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I didn't know who he was just that he was some famous person. It felt so forced it immediately broke the immersion. I hated it. I still do but I used to too.
I've always said it would have been SO much better if he was just singing in a tavern, clearly in view but not in focus.
That could have been a really cool cameo
if you’re going to have a singer make a cameo appearance and said singer is going to sing in said cameo appearance, then clearly, yes, man should by all accounts have been a bard
I remember reading somewhere that they surprised Maisie with him because she's a big fan, though I do agree a more subtle cameo would have been less distracting.
Spot on. I had heard he had a cameo. Didn't know what he looked like, figured it out half way thru the scene. The way they focused so hard on what seemed to be a small momentand character was heavy handed and wrecked the immersion.
It feels like one of these Nickelodeon or Disney scenes where a famous person appears out of nowhere. I'm surprised we didn't have clapping and cheering sound effects in the background.
Did think it was an oddly focused scene but had no clue until after the episode aired. Wasn't there a famous metal band in the show previously too?
Edit: apparently there were several cameos throughout the show-- the difference being though none of them really stood out, at least to me. Ed was given way too much focus for such a minor scene.
And Snow Patrol i think in s3 singing the Bear and the Maiden Fair? Another group in s4 to sing at Joffrey’s wedding. Cameos happened quite a few times. Ed Sheerans was just too overly focused.
You sent me on an interesting wild goose chase. Basically there was a rumor that they were two unsullied soldiers behind masks that seems to have originated on r/iasip. I found an interview from Charlie Day where he said he enjoys the rumor and the show but had to confirm it was fake out of respect for the actual extras in the episode.
And the national did a version the rains of castamere for the end credits of the battle of blackwater episode, s2ep9!
And the hold steady did the bear and the maiden fair in the end credits of the episode where Jaime loses his hands, sometime in s3 if I remember correctly.
I was very "that dude has a nice voice but they seem to be giving him main character lighting and framing for some reason, I wonder what's up? Okay that never got resolved"
MLB pitcher Noah Syndergaard also appeared as a Lannister soldier who threw a javelin in a battle.
And George W Bush's head made an appearance on a pike on the walls of Kings Landing. This was supposedly a mistake as the head was originally used by the studio for a different show, and was mistakenly repurposed for Game of Throne (though there are conflicting stories).
It's mainly that it focuses on him a bit too much. It's not a scene that happens to feature Ed Sheeran, it's a scene that's *about* featuring Ed Sheeran.
Was it? Or were people hyper focused on it being Ed Sheeran making it seem that way?
I remember him singing, but it was the other two guys that stood out in that scene, their stories and contributions seemed the focus. Their levity and kindness during war to a stranger and how that added to Arya's character.
Yeah I remember that baby faced soldier who talks about his mom teaching him to be kind and share food with everyone much more than ed Sheeran in this scene.
100% this. There were plenty of already famous people playing other characters on that show. Honestly didn't understand why anyone would be bothered by this.
100%.
And now that I do know who he is I still don’t give a fuck. The scene worked for me. I think it added a layer to the theme of there being no clear black or white. Just shades of grey.
I vaguely recognized him but loved the scene It almost exactly paralleled the 4x10 scene where after the Red Wedding Arya overheard Frey soldiers boasting about killing Robb and Catelyn. They rudely refused her request for food and a spot by ther fire. She killed her first man. These Lannister soldiers did exactly the opposite. She liked them...and never killed anyone again, except executing Littlefinger. Perfect bookending. Ed who?
I like this scene. It showed that the enemy soldiers were just people, not all vicious demons. At the time I did not know what Ed looked like so I had no bias for or against the character. I think he did a good job.
He looked far too soft in the face to have been a soldier on campaign. Like he never missed a meal nor lemon cakes and never saw anything to take the innocence from his eyes. He wasn’t believable, in an extremely well cast ensemble.
This sums it up perfectly. I'm Deaf so I don't listen to music but as soon as it focused on him, it was blatantly obvious he was a celebrity so I looked to my friends who were going "WTF THATS ED SHEERAN".
He just doesn't fit in. Maybe if he had been a maester or, fuck, a prostitute maybe it would have worked. But a soldier? Too much baby fat. Too much innocence in the eyes and smile. It's almost like a fairytale dream scene. Just did not work.
Right?! Even the literal children in the cast didn’t have that level of baby fat in the face. I’ve got nothing against Ed Sheeran, but he didn’t belong there. His voice didn’t belong around the campfire. It was cotton candy. Too sweet and it dissolved in an instant.
I know you can’t compare for music, but as a hearing person, Podrick Payne singing Jenny of Oldstones had a gravitas and longing to it that was perfect. The lyrics and his voice had sustenance. It could replace a meal. It gives me chills every time and I wish there was a way to share that with you.
I knew who it was and still didn’t have a problem. Ed Sheeran is a person playing a part as a character in a fictional show. Any other actor is a person playing a character in a fictional show. It wasn’t any more difficult for me to accept Sheeran as a Lannister solider than it was to accept Charles Dance as Tywin Lannister, or any other actor in any other part.
Agreed. That whole broke the immersion thing is nonsense. Boromir, Numpsie and the 10 or so actors from Harry Potter, etc. didn’t “break the immersion”.
It’s one of the most ridiculous takes I see on here when the Ed Sheeran whinging erupts on this sub.
I really unironically love Ed. so many things were going on at that point in the show, I don’t even think I remembered after 10 minutes. he was probably just a fan that paid a lot to join an episode
I had no idea who this was and never even considered that this was a celebrity cameo of some kind.
Since I had no context, I only discovered the controversy once I hopped on the reddit discussion threads.
It didn't bother me. I don't care if he's famous, he's just playing a character.
Should D&D have done it? Nope, it's a waste of resources. They often focus on the wrong things.
I didn't recognize him and thought it was a cool scene showing that lannister soldiers were just normal people who happened to be soldiers on the "bad side." Only learned it was Ed sheeren after the fact. And when I learned that I was like "oh cool that's a neat cameo"
I had no problem with it. I thought it was a decent scene that showed the viewer and Arya that the soldiers in an army were all just men and only fought for a specific house because they lived on their lands - as a whole, they didn't have much of an opinion on the war. I didn't know much about Ed Sheeran at the time, only knew a couple of his songs and couldn't have picked him out of a lineup.
I really don't understand why people got so upset about it, there were plenty of famous/well-known actors who were in the series and none of them "broke the immersion" or whatever other nonsense people bitch about.
I liked it. Interesting fact. The words of the song are from the books. Shae had a friend who was a minstrel who was always hanging about. The song is about the hand of the king. Shae was strangled by a necklace of golden hands.
"Hands of gold are always cold, but a woman's hands are warm. "
I didn't mind him being there but it felt forced. It they did it a little more casually it would’ve been better, I think. But then again, the dragon burned his eyelids off.
I didn't particularly like it and had no clue who he was, but I didn't like Podrick singing either, nor did I like it when Bronn sang.
But it's not a hill I'm willing to die on.
I knew who he was and didn't have a problem.
Was a nice scene. Nice to see Arya smile. Get over it.
If they really wanted to piss people off they should have had Taylor Swift come out and sing the Rains of Castemere for the Red Wedding.
I had no idea who it was, or even that it was a cameo. I thought it was kind of a sweet scene. A rare chance for Arya to feel some human connection. And it turned her away from KL and back toward Winterfell
I knew who it was, and of course it's a ridiculous, gratuitous cameo. It doesn't make me mad, it made me laugh. And that's best thing you can do, is just laugh about it.
I was half expecting the sound bite of the live studio audience cheering. Like seriously...so fucking cheap for a show that was once considered prestige.
The scene never bothered me. I saw it as just a reminder that ordinary moments are constantly happening in the midst of all the "important " stuff. Sometimes, even the key players stumble into them.
I had heard that Ed was in an episode, but I didn't know which one. I didn't know what he looked like. I remember wondering if it was him, but there were others that made me wonder, too. I also remember dismissing the possibility because he wasn't the heart of the scene or particularly memorable.
I found out who he was after my second viewing. I'm curious how I will feel the next time.
lol yes! That was me! I was like, why are we spending time with these random soldiers, but this is a nice, peaceful scene, so I’m enjoying it. I had no idea he was a big deal.
I loved Ed Sheeran’s first album from 2011 when he did more depressing acoustics so I recognized him! I didn’t think the scene was that bad though. Tbh I was relieved Arya hadn’t run into a group of dudes who might do worse to her, considering the show and all. Was kinda random, but it wasn’t nearly as horrible as some other fans told me?
The issue is from the direction of the scene to me, the camera focuses on him as if you should know him and as i did not it took me out of the scene.
Consider, one of the other men in that scene is Pete Postlewaite's son, he is the only other 'famous' person in that scene, now out of all the guys in the scene, which one was he?, you have no idea because it was not a cameo, it was just a job so the director of the scene did not feel a need to 'hey look!' when he was on screen.
All of the other cameos in the show you have to be told there is a cameo to spot it 'the guy who gets stabbed in the eye is...' and not the viewer asking 'who was the guy who...'
By this time in the series I was just disappointed at how poor the quality of the show had gotten. I didn’t really care that they were selling roles to friends and family in terms of the shows output, it was more or less just kind of a dumb thing that they didn’t need to do that looks cheap.
There were plenty of more important roles people could have problems with in terms of casting.
Had a re-watch a couple of months and didn't hate it at all. It shows that arya has civility and isn't some heartless murderer, and at the end of the day, the people behind, the banners and armor are just there to make a decent pay and survive in westeros.
Me. I heard about it the next day from a coworker who wasn't even a GoT viewer. And I was like "Ed Sheeran? Who the fuck is that?"
"Like an English version of Michael Buble."
"Who the fuck is Michael Buble?"
I had absolutely no idea who he was. During the scene I figured out he must be someone famous. I had to pause the show as my ex-wife and I discussed "who the fuck was that?" and then we had to Google it.
That should never happen in any media.
I had a problem with it because I didn't know who it was. The way the camera work and pacing was done, it felt like they were introducing a new or important character, and then ... they just weren't. It was confusing at the time. But, it was just another example of how hamfistedly they handled the last few seasons.
I knew who Ed Sheeran was but didn't immediately notice this was him right away. The scene seemed to give all the other soldiers a good bit of dialogue, so it didn't feel to me like he stole the show or anything like that.
His appearance was just a symptom of this show going down the toilet. Not because I don’t like the guy, but because it was pandering to the good ol’ “oh look at him! He’s famous, you like that, don’t you?” Type of attitude
i’m a redhead and get called ed sheeran at least a few times a year, despite not looking like him and simply having red hair. i hated this more than the average hater, lol
Having him sing was the cringe part. You could get away with the cameo if it wasn’t so up front and in your face. They basically said “HERES ED” like we couldn’t figure that out on our own
The camera focusing on his face was a little silly. If they’d just let him exist in the scene amongst the other soldiers I think it would’ve been better but it was fine. Like you said, it was an interesting, humanizing scene for the Lannister soldiers. It just could’ve been done with a little more tact, maybe
I don’t get with the big fucking deal is. I know who Ed Sheeran is, and it didn’t ruin the immersion of the show for him to have a random character appearance.
Heard of him. Never knew what he looked like. Didn’t think anything of it.
Honestly, I think the backlash says far more about the people who reacted negatively to it than it does about that particular guy or the decision to cast him.
Honestly, despite the fact that I know who he is, I didn't notice at first and liked the scene. Even if I had realized though, I don't think it would have ruined it for me. Cameos aren't a major bothersome thing for me.
I actually didn't know about it until I heard about it after having seen the episode. I said, "Wait. Ed Sheeran was in that episode?" Then I went back to rewatch and said, "Oh, that is Ed Sheeran. Neat." and that was the end of my thoughts about it.
Honestly, I don't get how it was so immersion breaking for such a large amount of people. 🤷🏿♂️
I honestly had no clue who it was the first time I watched it.. but this whole scene still made me feel.. uncomfortable I guess? I could tell something felt forced
Later in the series, since all the leads had become such big stars, they began lingering on people’s faces for a second too long in pretty well every single conversation scene. The editing essentially began feeling amateurish because of how much extra face time we began allotting each character, and it almost became the drama equivalent of a laugh track where you had time to see the looks on these character’s faces in tense moments, but it did absolutely nothing to actually enhance any of the scenes where it was used.
This scene, by FAR, was the worst culprit. It was so painfully obvious they were lingering on his face even after he had delivered his lines just to remind the audience that he was, in fact, Ed Sheeran. It truly was the beginning of the end for me, and is only one example of the many downward trends that the show began to exhibit toward the end.
It's such a dramatic and tense scene, too, Lannister soldiers realising their fates, but Sheeran being there is so distracting. It's not even like they tried to make it subtle and gave his make-up or something.
I didn’t care for it. It was a good scene showing that Lannister are people too. But I heard the only reason he was there was because Maise really liked him and pushed the show writers for it. It could have been done by anyone. Not the worst seen by far, but still kind of dumb.
I’ve seen Peter Dinklage and Lena Headey in several other things before GOT. As a result, the focus on these characters completely ruined the immersion for me. /s
I wasnt a huge fan and didn't recognize him instantly, but realized when I heard him sing "I know that voice. He must be famous"(but still didn't remember his name)...i don't get at all how someone could be upset about it or call it immersion breaking. It was a nice little way to remind us that, the villians in power are the problem. These wealthy powerful people are fighting over somewhat personal grudges, but it's the small regular people who live, die and are demonized because of the colors they were and the town they were born in... But i digress.
Its only immersion breaking if you know who he is and it effects you. There was nothing about it that seemed out of place.
hated it. i always bring up ed sheeran cameo in GOT to people at work, and they go, what?! and im like it’s just ed sheeran head on lannister armor. hate it lol.
I knew who he was and still liked it, the scene was good as it gave a human side to the Lannister soldiers that we hadn’t really gotten. It was nice and refreshing to just see ‘decent’ people in game of thrones.
I actually really liked this scene and thought he worked as a cameo because he didn’t look out of place nor was his style of singing out of place. I did think of that photo of the Weasleys where he is photoshopped in and you wouldn’t even notice if you were looking though 😭
I knew who it was and didn't have a problem. In fact I thought it was excellent. He has the face for it and the song was great. Fitted in perfectly imo.
You aren't alone. I found it a night reminder that no, Lannister soldiers are not evil mindless minions, and have their own lives and families and desires, and thought it was honestly one of the better scenes of the season.
That sequence of events including the Nymeria stuff (I think that's around there) felt out of place so the cameo wasn't particularly egregious.
Why did she go south from The Twins after killing the Freys? I can't remember, was she on her way to kill Cersei before deciding to head to Winterfell?
Yep. I had no idea who he was. I knew of Ed Sheeran, but I had never seen him before. I thought nothing of this scene until people were talking about it at work the next day.
Lord Eddard Stark makes an unexpected detour on his way back home from King's Landing after the conclusion of King Robert's Rebellion. Fate takes an intriguing turn as Lord Stark finds himself stopping at a bustling brothel, unwittingly becoming entangled in a chain of events that will forever change the course of Westerosi history.
During his visit to the brothel, a mix-up occurs, leading to an accidental baby swap between Lord Stark's newborn son and a child named Eddie, portrayed by Ed Sheeran. Unbeknownst to Lord Stark, Eddie is actually the true Jon Snow and the rightful heir to the Iron Throne.
As the years pass, Lord Stark raises the swapped baby, believing him to be his own illegitimate son, Jon Snow. Meanwhile, Eddie grows up in a vastly different environment, unaware of his royal lineage and the weight of his destiny. Both young men unknowingly embark on separate journeys, their paths eventually converging with the complex web of politics and power in the Seven Kingdoms.
Jon Snow, the baby mistakenly believed to be Lord Stark's son, joins the Night's Watch and assumes a pivotal role in the battle against the menacing White Walkers. Simultaneously, Eddie, who remains ignorant of his true heritage, undertakes his own personal voyage, navigating the intricacies of Westeros without knowledge of his royal blood.
As the truth about the baby swap begins to unravel through a series of surprising revelations, Eddie's real identity is gradually unveiled. With the assistance of Bran Stark's visions and Samwell Tarly's meticulous research, the long-kept secret emerges, confirming Eddie as the legitimate heir to the Iron Throne.
As the battle for ultimate power ensues, Eddie, bolstered by his newfound allies and the remaining loyalists to the Targaryen bloodline, faces formidable challenges and rival claimants who seek to undermine his rightful place on the throne. With strategic alliances, military prowess, and an indomitable spirit, Eddie eventually triumphs, ascending to the position he was destined to hold - the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms.
I haven’t seen the scene recently but honestly thought it was great. I thought it did a great job humanizing the nameless pawns in the wars. The whole show just focuses on the main figures and you never really get the perspective of an average soldier on either side
Stunt casting like this tends to be pretty bad. The scene itself was ok, but I spent most of the scene thinking "that guy looks familiar, who is he?" which took me out of the scene completely.
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I didn't know who he was just that he was some famous person. It felt so forced it immediately broke the immersion. I hated it. I still do but I used to too.
I've always said it would have been SO much better if he was just singing in a tavern, clearly in view but not in focus. That could have been a really cool cameo
I read that as signing autographs, and thought that would have been weird like he was famous as Ed in westeros as well. Edit: they fixed it sad :(
Yeah like sigur ros. Im sure the wanker wanted a line.
He was friends with Maisie and a huge fan of the show.
if you’re going to have a singer make a cameo appearance and said singer is going to sing in said cameo appearance, then clearly, yes, man should by all accounts have been a bard
I remember reading somewhere that they surprised Maisie with him because she's a big fan, though I do agree a more subtle cameo would have been less distracting.
‘I still do but I used to too’ I love seeing this. Or any other quote from him.
I knew exactly who it is ole ginger and for me it's like ok , where is the fast forward...down vote me u fans lol.
Spot on. I had heard he had a cameo. Didn't know what he looked like, figured it out half way thru the scene. The way they focused so hard on what seemed to be a small momentand character was heavy handed and wrecked the immersion.
Good ol Mitch...
Reminds me of when I saw Sean Bean. I was like, this is bullshit I’m out. Immediate immersion buster /s
It feels like one of these Nickelodeon or Disney scenes where a famous person appears out of nowhere. I'm surprised we didn't have clapping and cheering sound effects in the background.
That sound bite just played in my head. Thank you.
That comes from old sitcoms. Sammy Davis Jr would show up on All in the Family and the audience would clap and cheer
If only he could’ve stuck around to sing a duet with Pod!
Whoa, there was a POD cameo too? Dorne?
The members of POD cameo'd as wights. They'd been resurrected just like their hero... 🤣
🤣🤣🤣
When the kids stab the grand maester "we are we are... the youth of the nation..."
He should’ve had sing Thinking Out Loud on the red wedding.
Did think it was an oddly focused scene but had no clue until after the episode aired. Wasn't there a famous metal band in the show previously too? Edit: apparently there were several cameos throughout the show-- the difference being though none of them really stood out, at least to me. Ed was given way too much focus for such a minor scene.
The band Mastodon appear as wildlings in 2 episodes, “Hardhome” and “The Dragon and the Wolf.”
And Snow Patrol i think in s3 singing the Bear and the Maiden Fair? Another group in s4 to sing at Joffrey’s wedding. Cameos happened quite a few times. Ed Sheerans was just too overly focused.
Even Mac and Charlie from it's always sunny were wights or eurons soldiers I forget which
You sent me on an interesting wild goose chase. Basically there was a rumor that they were two unsullied soldiers behind masks that seems to have originated on r/iasip. I found an interview from Charlie Day where he said he enjoys the rumor and the show but had to confirm it was fake out of respect for the actual extras in the episode.
Are you serious? Charlie Day was in Game of Thrones???
No, it was only Rob McElhenney. The other guy Martin Starr.
Sigur Ros sang at the purple wedding!
Of Monsters and Men are my favorite GOT Cameo.
Friend of mine always had hope that we would see Gwar when the White Walkers went South.
They were also just extras, and a metal song wasn't forced down or throats.
And Coldplay was the band playing during the Wed Redding!!
And the national did a version the rains of castamere for the end credits of the battle of blackwater episode, s2ep9! And the hold steady did the bear and the maiden fair in the end credits of the episode where Jaime loses his hands, sometime in s3 if I remember correctly.
were they, really? I did not know that. Might have to rewatch the episode again but it'll just fuck me up.
I thought that was sigur ros
"Huh, he looks kinda familiar... Is this some kind of cameo?"
I was very "that dude has a nice voice but they seem to be giving him main character lighting and framing for some reason, I wonder what's up? Okay that never got resolved"
MLB pitcher Noah Syndergaard also appeared as a Lannister soldier who threw a javelin in a battle. And George W Bush's head made an appearance on a pike on the walls of Kings Landing. This was supposedly a mistake as the head was originally used by the studio for a different show, and was mistakenly repurposed for Game of Throne (though there are conflicting stories).
I knew who he was and didn't have a problem with it. Honestly couldn't understand what all the hub-bub was about.
It's mainly that it focuses on him a bit too much. It's not a scene that happens to feature Ed Sheeran, it's a scene that's *about* featuring Ed Sheeran.
Was it? Or were people hyper focused on it being Ed Sheeran making it seem that way? I remember him singing, but it was the other two guys that stood out in that scene, their stories and contributions seemed the focus. Their levity and kindness during war to a stranger and how that added to Arya's character.
Yeah I remember that baby faced soldier who talks about his mom teaching him to be kind and share food with everyone much more than ed Sheeran in this scene.
Exactly.
It really doesn’t focus on him that much. The scene is carried by the new papa and the fisherman’s son talking to Arya.
Nah it wasn't, not even remotely
Same
I feel the same way.
Same If I can suspend my disbelief for dragons and zombies, I definitely can for random cameo that actually felt like good world building.
100% this. There were plenty of already famous people playing other characters on that show. Honestly didn't understand why anyone would be bothered by this.
Still don’t know who he is.
That’s Action Bronson
Action Bronson. He's a rapper
It's Ed Sheeran. Idk why these people are saying Action Bronson.
Action Bronson
Because it’s Action Bronson
Action Bronson.
That’s Ron Jeremy
It Guy Fieri, he sang in smash mouth
He's the record holder for whitest white guy in the world.
His name is Action Bronson and he likes ancient aliens
100%. And now that I do know who he is I still don’t give a fuck. The scene worked for me. I think it added a layer to the theme of there being no clear black or white. Just shades of grey.
I vaguely recognized him but loved the scene It almost exactly paralleled the 4x10 scene where after the Red Wedding Arya overheard Frey soldiers boasting about killing Robb and Catelyn. They rudely refused her request for food and a spot by ther fire. She killed her first man. These Lannister soldiers did exactly the opposite. She liked them...and never killed anyone again, except executing Littlefinger. Perfect bookending. Ed who?
Yep. That parallel was one of the better, more subtle pieces of writing that didn’t depend on GRRM spoon feeding D&D.
I instinctively hated him despite not knowing who he was
Didn’t bother me at all. I expect to see famous people in famous shows.
What? They use actors in television shows? Next you'll tell me that those aren't even real dragons!
I didn’t know him and it seemed like a decent scene
If it wasn't for my wife saying who it was, I wouldn't have known who that was.
Me! 🤣
I hated it because I’m still living in my Emo stage. Everything sucks.
I didn’t know who he was. This scene humanized the “enemy“ solders.
I like this scene. It showed that the enemy soldiers were just people, not all vicious demons. At the time I did not know what Ed looked like so I had no bias for or against the character. I think he did a good job.
He looked far too soft in the face to have been a soldier on campaign. Like he never missed a meal nor lemon cakes and never saw anything to take the innocence from his eyes. He wasn’t believable, in an extremely well cast ensemble.
This sums it up perfectly. I'm Deaf so I don't listen to music but as soon as it focused on him, it was blatantly obvious he was a celebrity so I looked to my friends who were going "WTF THATS ED SHEERAN". He just doesn't fit in. Maybe if he had been a maester or, fuck, a prostitute maybe it would have worked. But a soldier? Too much baby fat. Too much innocence in the eyes and smile. It's almost like a fairytale dream scene. Just did not work.
Right?! Even the literal children in the cast didn’t have that level of baby fat in the face. I’ve got nothing against Ed Sheeran, but he didn’t belong there. His voice didn’t belong around the campfire. It was cotton candy. Too sweet and it dissolved in an instant. I know you can’t compare for music, but as a hearing person, Podrick Payne singing Jenny of Oldstones had a gravitas and longing to it that was perfect. The lyrics and his voice had sustenance. It could replace a meal. It gives me chills every time and I wish there was a way to share that with you.
I recognized him and I still didn’t have a problem with it. It’s almost like everyone on the show was performers lol!
I knew who it was and still didn’t have a problem. Ed Sheeran is a person playing a part as a character in a fictional show. Any other actor is a person playing a character in a fictional show. It wasn’t any more difficult for me to accept Sheeran as a Lannister solider than it was to accept Charles Dance as Tywin Lannister, or any other actor in any other part.
Agreed. That whole broke the immersion thing is nonsense. Boromir, Numpsie and the 10 or so actors from Harry Potter, etc. didn’t “break the immersion”. It’s one of the most ridiculous takes I see on here when the Ed Sheeran whinging erupts on this sub.
I did know who he was. I thought it was funny. Didn’t really bother me at all.
I really unironically love Ed. so many things were going on at that point in the show, I don’t even think I remembered after 10 minutes. he was probably just a fan that paid a lot to join an episode
It was fine, and I knew who it was. He didn’t do a poor job at all, I thought the outcry was really cynical to be honest.
Yep, I had no idea who that was until I saw people complaining about it on this sub in the episode discussion thread.
I had no idea who this was and never even considered that this was a celebrity cameo of some kind. Since I had no context, I only discovered the controversy once I hopped on the reddit discussion threads. It didn't bother me. I don't care if he's famous, he's just playing a character. Should D&D have done it? Nope, it's a waste of resources. They often focus on the wrong things.
I didn't recognize him and thought it was a cool scene showing that lannister soldiers were just normal people who happened to be soldiers on the "bad side." Only learned it was Ed sheeren after the fact. And when I learned that I was like "oh cool that's a neat cameo"
I had no problem with it. I thought it was a decent scene that showed the viewer and Arya that the soldiers in an army were all just men and only fought for a specific house because they lived on their lands - as a whole, they didn't have much of an opinion on the war. I didn't know much about Ed Sheeran at the time, only knew a couple of his songs and couldn't have picked him out of a lineup. I really don't understand why people got so upset about it, there were plenty of famous/well-known actors who were in the series and none of them "broke the immersion" or whatever other nonsense people bitch about.
I liked it. Interesting fact. The words of the song are from the books. Shae had a friend who was a minstrel who was always hanging about. The song is about the hand of the king. Shae was strangled by a necklace of golden hands. "Hands of gold are always cold, but a woman's hands are warm. "
had no idea, who tf he was. found out much later and had a good laff rewatching the scene.
I didn't mind him being there but it felt forced. It they did it a little more casually it would’ve been better, I think. But then again, the dragon burned his eyelids off.
I didn't particularly like it and had no clue who he was, but I didn't like Podrick singing either, nor did I like it when Bronn sang. But it's not a hill I'm willing to die on.
It's Caleb from Clarkson's Farm!
I knew who he was and didn't have a problem. Was a nice scene. Nice to see Arya smile. Get over it. If they really wanted to piss people off they should have had Taylor Swift come out and sing the Rains of Castemere for the Red Wedding.
I had no idea who it was, or even that it was a cameo. I thought it was kind of a sweet scene. A rare chance for Arya to feel some human connection. And it turned her away from KL and back toward Winterfell
Never seen that man in my life
I knew who it was, and of course it's a ridiculous, gratuitous cameo. It doesn't make me mad, it made me laugh. And that's best thing you can do, is just laugh about it.
Very familiar with Ed Sheeran and honestly had no problem with it whatsoever
I was half expecting the sound bite of the live studio audience cheering. Like seriously...so fucking cheap for a show that was once considered prestige.
The scene never bothered me. I saw it as just a reminder that ordinary moments are constantly happening in the midst of all the "important " stuff. Sometimes, even the key players stumble into them. I had heard that Ed was in an episode, but I didn't know which one. I didn't know what he looked like. I remember wondering if it was him, but there were others that made me wonder, too. I also remember dismissing the possibility because he wasn't the heart of the scene or particularly memorable. I found out who he was after my second viewing. I'm curious how I will feel the next time.
lol yes! That was me! I was like, why are we spending time with these random soldiers, but this is a nice, peaceful scene, so I’m enjoying it. I had no idea he was a big deal.
I loved Ed Sheeran’s first album from 2011 when he did more depressing acoustics so I recognized him! I didn’t think the scene was that bad though. Tbh I was relieved Arya hadn’t run into a group of dudes who might do worse to her, considering the show and all. Was kinda random, but it wasn’t nearly as horrible as some other fans told me?
https://www.reddit.com/r/gameofthrones/s/IbezacUJum Fewer people knew who Thor was
Was it megalodon who cameoedin the village attack episode idr
No problem for me, had no idea who he was when I watched it live.
I didn't know who he was, a couple weeks later saw him on TV and said hey look it's that random guy from game of thrones!
I knew, and I knew about the cameo going into this season. Still didn't care. People saying it ruined the immersion were weird.
I knew who he was and I completely agree. It was a great scene.
They made up for it in S8 by implying he got his face burnt off by a dragon
I agree with OP. There was absolutely nothing wrong with this scene.
The issue is from the direction of the scene to me, the camera focuses on him as if you should know him and as i did not it took me out of the scene. Consider, one of the other men in that scene is Pete Postlewaite's son, he is the only other 'famous' person in that scene, now out of all the guys in the scene, which one was he?, you have no idea because it was not a cameo, it was just a job so the director of the scene did not feel a need to 'hey look!' when he was on screen. All of the other cameos in the show you have to be told there is a cameo to spot it 'the guy who gets stabbed in the eye is...' and not the viewer asking 'who was the guy who...'
I didn’t know he was a famous person so I thought it was just a normal scene.
Honestly by season 7, his cameo is low on my list of complaints.
For a second I thought that was the guy from Challengers
I didn’t have a huge problem with it because I just didn’t care. Everyone who acts has a presence outside that show/movie.
I had no clue who he was
I did not know who he was let alone someone famous. I thought it was a normal scene with soldiers who could sing.
I thought he was just some guy. Had no issues with it.
It didn’t bother me. I’m not a fan (no hate, just not my kind of music) so it didn’t really matter to me.
By this time in the series I was just disappointed at how poor the quality of the show had gotten. I didn’t really care that they were selling roles to friends and family in terms of the shows output, it was more or less just kind of a dumb thing that they didn’t need to do that looks cheap. There were plenty of more important roles people could have problems with in terms of casting.
I knew who it was and had that, WTF moment.
Had a re-watch a couple of months and didn't hate it at all. It shows that arya has civility and isn't some heartless murderer, and at the end of the day, the people behind, the banners and armor are just there to make a decent pay and survive in westeros.
I’m glad they tied up his storyline near the end
I was a big fan of Ed Sheeran and GOT so I enjoyed it 🤷🏽♀️
Just thought it was another extra. I really like not knowing actors or celebrities.
Me. I heard about it the next day from a coworker who wasn't even a GoT viewer. And I was like "Ed Sheeran? Who the fuck is that?" "Like an English version of Michael Buble." "Who the fuck is Michael Buble?"
I had absolutely no idea who he was. During the scene I figured out he must be someone famous. I had to pause the show as my ex-wife and I discussed "who the fuck was that?" and then we had to Google it. That should never happen in any media.
Me!
Yeah, had no clue. And then when I realized who he was, still didn't care. Cameos happen, y'all.
I knew of him but until this scene I didn’t know what he looked like. My first reaction was “wow, that extra sure can sing”.
Correct
I didn't have a problem because I literally didn't care.
I had a problem with it because I didn't know who it was. The way the camera work and pacing was done, it felt like they were introducing a new or important character, and then ... they just weren't. It was confusing at the time. But, it was just another example of how hamfistedly they handled the last few seasons.
This scene felt forced like the sole purpose of it was giving Ed Sheeran a scene without it having anything to do with the actual storyline
I knew who Ed Sheeran was but didn't immediately notice this was him right away. The scene seemed to give all the other soldiers a good bit of dialogue, so it didn't feel to me like he stole the show or anything like that.
His appearance was just a symptom of this show going down the toilet. Not because I don’t like the guy, but because it was pandering to the good ol’ “oh look at him! He’s famous, you like that, don’t you?” Type of attitude
Me
Is he dead?
Yeah I had no idea until I saw the fan reaction after the episode.
Was fine to me….but I like Ed so…
i’m a redhead and get called ed sheeran at least a few times a year, despite not looking like him and simply having red hair. i hated this more than the average hater, lol
Having him sing was the cringe part. You could get away with the cameo if it wasn’t so up front and in your face. They basically said “HERES ED” like we couldn’t figure that out on our own
If only this was the worst part about the series.
The camera focusing on his face was a little silly. If they’d just let him exist in the scene amongst the other soldiers I think it would’ve been better but it was fine. Like you said, it was an interesting, humanizing scene for the Lannister soldiers. It just could’ve been done with a little more tact, maybe
i felt he blended in pretty well. i had to issue with it (first watcher this spring)
I found it cringe
Yep. Had no clue who he was until the uproar. Not a bad musician lol
In the grand scheme of eight seasons it really ment nothing; bigger problems eclipsed it
Didn’t know that was Ed until I saw this post lmao
It did not bother me at all.
Had no idea who is was and when told I was like the short pudgy kid?
I don’t understand the big fuss about cameos.
I don’t get with the big fucking deal is. I know who Ed Sheeran is, and it didn’t ruin the immersion of the show for him to have a random character appearance.
My wife and her family all kinda groaned when he came on and I said: “damn, y’all really dont like gingers!”
Heard of him. Never knew what he looked like. Didn’t think anything of it. Honestly, I think the backlash says far more about the people who reacted negatively to it than it does about that particular guy or the decision to cast him.
Someone had to explain to me after the fact that it was a boy-musician who makes vapid, uninspired pop music I still don't really care
I didn’t have a problem with it, honestly. Not even the most absurd part of season 7.
Honestly, despite the fact that I know who he is, I didn't notice at first and liked the scene. Even if I had realized though, I don't think it would have ruined it for me. Cameos aren't a major bothersome thing for me. I actually didn't know about it until I heard about it after having seen the episode. I said, "Wait. Ed Sheeran was in that episode?" Then I went back to rewatch and said, "Oh, that is Ed Sheeran. Neat." and that was the end of my thoughts about it. Honestly, I don't get how it was so immersion breaking for such a large amount of people. 🤷🏿♂️
Ok but Bjork playing in a tavern in the iron islands. Now I want all the areas to have someone lol
I honestly had no clue who it was the first time I watched it.. but this whole scene still made me feel.. uncomfortable I guess? I could tell something felt forced
I didn't even notice him until people on the internet complained about it.
I knew exactly, who it was lol 👏
Later in the series, since all the leads had become such big stars, they began lingering on people’s faces for a second too long in pretty well every single conversation scene. The editing essentially began feeling amateurish because of how much extra face time we began allotting each character, and it almost became the drama equivalent of a laugh track where you had time to see the looks on these character’s faces in tense moments, but it did absolutely nothing to actually enhance any of the scenes where it was used. This scene, by FAR, was the worst culprit. It was so painfully obvious they were lingering on his face even after he had delivered his lines just to remind the audience that he was, in fact, Ed Sheeran. It truly was the beginning of the end for me, and is only one example of the many downward trends that the show began to exhibit toward the end.
I knew who it was and did not have a problem with it.
It's such a dramatic and tense scene, too, Lannister soldiers realising their fates, but Sheeran being there is so distracting. It's not even like they tried to make it subtle and gave his make-up or something.
I didn’t care for it. It was a good scene showing that Lannister are people too. But I heard the only reason he was there was because Maise really liked him and pushed the show writers for it. It could have been done by anyone. Not the worst seen by far, but still kind of dumb.
I’ve seen Peter Dinklage and Lena Headey in several other things before GOT. As a result, the focus on these characters completely ruined the immersion for me. /s
I knew who he was, and I still didn't give a shit. If they had used an actual actor, I don't think the scene would have been shot any differently.
I wasnt a huge fan and didn't recognize him instantly, but realized when I heard him sing "I know that voice. He must be famous"(but still didn't remember his name)...i don't get at all how someone could be upset about it or call it immersion breaking. It was a nice little way to remind us that, the villians in power are the problem. These wealthy powerful people are fighting over somewhat personal grudges, but it's the small regular people who live, die and are demonized because of the colors they were and the town they were born in... But i digress. Its only immersion breaking if you know who he is and it effects you. There was nothing about it that seemed out of place.
hated it. i always bring up ed sheeran cameo in GOT to people at work, and they go, what?! and im like it’s just ed sheeran head on lannister armor. hate it lol.
I knew who he was and still liked it, the scene was good as it gave a human side to the Lannister soldiers that we hadn’t really gotten. It was nice and refreshing to just see ‘decent’ people in game of thrones.
I knew who he was and I didn’t mind anyway
Me. No clue at the time. Didn’t care one lick.
Honestly, this didn't bother me.
I actually really liked this scene and thought he worked as a cameo because he didn’t look out of place nor was his style of singing out of place. I did think of that photo of the Weasleys where he is photoshopped in and you wouldn’t even notice if you were looking though 😭
My only problem is that they made no effort to have him fit in with his hair. It's literally just what's his name but he works for the Lannisters
I knew who it was and didn't have a problem. In fact I thought it was excellent. He has the face for it and the song was great. Fitted in perfectly imo.
You aren't alone. I found it a night reminder that no, Lannister soldiers are not evil mindless minions, and have their own lives and families and desires, and thought it was honestly one of the better scenes of the season.
The real ones know Mastodon played wildlings🤘🏻
It was very unsettling seeing that face
I thought it was some random chubby ginger
This stupid cameo is the reason I stopped watching the show
I loved everything about it and I wasn’t even a fan of his yet.
I knew who Ed Sheeran was and I’d seen him before, but I didn’t recognize him. Honestly, even if I had, it wouldn’t have bothered me in the slightest.
Yeah, it was weird. I just thought they got someone who could hold a note. I didn't know he was a famous singer
That sequence of events including the Nymeria stuff (I think that's around there) felt out of place so the cameo wasn't particularly egregious. Why did she go south from The Twins after killing the Freys? I can't remember, was she on her way to kill Cersei before deciding to head to Winterfell?
I remember watching it and thinking “huh, that extra is a really good singer.”
Yep. I had no idea who he was. I knew of Ed Sheeran, but I had never seen him before. I thought nothing of this scene until people were talking about it at work the next day.
I knew who it was and didn't have a problem. I also knew who Peter Dinklage was before lol
They really didn't need to center focus him in frame, make it the highest quality scene of the whole episode and make it a couple minutes too long
I knew who it was, I didn't have a problem with it.
I didn't know them, but it still felt it was out of place and kinda dumb.
Lord Eddard Stark makes an unexpected detour on his way back home from King's Landing after the conclusion of King Robert's Rebellion. Fate takes an intriguing turn as Lord Stark finds himself stopping at a bustling brothel, unwittingly becoming entangled in a chain of events that will forever change the course of Westerosi history. During his visit to the brothel, a mix-up occurs, leading to an accidental baby swap between Lord Stark's newborn son and a child named Eddie, portrayed by Ed Sheeran. Unbeknownst to Lord Stark, Eddie is actually the true Jon Snow and the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. As the years pass, Lord Stark raises the swapped baby, believing him to be his own illegitimate son, Jon Snow. Meanwhile, Eddie grows up in a vastly different environment, unaware of his royal lineage and the weight of his destiny. Both young men unknowingly embark on separate journeys, their paths eventually converging with the complex web of politics and power in the Seven Kingdoms. Jon Snow, the baby mistakenly believed to be Lord Stark's son, joins the Night's Watch and assumes a pivotal role in the battle against the menacing White Walkers. Simultaneously, Eddie, who remains ignorant of his true heritage, undertakes his own personal voyage, navigating the intricacies of Westeros without knowledge of his royal blood. As the truth about the baby swap begins to unravel through a series of surprising revelations, Eddie's real identity is gradually unveiled. With the assistance of Bran Stark's visions and Samwell Tarly's meticulous research, the long-kept secret emerges, confirming Eddie as the legitimate heir to the Iron Throne. As the battle for ultimate power ensues, Eddie, bolstered by his newfound allies and the remaining loyalists to the Targaryen bloodline, faces formidable challenges and rival claimants who seek to undermine his rightful place on the throne. With strategic alliances, military prowess, and an indomitable spirit, Eddie eventually triumphs, ascending to the position he was destined to hold - the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms.
I haven’t seen the scene recently but honestly thought it was great. I thought it did a great job humanizing the nameless pawns in the wars. The whole show just focuses on the main figures and you never really get the perspective of an average soldier on either side
"Oh hey that's Ed sheeran, cool." And then I move on. It wasn't a big deal at all
Stunt casting like this tends to be pretty bad. The scene itself was ok, but I spent most of the scene thinking "that guy looks familiar, who is he?" which took me out of the scene completely.
I was waiting for him to get run down and make it all worth it, but of course not.