Ed Sheeran speaks about the backlash he received following his Game of Thrones cameo. Running for eight seasons until its finale in 2019, Game of Thrones was one of the most popular and critically acclaimed TV shows of the 2010s. While a cultural touchstone of its time, it is widely regarded by fans and critics to have ended on a disappointing note, with a confused and underwhelming final season. It retains an enduring fanbase, however, with a prequel series, House of the Dragon, due to premiere in 2022.
Filmed mostly in Northern Ireland, the show was headlined by British and Irish acting talent, but as the show gained popularity, celebrities started to make cameo appearances. In season 3 episode 9, "The Rains of Castamere," often dubbed the Red Wedding episode, Coldplay's Will Champion makes an appearance as a drummer hired by House Frey. Snow Patrol's lead singer Gary Lightbody also appears in season 3, as a Bolton soldier who sings "The Bear and the Maiden Fair" in episode 3. While these cameos were subtle and generally well-received, Ed Sheeran's cameo was less so in both regards.
As reported by The Independent, Sheeran spoke to the UK’s Absolute Radio about his brief appearance on the show. Sheeran said that he would be “more careful” with cameo appearances in future, as he believed his appearance had “p*****d a lot of people off.” In his defense, however, the singer-songwriter questioned who wouldn’t have cameoed if given the chance. Read the full quote below:
“I feel like I pissed off a lot of people by being in that, but anytime I meet someone that is like, ‘oh you cameoed on that show,’ I’m like, ‘What would you say?’ Everyone would say yes. I was a fan of the show; they asked me to be in it. I didn’t expect there to be that much backlash but I am definitely more careful when I am offered cameos now.”
Sheeran's appearance came in Game of Thrones season 7 episode 1, which kicked off the show's penultimate season. As Maisie Williams' Arya Stark travels through the Riverlands, she encounters Lannister soldiers, one of whom - played by Sheeran - sings the song "Hands of Gold." While the criticism of the cameo was immediate from fans, the backlash wasn't limited only to the show's fans, with Hodor actor Kristian Nairn also criticizing the show's decision to include a world-famous pop star in a fantasy TV show. The blame was laid at the feet of the show's producers for deciding to include Sheeran, though he did not escape criticism, with some calling out his acting ability in contrast to the professionals alongside him.
While the heckling Sheeran received following his cameo even led him to delete his Twitter account, the experience didn't put him off acting for good. Two years later, Sheeran played himself in Danny Boyle's Yesterday, and his role feels a lot less disruptive. And, as the film is set in the music world, his appearance makes sense for the story, in contrast to his more incongruous appearance in Game of Thrones. Sheeran's cameos are not limited to these two appearances, however, as the pop star had played himself in 2016's Bridget Jones's Baby and was Sir Cormac in the FX show The Bastard Executioner. His improved performance in Yesterday and reduced film-and-TV presence post-Thrones, however, seem to demonstrate that Sheeran is indeed being more careful when accepting cameo appearances.
Source: The Independent
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