Content Warning: This article about Jason Momoa and Game of Thrones discusses sexual assault. If you or someone you know is affected by the following story, you are not alone. To speak to someone, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
Jason Momoa has called out a journalist for asking him about the rape scene he filmed in Game of Thrones.
During an interview with The New York Times, Momoa was asked how he felt about a rape scene between his character Khal Drogo and Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys in the show’s pilot episode.
The scene itself led to immense backlash from fans both due to its graphic nature and the fact that it was changed from the original story by George R.R. Martin, where the characters engaged in consensual sex.
When reporter David Marchese asked whether Momoa “thinks differently about those scenes today,” he replied, “Well, it was important to depict Drogo and his style. You’re playing someone that’s like Genghis Khan.”
He continued: “It was a really, really, really hard thing to do. But my job was to play something like that, and it’s not a nice thing, and it’s what that character was.”
“It’s not my job to go, ‘Would I not do it?’ I’ve never really been questioned about ‘Do you regret playing a role?’ We’ll put it this way: I already did it. Not doing it again.”
According to Marchese, from there Momoa only provided curt, one-word replies to questions, before eventually confronting him about their earlier conversation.
“I wanted to bring something up that left a bad feeling in my stomach. When you brought up Game of Thrones, you brought up stuff about what’s happening with my character and would I do it again. I was bummed when you asked me that,” Momoa said.
“It just feels icky — putting it upon me to remove something. As if an actor even had the choice to do that. We’re not really allowed to do anything. There are producers, there are writers, there are directors, and you don’t get to come in and be like, ‘I’m not going do that because this isn’t kosher right now and not right in the political climate.’ That never happens. So it’s a question that feels icky. I just wanted you to know that.”
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