Highlights:
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Sophie Turner reflects on Game of Thrones’ controversial rape scene
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The actress says modern TV would include trigger warnings
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Turner explains the scene highlighted patriarchy and women’s struggles
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She reunites with Kit Harington in gothic horror film The Dreadful
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Sophie Turner has addressed the widely debated Game of Thrones scene depicting the rape of her character, Sansa Stark. The actress described the scene as triggering but essential in exposing patriarchal structures and women’s struggles. In a recent interview, Turner said that if Game of Thrones aired today, it would include trigger warnings, reflecting how television standards and audience expectations have evolved.
Turner, who began portraying Sansa at 14 and remained on the show until it ended in 2019, spoke about the backlash surrounding her season five wedding night scene. The sequence, which was not in George R.R. Martin’s books, drew significant criticism when it aired in 2015.
“I did feel and still do that Game of Thrones shone a light on things that many people were like, ‘Oh god, you can’t show that kind of thing,’” Sophie Turner said. “I understand it can be triggering, but I did feel we were actually doing a lot of justice to women, and the fight women have had to fight for hundreds of thousands of years. The patriarchy, being treated as objects, and being constantly sexually assaulted.”
She added that almost every woman she knows has experienced harassment, while men around her are often shocked because “we don’t talk about it enough.”
Would Game of Thrones Include Trigger Warnings Today?
Sophie Turner acknowledged that contemporary audiences expect trigger warnings for sensitive content. “I think if Game of Thrones came out today, we’d definitely put some trigger warnings on there,” she said.
Despite the criticism, Turner said she felt proud to be part of a series that did not shy away from exposing “atrocities that happened to women back then.” She emphasised that the scene was not gratuitous, but reflected the harsh realities women faced—and continue to face—under patriarchal systems.
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Reception of the Scene at the Time
When the episode aired, the storyline provoked widespread debate. Some critics argued that it stripped Sansa of agency, while others suggested it exemplified the show’s tendency to overuse sexual violence as a plot device.
The Atlantic criticised Game of Thrones for “ramping up sexual violence” compared with the novels. Vanity Fair commented that the scene “undercut all the agency that had been growing in Sansa.” Conversely, The Guardian described it as a gothic tale of “innocence sacrificed,” handled carefully by the production team.
Even Iwan Rheon, who played Ramsay Bolton, said filming the scene was the “worst day of my career,” telling Metro in 2020 that it was “horrible” for everyone on set.
Sophie Turner’s Next Projects
Sophie Turner, now 29, is set to reunite with Game of Thrones co-star Kit Harington in the gothic horror film The Dreadful, directed by Natasha Kermani. Unlike their brother-sister relationship on HBO’s series, they will portray lovers in the film. “Sorry guys, it’s really weird for all of us,” Turner joked in a previous interview.
Reflecting on her Game of Thrones career, Sophie Turner said auditioning at 12 and working on the series until 23 was “an education in business decisions, etiquette on set, and how to act.” She is not involved in HBO’s prequel House of the Dragon, but has stated she would consider returning to Westeros only if “the exact same cast and crew” were involved, effectively creating a ninth season.
Sophie Turner on the Legacy of Game of Thrones
Sophie Turner’s reflections highlight how her character’s journey sparked important conversations about sexual violence, patriarchy, and women’s experiences. She continues to engage with her audience honestly, balancing the challenges of her on-screen experiences with a forward-looking approach to her career.
Her upcoming work in The Dreadful marks a new chapter while reuniting her with familiar collaborators, showing that Sophie Turner remains a prominent and influential figure in contemporary entertainment.
