Peter Dinklage Discusses Game Of Thrones Final Season Backlash In New Interview

In a new interview, actor Peter Dinklage discussed the divisive final Game of Thrones season that wrapped the fantasy drama back in 2019. As Dinklage sums up to The Times, he doesn't believe that fans being split or upset about the last episodes affects the series' legacy.

"You try [to avoid the chatter], but that was impossible," said Dinklage."You’re reminded of it on a daily basis by the fans. They had deep knowledge, but if somebody loves something they have their version of it in their head, so we got criticism early. Then, when we were leaving, they criticized again because they didn’t want us to go. Some got angry. But if you appeal to everyone you’re doing something wrong. And we offended a lot of people."

In December, Dinklage also defended the Game of Thrones ending to The New York Times, saying, "[Some fans] wanted the pretty white people to ride off into the sunset together… By the way, it's fiction. There's dragons in it. Move on." The epic's final episodes were criticized by fans for feeling rushed, memorably culminating in an online petition for "competent writers" to remake Season 8 of Game of Thrones in a manner "that makes sense," which as of this writing has garnered 1.8 million signatures.

In another interview still, with The Independent, Dinklage struck a much different tone and instead discussed his excitement to watch House of the Dragon as a fan who doesn't know what will happen.

House of the Dragon is scheduled to premiere on HBO this year, though a specific release date hasn't been announced yet. Before this, George R.R. Martin commented on House of the Dragon, saying he saw a rough cut of the first episode and came away very impressed. "It's dark, it's powerful, it's visceral… just the way I like my epic fantasy," he said.