Get ready for the uncomfortable feeling of agreeing with King Joffrey: In an interview with The Daily Beast, Jack Gleeson addresses the subject of the violence against women on Game of Thrones with the candor of someone not currently employed by the show. “Of course,†he said, when asked whether he’d ever felt uncomfortable filming some of his scenes. “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. But, perhaps, it’s still unfair or unjust to represent it even if the gloss on the representation is a negative one.†When it comes to the show’s frequent rape scenes, Gleeson adds, “sometimes you have to represent awful things happening onscreen even if they’re for entertainment because you have to expose the brutality of them … there’s a chance it engages some kind of empathy.†But, again: “I can never put myself into the mindset of a woman who has been sexually assaulted … It might be very traumatic and stressful to watch those scenes.â€
Elsewhere, Gleeson agrees with former onscreen wife Natalie Dormer that the series could do more to explore the delicate beauty of the male member. Of the series’ main cast, only Alfie Allen has shown his squid ‘n’ bits, though Nicolaj Coster-Waldau, Michiel Huisman, Richard Madden, and Iwan Rheon have taken part in the Game of Butts. (Kit Harington’s infamous cave scene in season three employed a butt double.) “I have heard there is male nudity,†Gleeson says, “so I think that is one good thing, to not just objectify women but also objectify the beauty of the male genitalia! We’re all objects together.â€