Game of Thrones’ Yara reveals her awkward sex scene audition (and a farting horse)

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(Image credit: HBO)

If you did a word association quiz for Game of Thrones then chances are, alongside dragons and Red Weddings, sex will rank very highly with most people. Yara, Theon Greyjoy’s brother, has already had her fair share of sex scenes and actress Gemma Whelan has revealed the audition (and awkward sex scene) that helped her land the role - and the farting horse that made it even more awkward.

Speaking on the Graham Norton show, Whelan – surrounded by Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine of all people – describes in surprisingly SFW detail just what went down in Yara’s introduction scene. Y’know, the one where Theon has wandering hands and it’s not awkward. Nope, not at all. In fact, you can see the clip in all of its cringeworthy (definitely NSFW) glory below.

Whelan, though, winds the clock (I said clock) back to her audition for her Thrones role where it was Yara instead of Theon who had to do the “working away”, as Whelan describes it. There can’t be many worse experiences than simulating a sex act on an empty chair behind you.

It gets worse: The only other people in the room were a casting director and a cameraman who, according to Whelan, didn’t seem too impressed with her, ahem, technique.

At least the actual scene wasn’t that bad, right?

Oh wait, as Whelan revealed, there was a “farty horse” that Theon and Yara were meant to be riding who wouldn’t obey any sort of instructions or move in any way. Never work with animals. Lesson well and truly learned.

Image: HBO

Bradley Russell
Bradley Russell
Senior Entertainment Writer

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.