Game of Thrones - Los Angeles Times Show Tracker: Alfie Allen Interview (Theon Greyjoy)

Source: Los Angeles Times Show Tracker [follow link for complete interview]



LOS ANGELES TIMES SHOW TRACKER: 'Game of Thrones': Alfie Allen talks poor, misguided Theon Greyjoy

June 4, 2012
by Patrick Kevin Day


Theon Greyjoy spent most of the second season of "Game of Thrones" making one bad decision after another in his quest to rule Winterfell in Robb Stark's absence. But after a series of increasingly despicable acts, he finally got a chance to shine in the season finale, rallying the troops before reaching quite an unexpected conclusion.

For actor Alfie Allen, that scene was one of his favorites of the entire season. The 25-year-old British actor (who's the brother of singer Lily Allen and son of actor and musician Keith Allen) has had a career on stage, television and film, but his role as Theon is his highest-profile to date. He spoke about his character and the season finale in advance of the episode's Sunday airing...



... Q: Would you describe Theon as misguided? Selfish?

Alfie Allen: "I'd say both of those words. Definitely. On the selfish side of it, he's looking for a bit of status. He wants to be Prince Theon and he wants to have the ability to make his own decisions and decide his own fate, which has never happened in his life. But he's also misguided -- he's trying to do things because he wants approval from his father. He thinks to achieve respect from the people in Winterfell, he needs to rule through fear. And that's never a good way to start off things.

But he just wants love. He wants to have this idyllic family with his sister. But it doesn't turn out that way. And when it doesn't, it leads him to make more of these decisions that he didn't usually make. I think Theon's trying to assert his power to the fullest of his abilities and to do that means doing despicable things. Even if that's not who he is deep down. I think in Episode 10 you see everything come back around and he realizes that maybe that wasn't the way to go about things. But he still knows he must continue in that same vein, because if he doesn't he may not respect himself. It's funny. In that scene in Episode 10, he finally gains the respect of his soldiers through being ready to die..."


Game of Thrones season three premieres in 2013 on HBO.