CultBox caught up with Welsh actor Iwan Rheon for an exclusive chat about playing the evil Ramsay Bolton, his new album and the return of ITV sitcom Vicious…

 

Are there any moments in Season 5 that you’re most proud of?

“I don’t know yet, I haven’t seen it! I’ve got no idea. I guess we’ll have to wait and see. There’s probably a lot that I wouldn’t be proud of!”

 

It will be great to see what Ramsay’s up to!

“Yeah! I think in this season there’s loads of different stuff and the world gets expanded quite a lot as well. You get a lot more sense of the world.”

 

What do you think of the level of violence in the show?

“I think it’s, to be honest, realistic to the time or, you know, the proposed period of time that it’s kind of loosely based on, a violent time in human history.”

 

Ah yes, I mean I quite agree with you on that one. Game of Thrones has a number of very strong female characters such as Cersei and Arya; do you think it’s important for TV and film to continue breaking down the barriers to gender equality and racial equality?

“Absolutely, yeah! Well it’s crucial because well we live in what I hope to be an equal world and yeah, I think it’s great that Game of Thrones are representing women in a world that potentially would weaken women and maybe historically was-ish and it’s great that they’re given such huge strong parts and if anything probably some of the best parts.

“It’s great for actresses to get to play these huge roles like, you know, Daenerys Targaryen – what a role, or Cersei or Arya. It’s amazing and it’s good! And that’s how it should be.”

 

I think it’s amazing how we’ve seen Sansa and Arya develop as the seasons have gone on.

“Yeah! Absolutely and how they’ve, you know, it’s amazing sort of to see… if you watch Season 1 to see how young they are, now they’re kinda becoming young women and becoming actresses, you know, very distinguished actresses because of this incredible experience they’ve had making Game of Thrones and it’s really exciting to see how their careers will then go on, it’s great!”

 

They’re definitely actresses to watch out for in the future! Acting is quite a competitive industry. Do you think there are enough opportunities for aspiring actors in Britain?

“It’s an interesting question. I mean, I don’t think there are, but I don’t think there ever has been. I mean maybe when there was the rep system there was more opportunities to do theatre, but I think it’s always been a very difficult world and I guess I think maybe at the moment we’re going through a strange kind of time because of financial restraints.

“There may have been a heyday in television when there was much more work out there and in film as well, I think money’s much tighter these days but, you know, in a weird way this new influx of television and how television has now changed and is being perceived, it’s amazing and it’s great for actors because there is more out there in terms of big seasons like the Americans are doing now and it doesn’t feel like a step down from the cinema world to do telly, because it’s often you get that whole season to develop your character which is really exciting for any actor!

“There’s not really a straightforward answer to that I don’t think. It’s a constantly changing thing and, you know, opportunities…it can land on your lap or you work really hard for it. It’s just completely, you don’t really know what’s gonna happen or what’s around the corner. It’s just one of those…choices that your parents had never wanted you to make, probably.”

 

I’ve always felt that there should be more funding pumped into the arts industries.

“Yeah, definitely, yeah! There should be much more. And we’re seeing the arts being cut more and more and I think that’s terrible for Britain. Britain’s got such a rich culture of, you know, artistic talent, I mean I speak for where I come from in Wales… the things I could do which helped me go on to be an actor.

“If those sort of opportunities are gone then you’re not gonna get that first few steps into what could potentially be a life’s career. Yeah, it’s a tricky time!”

 

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