The GQ+A: Game of Thrones' Littlefinger, Aidan Gillen, Takes Our Villain QuestionnaireBy JEN ORTIZ![]( "Hosted by imgur.com")
Game of Thrones’s unfortunately nicknamed Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish, might be the most dangerous guy on the show He’s schemed his way from nothing to wealth and influence, and he literally gets away with murder: Ned Stark (basically), Ros (definitely), Joffrey Baratheon (possibly). But he isn’t so bad! At least according to the actor who plays him, Aidan Gillen. We had Gillen take our villain-themed questionnaire—with some burning GoT questions too, obvs—to learn more about one of the show’s most mysterious characters. Highlights:
GQ: On a scale of one (Samwell Tarly) to ten (Joffrey Baratheon), how evil is Littlefinger?Aidan Gillen: I don't really think of Littlefinger as particularly evil—practical and clever and ruthless, yes. In other people's estimation I may be malicious or evil and probably would score a seven or eight. But that's just me doing what I do. I'd rate a nine or ten, maybe, for determination and execution.
What’s the trick to conveying ambiguity of Littlefinger’s evilness? Even when he’s doing good—like saving Sansa—his intentions are always questionable.I don't know that there's much trickery involved on my part as a performer, as the character is written that way. Ambiguity is indeed a key trait, and a not-uncommon one in the Game of Thrones world. He needs to be ambiguous to ensure access to the various circles that he operates in.
As for this infatuation with Sansa everyone keeps going on about? I don't know what that's all about—I do feel a responsibility towards her. Maybe it’s misunderstood. I'd say Littlefinger’s often been misunderstood.SO MISUNDERSTOOD
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How has Littlefinger evolved? Has he changed morally?I think as time goes on, he gets more secure amid the insecurity of others. He’s calmer and more collected, and can ponder the world and his place in it a little more. Of course, he has always been conscious of his place socially and of climbing up, and outside of, where he'd been expected to reach. I'd say over this season we may see something of a sweeter man—with maybe even a trace of humility.
Does he ever feel guilt?I don’t know that he actively feels guilt, but you never know when it’s going to creep up on you—you can bury bodies in the garden but they're always going to be there, just out in the garden.
What drives him?Early rejection and humiliation. The drive to be in a position that will never happen again.
Tell us about creating Littlefinger: his mannerisms, his speech, his close-talker ways.I first thought of him as some kind of magician—or a politician who thinks of himself as a magician—and two people came to mind, the comic strip character Mandrake the Magician and Peter Mandelson, the British politician who sometimes went by “The Prince of Darkness.” We tried the Mandelson moustache and there was something vaguely feline about it, not leonine though, which put me in mind of Top Cat or one of the Aristocats. This also fit in with the outfits, which are quite slinky. I thought he should sound patriarchal, like John Huston in Chinatown or a bit Hammer Horror. I also thought that these characteristics should be allowed to shift around from time to time. If I'm leaning in when I speak sometimes it’s just to let the other person know that I want them to hear me properly and because I want to see them, really close.
Choose a superpower—for good, and for evil.Who doesn't want to be able to stop time and stroll into ice-cream parlors and try everything out with red and green syrup squirted on?! Or turn people around so they're walking the wrong way? You could save cats from falling out of trees (although they usually land fine) if you were feeling nice, or you could place them up trees if you weren't. That's just me. Littlefinger’s superpower would be something in the telepathic field, or maybe totally charm-related.
Favorite fictional villain? And why? The first one that jumps into my mind is Slugworth from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. He himself was cut from the same cloth as that other great, The Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. There’s supreme creepiness in that character, and I don't know many who haven’t had him in their nightmares at some point or other. Willem Dafoe channeled that same vibe in The Grand Budapest Hotel. He looked like they just dug him up and he had an alarming dental arrangement (probably real). Satan could, of course, give them all a run for their money.
Most trick for a successful villain?Listening can't ever be rated highly enough—you need to know what's going on, especially in the Game of Thrones world. And you need to be liked and trusted at least to a degree.
How is “evil” or “villain” defined in a world like Game of Thrones?Well that's a tricky one, isn't it, because a lot of the characters have both heroic and villainous traits: Jaime, Cersei, The Hound, etc. It's one of the more compelling aspects of the series—you're never quite sure about many of the characters, and there's always room for a shift in tone. It's a harsh world and people have to do harsh things to make it through. What elation we felt when Arya stuck her little sword up through that man’s chin—know what I mean?
Littlefinger has had a hand in so many of the major plotlines without getting in trouble—is he the most dangerous guy in the game?He'd be one of them alright. A good operator usually persuades someone else to get their hands dirty. There's danger in there for sure but there's also glee in seeing plots unfold just like they're supposed to.
What are his intentions with Sansa?To look after her. To teach her, perhaps.
What’s the biggest danger to villains? What do they fear?Their weakness may be related directly to what drives them—so if that is, say, humiliation and/or rejection, it could be something emotional from out of the blue. They probably don't want to be exposed as the lost children they are underneath. I think villains probably fear death, way more than heroes. Unless they're psychopathic villains; they're not so phased and they flirt with it.
Every great villain has a great tagline—what’s yours? From the actual script? It'd probably be "Call me Petyr."
What about a villainous theme song?Not sure of the lyrics, but something along the lines of Count von Count's "Bones" from Sesame Street. Actually, he was another great inspiration for me.
Choose your villain accessory: evil maniacal laugh or white cat?The cat, because cats themselves are supposed to have supernatural powers, or be reincarnated witches, or whatever. It could be an interesting companion and not just an accessory.
Source.I am loving all of the Sansa/Littlefinger scenes so far, and I just really need this storyline to keep delivering the way it has. ALSO, QUEEN LYSA IS COMING.![]( "Hosted by imgur.com")
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