This past weekend, a rather snazzy event called TitanCon took place in Belfast – and I, being an avid follower of all things Throne related, jumped at the chance to interview one of the show’s stars: Night’s Watch brother, Luke Barnes. Like any true corrupter of crows, I was completely unprepared for such a feat, but unlike his onscreen persona of Rast, I can safely say Luke was more than happy to humour me for a few questions!
So, I hear you’ve been writing.
Yeah; I’ve spent the last two or three years, the last two writing – y’know, it’s something I’ve been doing most of the time. I mean I’ve been really lucky the past few years, I’ve done a few other TV things but it’s been a great three years.
Was that one Eisteddfod?
Yeah, that was a small play, but I’d better take you through the history of that. My first play was Chapel Street that started in 2011 and then went on tour and that finished about twelve months ago. The second play was called Bottle Neck last year, that was on in Edinburgh last year then toured in London and once again, so that’s finished two or three months ago as well. And now I’m just working on stuff for next year, I’ve got a couple of TV pilots and things, and um I’ll hopefully do a bit more acting things so we’ll see.
So where does the inspiration from all your writing come from?
I dunno really. Real life? I think most things just come from chatting with your mates down the pub! Haha. Nothing else.
You do such a good job of being evil though and you’re just so nice!
Haha! Thank you very much! It’s a good part though, Rast is my first job since drama school, and it’s the same for some of the others. I think for me and Mark & John (That’s Grenn and Sam) it’s just been a baptism of fire, like on the first day we were working with people like Owen Teale and Peter Dinklage, which is ridiculous! Yesterday I was in Forest Hill in London and today I’m here, man. It’s a great part as well, I mean he’s sort of got more interesting as the years have gone by. And next season some really cool stuff happens, which I can’t tell you about. But what they’ve done – what they’ve done is absolutely awesome.
Do you think Rast is inherently evil, or like a lot of villains, just somewhat misunderstood?
I’ll throw this out there. I think Rast is the only person that has done nothing wrong, for the whole season and the whole story. Haha. He’s done nothing wrong. He picks on Sam because he’s told to. In season 3, he’s starving and dying and he’s sitting there while there’s food available and he’s being told no. I think he’s a good person.
It’s human nature, I s’pose.
Exactly! It’s the situation he’s been put into. So really, the actual bad guy is Mormont. Think about, he is the bad guy.
Strong word choice! I wouldn’t say ‘bad’ exactly, more misguided maybe?
Misguided probably. Yeah. But Rast is a good person, but in bad circumstances. Samwell’s the worst! He hasn’t done anything, he does nothing. He just fucking bumbles around fucking everything up. He couldn’t even send the ravens!
Poor Sam.
Do you know what happens to him in the story? What happens to him?
Yeah.
He goes on the long wall doesn’t he? On a trip or something?
He goes with thingie-ma-jig that I can’t remember the name of.
Gilly and the baby and all that.
I sort of want him on the throne! Sam for king!
It could happen! It’ll probably happen.
And Hot Pie can be his hand!
Is he alive still?
I think he is. We haven’t seen him die…so…
Didn’t he stay in Harrenhal?
He stayed behind to be a baker.
Someone asked me, if I were to be cast as someone else in this, who would it be? So I said Hot Pie. It’s good casting right?
For everything!
Hot Pie’s awesome.
He’s so underrated.
Isn’t he? He’s just another guy that’s a good guy.
Sod Gendry, Hot Pie’s where it’s at!
But yeah, it’s been great. I couldn’t have asked for a better job to start off with. It’s a fucking brilliant job.
Costume wise, if you could pick anything else from the series, anything at all to commandeer and give to Rast, what would you choose?
Oooh. Let me think. It’d be pretty awesome to have some of the gold cloak stuff, or Khal Drogo’s outfit! Slightly less glamorous…
As long as you’re not still filming in the cold!
I mean, a lot of the night’s watch’s stuff is pretty similar.
Black, Black and more Black!
Black and it’s the capes that get you with all that stuff. These massive, massive fur things that weigh like three stone! So it’s like an entire bear skin.
Do you ever get too warm in them? Even when you’re out on location?
Yeah. All the time. I mean, we’re filming now, somewhere in five layers, wearing this fucking coat thing, and a little bit of armour, but it’s ridiculous. You’ve got to look like you’re freezing, but obviously in Summer, we’re fucking hot.
It’s a testament to your acting then!
It’s just a bit of a weird sort of place. If you go up there, and see it’s all covered in fake snow, you feel cold, because you’re mind just goes ‘Oh it’s cold’ and makes you feel that way. It fucks with your head a bit, because you’re still really hot, but it’s great. I’m having a great time and can’t complain at all.
How do you think Rast’d fair if he were a wildling?
Rast? He’d die!
You don’t think he’d manage to go all Jon Snow on anyone?
Nah, Rast is…he’d get really cold, complain about it, and get his head cut off. Ha. He’d probably lose his temper and then just get killed. I don’t think they’d take much shit up there, those wildlings. But yeah, I’ve loved every minute of it.
You have one of the best jobs then, basically!
I’ve loved it. I’ve loved everything. I’ve loved it man.
Is there anything you haven’t liked?
Nah, I’ve had a great time!
Not even the early morning starts?
Yeah. The half five starts are a bit difficult, but it’s worth it, y’know what I mean? It’s worth it. I feel really privileged to be a part of it. I think the best bit about it is that people like it! It’s long days, bit it’s worth it for the product at the end. And meeting those guys man, it’s been awesome! We’ve only done one scene with women in, only one female in the entire thing.
Testosterone overload then?
It’s just been really weird, being loads of lads all the time.
I s’pose that’s sort of the thing that works though. The whole dynamic of the Night’s Watch is to be a brotherhood.
Do you like the show?
Yeah.
What’s your favourite bit of the Night’s Watch stuff then?
Erm…I love the training scene when they’re beating up Sam.
Oh, yeah, yeah!
I tend to favour more of the Northern stuff than the Wall itself.
Oh really? Thanks. Haha.
You know what I mean! I’m not the biggest Jon Snow fan so I steer clear of the Wall a bit, I prefer Ygritte, not Jon.
Oh really? “You know Nothing Jon Snow!” So do you still like the Night’s Watch?
I do! I just think they’re deluded.
Oh yeah, massively so.
They get points for trying! And I like it when they’ve gone past the Wall, and out into the North.
So you know what happens with the big thing then? That’s going to be fucking awesome.
I swear my heart’s going to bleed through the next season.
Yeah. It’s going to be awesome. But you like all the Craster’s Keep stuff then?
Aye. I like when the Watch has gone beyond the wall, and they’re exploring everything and still being mean to Sam. That’s sort of a running theme and I feel really bad for it.
But he’s such a dick.
Yeah, he brought it on himself!
He should’ve sent those Ravens, and then it would’ve been okay. Fuck him. Jon’s nice though. Funny guy. I haven’t seen him, which is a shame.
My friend’s really, really obsessed with Kit.
It’s fucking ridiculous! He’s a really sound, friendly, great looking guy. But he’s brilliant, he’s a really cool guy. He’s got a really level head, for someone so popular.
What do you think you’ve learned the most from the role?
I’ve learned what it’s like to be around people like Peter Vaughn and Owen Teale, and James Cosmo who are like proper actors. Me and Mark who are like the same age, we’re just learning what to do, and they’re just so relaxed about it! You learn more just being around them on set than anything else. They’re so positive and so supportive and you learn so much.
Do you still get a bit star struck on set then?
Not really, I mean like when I first started – yeah. The first thing I ever did professionally, and I was so nervous. I only had like three lines, and it started. Actually, the other day I was. I can’t remember who it was now. You know Little Mix? I saw the girl from Little Mix the other day, the one with the round head, I saw her and bumped into her – and that was the only time I’ve been properly starstruck! I’ve obviously met a lot of cool people, but I was absolutely star struck!
I never would’ve expected that…
Oh my god. She was just like: What do you want? And I’m all: nothing! We both went for the door at the same time and it’s like: Sorry! Haha! But on the show like, Sean Bean obviously, and Peter Dinklage. When you spot him, he’s just such a nice guy. Who else? Of all the people I’ve worked with, James Cosmo the first time, and he’s an imposing figure anyway, but the nicest person I’ve worked with, only briefly, is probably Peter Vaughn. He plays the Maester of the Night’s Watch, he was amazing. He’s such an old, old man,
He does seem really nice!
He’s like: ‘Do you want to sit down?’ To you. And it’s like you can’t make me sit down, when you’re that old. Hehe. I’ve been so lucky, because they’re all such nice guys. John Bradley, Kit Harington. Kit, Kit, Kit…He’s the nicest bloke I have ever met. I mean, he’s got so many reasons to be a Dickhead, so many reasons, he’s obviously massively successful, but so down to Earth. It’s been a real joy.
Have you all sort of bonded together then? Like a proper Night’s Watch.
Yeah. The first season we did, and I didn’t do season 2, but then I came back and we went to Iceland for two weeks. We did four long days and spent a lot of time in the hotel, but yeah we spent a lot of time together and really like them. They’re dead sound and it’s great to be around them.
Luke will be returning as Rast for Season 4 of Game of Thrones next year, but if that’s too long to wait for your latest fix, check out SkyAtlantic where all three series are being aired from the very beginning; Sunday nights at 9pm!
