In an exclusive chat, Aidan Gillen talks about what makes Game of Thrones unique and his role in it
Aidan Gillen as Peter Baelish in Game of Thrones. Pic/ HBO India
There’s no dearth of interesting characters in the hit TV series, Game of Thrones (GoT) and Peter Baelish (or Littlefinger, as he’s also called) is one of them. Aidan Gillen, who plays him in the show, is upbeat about the series’ steady rise and cult following. As news of the fantasy series’ continuing success tickles in, hitlist spoke to the 45-year-old Irish actor.
Aidan Gillen as Peter Baelish in Game of Thrones. Pic/ HBO India
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Peter Baelish has been called a ‘psychopath’ and a ‘mad genuis’ by fans.
What drove Littlefinger was rejection and humiliation but way, way back (in the series). He is about getting himself to a position where no one can hurt him. It’s not about hurting other people, although other people do get hurt along the way. He is devious and he does some harsh, hard things but I also think there’s a gentle side that we may see a little more of, a more wistful side.
GoT is known for its shocking plot developments and killing off characters. Does this keep you wondering about the plot?
You have to bear in mind that somewhere down the line there’s going be even just one scene that changes the perception of the character for the audience. The fact that they have these parallel story lines that are yet to intercept, four seasons in — that’s pretty ground breaking ... Everyone risks death in Game of Thrones, all the time.
What can fans look forward to in Season 4?
Peter is not where he’s supposed to be, which is good. I sailed off in my ship towards the end of season three to the Eyrie but I didn’t really, I sailed around behind some rocks over there, dropped anchor and waited for events to unfold, as they do. So when we meet Littlefinger in season four, he’s not as far away as we thought he might be. He made a promise to Sansa that he would take her away, because she isn’t happy there.
In spite of Peter’s questionable actions, why do you think he has so many supporters?
Playing the game is definitely where he gets his kicks. I don’t even know where the end is — it’s not necessarily ultimate power; it is about playing the game. It’s not about directly controlling one person, but playing people off each other. His plans are daring, but there’s a certain amount of thrill seeking also. He’s not a safe player: you can have those people who play those games but in a safe way; then you’ve got people who are daring.
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