like to get together or text, if they’re in different countries, and geek out about all their theories …
Yeah. We’re a tight unit. We talk on a daily, weekly basis. Although, as the show has grown, we see less and less of each other because we’re spread out around the world. But it’s so wonderful when we can meet up, like at the San Francisco premiere, and update each other. Alfie Allen is a super-good friend of mine. We got a house together in Los Angeles last year for three months. Kit [Harington]’s a good mate of mine. They’re all solid people. There’s no one on Thrones who is a complete douchebag. Everyone is cool.
Did you and Kristian Nairn bond because you’re both DJs?
Yeah, yeah, yeah! So Kristian’s been DJing for like ten years. He’s a pro. For me, it’s just been a hobby, messing around in my bedroom, just because I’m obsessed with music. And then one day, Kristian says to me, “I could get you some gigs, if you’d like.†And I’m like, [disbelieving] “Yeah, yeah, right, okay.†But he put me in contact with this promoter, and this promoter came back to me with like a 20-date tour around the U.K.! So I went from DJing in my bedroom or at small parties for friends, just kind of intimate, small, nice, to suddenly going on this tour around the U.K. DJing to thousands of people. Kristian was my friend before, but he’s definitely helped me out in that respect, and becoming more confident to playing to a crowd. He pretty much forced me to go out there, and I love it. It’s such a cool pastime to have.
Even if we’ve read the books, we have no idea what’s going to happen to Loras at this point.
How do you think I feel? I’m in the show, and my career is on the line, and I don’t even know what’s happening! [Laughs.] Because before, I could go, “I’m in the books, therefore I’m going to be in the next season.†Now, it’s like, “Fuck! Have I got a job?†They really keep people on their toes. I’m not going to tempt fate, but I’d like to think Loras will come through and lead his family to glory. So for the good of the realm, please don’t kill me off! [Laughs.]