Summary

• Remembering the Red Wedding from GOT, Richard Madden reflects on his time on the show and his emotional experiences filming the tragic scene.
• The Red Wedding remains iconic and influential in TV history, showcasing Game of Thrones' shocking and ruthless approach to killing off major characters.
• Richard Madden's post-Game of Thrones career includes roles in Citadel and Killer Heat, with rumors circulating about him potentially taking on the role of James Bond.

Game of Thrones actor Richard Madden has reflected on the infamous Red Wedding nearly a decade since it first aired. Hailed as one of the most devastating episodes in television history, season 3, episode 9, "The Rains of Castamere," featured the merciless slaughter of Madden's character, Robb Stark, along with his mother, Catelyn Stark, his pregnant wife, Talisa Stark, and the entire Stark congregation present at the wedding. The Red Wedding massacre was orchestrated by Walder Frey as revenge for Robb breaking the marriage pact between House Stark and House Frey.

Years after the finale, Game of Thrones remains one of the best HBO shows and one of the greatest TV shows ever. It was a game-changing phenomenon with shocking moments and twists, an expansive world, deep and thoughtful characters, and much more. It also introduced a host of relatively unknown actors to massive audiences and many are still reaping the rewards of their time on the series. Before Game of Thrones, Richard Madden had a handful of modest parts in British TV shows. The Red Wedding is a critical moment in the actor's career, in retrospect.

Richard Madden Had "Fond Memories" Of Game Of Thrones Despite "A Lot Of Crying"

The Red Wedding Brings Up Different Emotions For Richard Madden

Madden appeared on Entertainment Tonight in April 2023 to promote his new Amazon Prime series Citadel with co-star Priyanka Chopra Jonas. The Red Wedding topic arose since 2023 marked its ten-year anniversary, and Madden reflected on his time on the HBO series,

"I still have fond memories of that whole experience. I mean, not that particular scene, but the whole experience I have fond memories of. It’s nice to be back into recurring series drama where you get so much time to tell a story, and the you get these huge payoffs like [the Red Wedding.] Three seasons deep we got to have this horrible death with characters that you’re invested in. I think that’s our ambition [with Citadel] too, to create a huge world and get to know these people well."

It was clearly an emotional scene for Madden to film and, despite its importance to the show, it follows that he would not be particularly fond of it considering it's the last time he's in the series. In May 2023, during more press tours for Citadel, Madden was again asked about the Red Wedding for its tenth anniversary. He told Variety,

"I remember a lot of crying because at the end of it, I was going to be apart from my family that I had lived with for five years — my on-screen mother and my wife and this crew that had spent a lot of time together, so it was traumatic not only to shoot but traumatic because I was losing my family."

Richard Madden had been on Game of Thrones for three seasons by the time he was killed off. That is plenty of time to make long-lasting friendships with his castmates and everyone else involved in the making of the show. Undoubtedly, worse than the actual trauma of the scene was the realization that he would no longer be working with people he considered family.

On red carpets, press tours, and panels, the cast of Game of Thrones has always appeared to get along exceptionally well. The Red Wedding didn't just signal the end of Robb and his storyline, it signaled the end of Richard Madden's time with his friends.

The Red Wedding Is One Of The Most Influential TV Episodes

Few TV Moments Have Been As Shocking As This One

Game of Thrones' Red Wedding is still seen as one of the most iconic and famous sequences ever broadcast, and its influence is such that audiences are anxious to watch weddings from any show. One season later, notorious villain King Joffrey Baratheon was assassinated at his own wedding in a shocking sequence dubbed the Purple Wedding. The Game of Thrones spinoff House of the Dragon had its own Red Wedding moment in a graphic birthing scene.

Game of Thrones is renowned for its mercilessness when it came to killing the main characters. The Red Wedding massacre was unprecedented at the time, and few shows had dared to instantaneously write out multiple major characters at the same time, far from the show's ending. TV shows with similar massacres and major character deaths likely owe some degree of thanks to the pioneering sequence.

Fellow HBO drama Succession also drew comparisons to the Red Wedding in season 3. Though it wasn't a literal massacre, Logan Roy still acted remorselessly to get ahead of his children. That show's wedding, season 4, episode 3, "Connor's Wedding," also produced one of the most shocking twists in TV history and has received universal acclaim, much like the Game of Thrones episode.

What's Next For Richard Madden — James Bond Rumors Addressed

Will Richard Madden Take Daniel Craig's Crown?

Richard Madden is set to star in Citadel season 2, which has been confirmed but has faced many delays. Mason's loyalties are still in question after Citadel season 1, so season 2 should see him deciding what route he wants to go. It will also see him dealing with the aftermath of indirectly causing the deaths of so many Citadel agents, which should provide Madden with some meaty scenes to work with.

Richard Madden is also set to star alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Shailene Woodley in Killer Heat, an Amazon production about two brothers caught in a violent love triangle. The film does not currently have a release date (via THR).

Ever since Daniel Craig announced he would be departing the Bond franchise, rumors have swirled around just about every British actor of a certain age as being up for the part. Fans have frequently thrown Richard Madden's hat into the ring. However, Madden has been coy about whether those rumors are true. He told Vanity Fair in 2018,

"This is what happens with all these shows... Then there’s the next one. I’m the next one. Everyone just loves the rumor mill on that topic. I’m just the current one. There’ll be a different one next week."

It's a response that doesn't sound hopeful for those who want to see Madden play the part of 007. However, in 2023, Madden appeared in an Instagram video alongside Stanley Tucci where the pair drank martinis, Bond's signature cocktail, and smiled. Most likely, Madden just did this to tease those fans who want him to appear in the spy franchise, but the fact that he's willing to play with the idea means that the Game of Thrones actor could still be interested in playing the role.

Source: Entertainment Tonight, Variety, Vanity Fair, Stanley Tucci/Instagram

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