Filming of Game of Thrones’ “Walk” dissected, and Littlefinger returns 

After some previous unconfirmed reports, it is now quite clear that Littlefinger will return to King’s Landing in

season 5. From a book reader’s perspective, this introduces a whole host of speculation into the fold, as Baelish was still very much in the Vale when he was last seen in 

Aidan Gillen was photographed by some fans in Dubrovnik last week. While the context of his scene(s) is unknown, he was very much present in the city specifically for filming as Littlefinger, as evidenced by the picture above.

 source has divulged quite a bit of information on the filming of King’s Landing scenes over the last few weeks, with a particular focus on Cersei’s Walk of Shame.

The High Septon (the High Sparrow’s predecessor, reprised once more by Paul Bentley) WILL appear in season 5. He shares a scene with Cersei, Meryn Trant, and Margaery.

To begin the Walk of Shame, the High Sparrow makes an announcement to a crowd of peasants. Cersei is escorted before him by three septas, who rip her ragged clothes from her body. Her hair is short and her head bloody, as if clumps of hair have been torn out.

When the Walk begins, she is escorted by six Faith Militant members, and the recently cast Septa Unella.

Our source reports that Unella’s actress, Hannah Waddingham, is reminiscent of Mary Poppins (in a stern, tonally appropriate way), and sings considerably well. This is consistent with Waddingham’s well-established background in West End musical theatre.

Unella – who is NOT the same septa as was photographed with Jonathan Pryce – rings a bell and repeatedly chants “Shame!”.

The scene was filmed multiple times – with Lena Headey, with a body double, and with a moving green screen and lighting equipment. The double was nude, while Lena wore a skin-colored dress.

As they approach the Red Keep, Cersei’s Faith escort comes to a halt. An entourage of gold cloaks and Lannister guardsmen lines the entrance to the Keep, its presence preventing the crowd from coming any further. Qyburn, The Mountain in Kingsguard armor, and a man reminscent of (but still unconfirmed as) Kevan Lannister wait just inside the entrance. Qyburn cloaks Cersei upon her entry, and the doors close.

-esque. The scene certainly reads as though it will be extremely difficult to watch. Thoughts?

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This report matches Tristan Snow’s to a TEE. so i guess he’s legit after all?

Cersei is escorted before him by three septas, who rip her ragged clothes from her body.

lol of course D&D have to make things even more fucked up than they were in the book. i like how Cersei confidently removed the robe off

when the Walk begins in the book, it made her emotional breakdown all the more shocking.

ugh Meryn Trant is definitely taking up some kind of Kettleblack role even if he doesn’t end up sleeping with Cersei (please please i hope he doesn’t sleep with Cersei)

I’m dreading this scene in a similar way I did the RW. I was so emotional while I read it, I’m sure it will be just as hard to watch it.

Very interesting post. As uncomfortable a scene this will be, I think Lena has the opportunity to give an acting masterclass, and if she pulls it off she should be nailed on for an Emmy win, I wouldn’t say I’m looking forward to the scene because of its content, but I have high hopes that D&D and David Nutter wil be able to pull this one off to a tee.

I just hope they keep the most harrowing part of the Walk, which is the ending, not the beginning. When she completely loses it and runs crawling to the Red Keep like an animal. That moment really embodies the horror of the whole thing.

He was right on a great deal but I still really doubt they’re doing digital face-transplanting.

AIIIDDAAAAANNN! What in seven hells are you doing in King’s Landing?! LOL

Oh, this is good! Is it a spoiler or a show only storyline? Dum, dum, duuuuuum… Let the games begin.

Lena will rock this one. Book WoS was a terrible experience since I was in her head. But visually seeing Lena’s Cersei get that treatment will be even worse because I think they’ve made show Cersei more sympathetic.

Cian, will you be divulging more of the KL info that the source provided?

Sorry for the skepticism, TristanSnow- your report (while true) was similar to a lot of fakes. Trolls are getting smarter and smarter these days.

If I had to guess, I’d say the greenscreen is to easily implant naked Lena scenes shot separately (which TMZ has reported recently) into crowd shots. Then shots from Cersei’s back will all be the body double, and close ups were for Lena in the dress.

Good to see that Kevan and Lancel are essentially confirmed. Maybe that well-dressed Lannister guy from the pics really was a Kevan body double. I wonder how they’ll reintroduce these two.

If the High Septon is around, does that mean that Cersei has him killed? I could see Meryn Trant taking on this duty since we don’t have Osney Kettleblack. Hopefully, he won’t take on a few other of Osney’s duties.

What’s jumping at me the most is the Mountain as a Kingsguard. This is big news and it confirms by suspicions that, very much like Qyburn saving and transforming him, his new role will not be as shrouded in mystery as it was in the books; in fact, it will probably be just as straight-forward —just as there was no implication that the Mountain ever died before being saved, there will be no big mystery about Ser Robert Strong. As for Kevan, I really hope that’s true, but I’ll cheer when it is confirmed.

This means TristanSnow’s report was true after all, although I’m pretty sure he misunderstood the CGI technicalities. A green-screen would not be used for digital face-transplanting. But close enough. So I guess this also means Lancel is indeed back, right?

As for Littlefinger… well, it cannot be directly taken from TWOW, since he wasn’t present when the King’s Landing events that transpire this season happened, but who knows, he might be back in the future and they’ll just advance that part of his story a bit. Or maybe it’s just invented for the show, which I’m fine with, because the show is running low on King’s Landing characters, and they certainly aren’t going to add Harys and other Small Council members I don’t even remember.

I really wish that they hadn’t cut out Taena Merryweather though, she brought out a more vulnerable side to Cersei…even though the Cersei/Taena relationship in itself was twisted

and I’m surprised that Lancel isn’t walking with Cersei like he does in the book, I thought D&D would have loved that twist

My feeling is that it’s a show only plot. They need something to slow Sansa down, since she’s so far ahead, and getting Baelish out for a bit may be necessary for them to do some show-only Sansa/Brienne plot. Plus, I don’t think book!Littlefinger is making a trip to King’s Landing anytime soon, with the Vale seeming to be heavily snowed in.

He’s probably there to screw Cersei over in the guise of attending the wedding or funeral. The more interesting thing is that Sansa will be left alone… Will she disappear for a couple of episodes, run into new characters (BriPod?) or talk to the wall? I guess there’s Robin and the Vale lords, though none of them are confirmed to return just yet. I’m hoping for some more Lady Waynwood action (sex scene please). Loved her.

Agree. If it does happen in the straightforward way that you describe, I will be very happy. Not a fan of the Ser Robert Strong mystery.

I really, really wanted to see her collapse to her knees and crawl into the Red Keep like she did in the books. It’s such a powerful physical gesture of her inner mental state. Or did I only dream that…pretty sure it occurred that way. Let me know if I’m crazy….I mean, I know I’m “crazy” but ya know, crazy in this sense.

So, naked Cersei is a body double and not Lena Headey, if I’m understanding correctly. Why did she ask for extra money then? I’m confused. Or are TMZ/Fox News getting wrong information?

no that really did happen, and i hope they keep it in the show. it made me extremely uncomfortable in the book. and actually made me tear up the first time i read that chapter.

honestly the way that this scene in described in this post, it seems like it will be just as uncomfortable to watch as one of the Theon/Ramsay scenes…….so anyone getting pleasure from it would just signal that they’re

That’s what the greenscreen is for. She filmed some nude shots separately (without the hundred strangers looking at your naked body) since the scene would have been weird if we wouldn’t see any frontal Cersei shots that aren’t close-ups (and face pasting is probably really pricey for such a long scene).

That’s not even what that article says. She didn’t ask for extra money. It says they paid for extra security and for local shops to shut down so that there were fewer people milling around.

As for the body double business, jentario’s above comment explains it.

I think LF is visiting KL to defend or sell his bordellos and to proudly announce that he has Sansa.

“Oh, Cersei…what a pickle you have got yourself into!”

“I’m hoping for some more Lady Waynwood action (sex scene please). Loved her.”

We’ve not heard anything about Lollys at all yet they were meant to have cast her. Cut? I wonder if both her and Bronn will die this season or she is punished for Bronn being part of the failed Myrcella rescue mission or perhaps held hostage to make Bronn go with Jaime? Sure Bronn doesn’t care about her but maybe it would threaten his position.

You are misreading. Or you didn’t read past the first line or so.

They didn’t pay Headey more. Read carefully: “the HBO drama paid up to $50,000 per day to film a scene featuring Lena Headey walking from a church through town completely nude.” As it is explained just a bit later: “The bill for the four-day shoot was so high because the series had to hire extra crew as well as pay local shop owners in Croatia to shut down their businesses during filming.”

But yeah, they got the info wrong about Headey being nude herself. But it’s not relevant for the article, or not much.

yes I was thinking that she would somehow fuck up (in Cersei’s eyes) in regards to the Jaime/Bronne/Myrcella plot in Dorne and then Cersei would send her to Qyburn because she wouln’t know what else to do with her.

[SPOILER]Bronn having a noble wife is seemingly kind of important, so I doubt it. Also, give the writers’ desire to keep Cersei somewhat sympathetic, I doubt they’re going to have her murder a mentally disabled person.[/SPOILER]

She’s probably just a cameo that appears in one scene (my guess is that Jaime goes to ask Bronn to go to Dorne with him, and Lollys is present). I also think the show doesn’t need a replacement for Kettleblack now that they have Lancel. He can just snitch on her, and the High Sparrow will wait till she stops being useful before he uses that info to take her down.

Also, this gives me even more hope for Illyrio’s return (if the mansion news wasn’t enough). I consider Kevan returning far less likely than Illyrio.

I doubt her role will be any larger than Fat Walda’s last season.

hmmm is Lollys mentally disabled on the show though?? idk I thought they would cast Falyse since they mentioned her last season but they’re has been no news of a Falyse casting so far. I guess Cersei could just send a random handmaid to Qyburn on the show or something.

I definitely feel like Meryn Trant will be killing the previous high septon though??

I think Cersei will have Olyvar tortured by Qyburn to “reveal” that he had threesomes with Margery and Loras. I bet it will start as him admitting sex with Loras, then after the torture he’ll spout whatever Cersei asks. Then they send him to the High Sparrow. I don’t think Cersei will be sending him any other victims.

That is probably accurate. He’s the only Kingsguard early in Season 5 who is an actual character on the show and is on Cersei’s side.

Fuck if I know. My guess is that the High Sparrow takes care of him after he sins. Whoring, perhaps?

I really wish that they hadn’t cut out Taena Merryweather though, she brought out a more vulnerable side to Cersei…even though the Cersei/Taena relationship in itself was twisted

Agreed! I can only hope that they didn’t cut her and she has exclusively inside scenes. Which I suppose is a possibility. But I’m pretty doubtful now.

SPOILERS (It won’t let me edit the tags in for some reason @_@)

I doubt we’ll see her suffer her sister’s fate from the books in the show, especially with Bronn traveling with Jaime, completely different from the books. I do hope they show Cersei sending women to Qyburn in some fashion like in the book though, and with the Robert Strong angle being for all intents and purposes confirmed by this news I think that gives us at least some decent possibility.

yeah I also think that Olyvar will take over a Blue Bard role. But I still feel like someone has to kill the previous High Septon for Cersei?? And I feel like Cersei needs to send at least one victim to Qyburn to add onto the creepiness of the Mountain being “saved” by Qyburn.

So, naked Cersei is a body double and not Lena Headey, if I’m understanding correctly.

Why did she ask for extra money then? I’m confused. Or are TMZ/Fox News getting wrong information?

But read the article again – it doesn’t actually say that they paid HER – they had to pay 50k/day to film it. That covered the shops that had to be closed, for loss of income to people that normally made money on the path, and probably whatever the city decided was a fair fee for letting them film her/a body double/whoever walking down the street naked…

(oops – just saw that someone else said the same thing. ah well – leaving the comment anyway as a shout-out to you, Morgoth)

I really hope she loses it at the end like she does in the book – that was the best part…

On another note – littlefinger being in kings landing – see, there was at least one occasion when he was away for quite a while – it was all “offscreen” in the book – only “showing” his return – remember when he was explaining the whole harry the heir thing? that was right after his return. Perhaps this is meant to be part of his extended trip?

Ummm… you should probably edit the title of this post, it contains a major spoiler for Petyr.

Bronn’s noble wife probably doesn’t matter in the show if they’re going to be killing him in place of Arys Oakheart in Dorne.

… which is quite an assumption many people have made without much basis. I’m not saying you’re necessarily wrong, but the fact is you are basing assumptions about Lollys based on assumptions about Bronn. And that is… well, a big pile of assumptions.

yes I can totally see Hotah killing Bronn, except with Bronn it wouldn’t really be a suicide like it was for Arys in the book

If there’s a man “reminiscent” of Kevan Lannister, who else could it be? I can’t think of anyone else who looks like Kevan and would be waiting for Cersei with Qyburn and the Mountain.

Even the smallest hint of him being confirmed makes me happy. This character neeeeds to be re-introduced! Cersei needs a strong member of her family there; he’s like Tywin’s shadow, hovering above her and disapproving at her failures.

I’m also gonna go ahead and assume pretty much everything Littlefinger/Sansa-related this season will be filler/OC. Going to KL is so far-fetched and out of left field that it screams of original content for the show. This isn’t hinted at in the books and it goes against all his plans. I can’t even begin to fathom why he’s there, other than maybe some Tyrell business?

I can’t think of anyone else either. Mace will be in Braavos and there is really no other man in a position of power that could be there, right? Amazing news anyway! And also for the credibility of TristanSnow’s report. Lancel and Kevan back, big surprise here.

Really hope Kevan is back, the show hasn’t done so well in the continuity factor post season 2. The part about having a man who looks like Kevan stand in, there was a generic high born Lannister stand in for season 3 and 4.

It’s an assumption, but I don’t think it’s exactly a wild one. Given D&D’s penchant for killing off character’s the second they outlive their usefulness, the writing is kind of on the wall for a minor character being sent into the exact same situation as a character who dies in the book.

That’s not “the exact same situation” at all, and the writers clearly love that character and want to keep him around.

lol it annoys me that they love him so much tbh. bronn is sf overrated imo, he’s a POS too

Maybe he goes to KL to strike some kind of deal with the old High Septon in order to annul Sansas marriage, however he arrives too late because the old one is already gone and a deal with High Sparrow is not an option. It would be a complete filler, but it would help to slow down the Vale story. It doesn’t matter if we get HtH or if Sansa is still supposed to marry Robin, the marriage with Tyrion has to be cancelled at some point.

More like play dumb, keep Sansa as the ace in his sleeve and possibly involve himself in Cersei’s misfortunes (though that would be a huge book deviation), if anything lol

That “ladda” is looking might fine with Varys out of the way and Tywin dead, Jamie on his way to Dorne, Tyrion to Essos and Cersei in free fall!

Maybe Bri & Pod will make that move in the Vale with the old lady in the household casting news a while back. I don’t know if an actual meet will happen. What would it accomplish? Would Sansa choose her and go where? I’m going to go all Hound on this one: “Safety? Where the fuck’s that?”

I’m going to go all Hound on this one: “Safety? Where the fuck’s that?”

Does that mean with Meryn Trant at the end of the walk he gets no ‘mercy’ treatment?

The article mentions Ser Meryn filming a scene with Cercei and the High Septon, but I didn’t see it mention that he was at the Walk itself.

I don’t believe it says Trant is at the walk. It says that Qyburn, The Mountain (in KG armour) & possibly Kevan are

Besides Trant is in a Braavos episode directed by Nutter, so it would be impossible for him to be at the walk too.

Edit: Looks like I’m not the only one to tell you this (above and below). Still at least you know now

No one said Meryn was at the end of the WoS. He’s with Cersei, the Old HS and Marge probably at the funeral or the wedding. David Nutter’s directing both Mercy and the WoS so as far all we know they could take place in the same episode.

Oh, i think we can have a lot of fun with the Lollys/Bronn and Falyse story (even if we don’t see Falyse but just hear about it) and it does’nt need a lot of screen time: just some well placed writting … !

– Falyse or Lollys (in the book it’s Falyse) ask Cercei’s permission at the funeral to name their child Tywin if it is a boy…And Cercei said with a bit of diplomacie the equivalence of «No fucking way!»

-In the book, Bronn try to kill Falyse but failed and she goes to complain to Cercei. (and Cercei tells her she has her permission to find a way toget rid of him. Falyse arrange a duel between her husband and Bronn and Bronn wins and kill her husband. Then, Falyse go complain again to Cercei, and Cercei to avoid problem give Falyse to Qyburn) In the show, after the failed attempted murder, Cercei might chose to send Bronn to Dorne with Jaime to get rid of the problem.

-Later, Cercei discover ( by Teana if i rebember well) that Lollys decides to name her upcoming child Tyrion and is really pissed off about it, but got arrested before she can do something about it…

I don’t care if Bronn dies in Dorne this season by Hotah or a SanD Snake, for all we (don,T) know, it might have been GRRM plan to have Bronn killed by one of them in TWOW since their group at the end of ADWD is heanding to the capitale…

What i like about the end of Bronn storyline is the possibility that Lollys will deliver a boy and name him Tyrion and when our Tyrion eventually comes back to King’s landing he will be very touched and if Lollys dies delivering him, he may eventually take the child under his protection …

Kevan needs to be back at this point. They need to have learned from the Greatjon fiasco: if the actor can’t or won’t return to the biggest show on TV…recast them.

I think the most feasible reason for Littlefinger being there is to protect his brothels from the Faith Militant. He’ll probably do some plotty plot ladda climbing stuff, but nothing story changing. Meanwhile, I can see Sansa maneuvering the Vale lords in his absence.

And am I the only one who doesn’t subscribe to the Brienne/Sansa meet up nor want it to happen?

Also, Lollys isn’t pregnant…yet. But she was pointed out as dim-witted, so mental disability confirmed.

I think we’d have heard something if they planned to recast him. Ian Gelder’s CV hasn’t been updated of course but given that there was no recast Kevan casting breakdown (as there was for Myrcella’s recast), I think this may mean he’s back.

does anyone have any idea of exactly how long this scene will be?

“Then a Septa, the only one there violently disrobes her and as Cercei starts to walk”, also he stated “They are accompanied by four Faith militant”

, this report mentions 6… but these are just details… it seems as an accurate report by TristanSnow… but still we lack of evidence for

I didn’t put this detail in the post, but since people are asking… yes, she does fall to her knees towards the end.

Is there any way you all could get official confirmation of Kevan/Ian Gelder’s return like you did with the Unella actress? (Sorry to be as demanding as a KL mob btw, I just can’t help myself…)

Great post anyways. I just reread the chapter and it should make for crazy, disturbing television!

It’s not that she asked for the money, it’s that the whole scene cost a lot to do. At least I don’t get from anywhere in the article you linked that she, personally, wanted to be paid more.

Thanks for finding out this info and about the Unella casting. I wish HBO weren’t so tight-lipped about the minor castings – as long as nothing is revealed to “spoil” the story for Unsullied, though I am guessing people looking at this thread will be familiar with the book version. Maybe they worry that reporters will try to find out information about next season from the actors if they name they all.

No she collapses and then Robert strong and qyburn appear and Robert carries her to the red keep in his arms and she’s like “my saviour”

There’s no chance that all of it will be original material, but it was always obvious that whatever they do will some sort of mish mash of original stuff and TWOW stuff. I think that by the end of the season we’ll definitely have a fairly major Sansa spoiler to cap off the arc. The best chance GRRM has is to release a preview chapter early like he did with Mercy.

Should have said “if they name them all” in my earlier post.

It isn’t stated that Trant is in the Walk. The only mentioned Kingsguard member is the Mountain.

He has second hand information, so some of it is bound to be a mistake (especially if his extra friends are Unsullied)

Flynn is a starring cast member; Bronn is a major character, not a recurring one, let alone a minor character. However, if you meant that Bronn is a minor piece of the game of thrones in-universe, then yes, you are right and he can be killed in the show probably without major repercussions.

There’s no chance that all of it will be original material, but it was always obvious that whatever they do will some sort of mish mash of original stuff and TWOW stuff. I think that by the end of the season we’ll definitely have a fairly major Sansa spoiler to cap off the arc. The best chance GRRM has is to release a preview chapter early like he did with Mercy.

Except that the Gurminator has said he will release no more preview chapters from now on.

According to Tristan Snow this was the High Sparrow’s announcement at the beginning of the walk:

“Before you stands Cercei, of house Lannister, mother of his grace, king Tommen, widow of his grace king Robert. She has admitted to the sins of fornication and adultery. She stands as the Gods made her, naked, asking for your forgiveness as she undergoes her walk of penance.”

There may have been slight misdirection about this, understandable for someone who doesn’t have 200000$ to spare… nothing about the set report thou, that’s all true

I hope they keep Cersei’s confidence in beginning, it makes her slowly breaking down even more horrific

Also, PLEASE KEVAN, PLEASE “MY BROTHER IS DEAD. I AM GOING TO TAKE HIM HOME” PLEASE

Wow. Keep these posts coming. They are awesome.

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