Over the course of seven seasons, Game of Thrones has had many controversial moments – the Red Wedding, The Viper verses the Mountain, Ramsey’s existence – yet one of the most universally despised does not concern plot but a cameo: Ed Sheeran.
Unlike some of the other cameos featured on the popular HBO show, the troubadour’s appearance was pronounced, causing a storm on social media as people were swept out of the moment. Instead of seeing a downtrodden Arya bump into a group of Lannister men, fans were asking ‘What the hell is Ed Sheeran doing in Westeros?’
Even one of the cast members has admitted to being less-tan impressed by the moment. Speaking to The Huffington Post, Kristian Nairn – who played Hodor on the show – admitted to not liking the cameos in general, but pointed out Sheeran’s as the worst.
“I’m not a fan of the cameos in Game of Thrones,” the actor said. ”I don’t like them. I think it’s stupid. I don’t mind going on the record on that. I just think it takes you right out of the world. Especially Ed Sheeran. I was like, ‘Why is Ed Sheeran here?’ I mean, Ed Sheeran’s great. He’s a great guy, great musician, but why is he in Game of Thrones?”
Nairn clarified that he is a fan of Sheeran but “just not a fan of the cameo.” The actor continued: ”I think most people would agree with me there. It was a big snap to reality. It’s like, ‘What? What?’
“It’s a fantasy show. We’re all caught in this amazing world and spend so much time and money and talent to create, and all of a sudden there’s a pop star? What?”
Other Game of Thrones cameos have included Bastille, Mastodon, members of Coldplay, Snow Patrol, and Of Monsters and Men.
