Game Of Thrones Actor Reveals How Trump's Election Influenced Jon's Speech

Warning: This post contains spoilers for Game of Thrones season 7, episode 7, "The Dragon and the Wolf."

The long arm of President Donald Trump's influence has extended into one of our favorite shows.

Following the intense season seven finale of Game of Thrones, actor Liam Cunningham, who plays the ever-cheeky Ser Davos Seaworth on the acclaimed HBO fantasy series, spoke about the standout moments from the episode, including a Targaryen-Targaryen relationship, Davos' best one-liners, and the surprising way in which the 2016 U.S. Presidential election influenced Jon Snow's (Kit Harington) speech. 

When Team Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) and Team Cersei (Lena Headey) face off in the Dragonpit in King's Landing toward the beginning of the episode, tensions are higher than Dany's dragons can fly, but there's a resolution on the horizon. Cersei offers to draw back the Lannister forces and collaborate in the efforts to defeat the Night King and the Army of the Dead, so long as Jon pledges his loyalty to Cersei. Of course, Jon being Jon, he states that he's already bent the knee for Daenerys, and he can't serve two queens. 

Jon goes on to speak about the virtue of honesty and its importance in leadership, words influenced by the events that transpired when Trump was elected as 45th President of the United States. Not only that, but the scene was shot on the very day news of the election results broke. 

"That speech that Jon Snow gave about the nature of lies and what's been said, and what happens if we don't stick to our word—we filmed that on exactly the day that a certain POTUS was elected and it had incredible resonance while we were filming it," Cunningham explained (via Variety). "The results had just been announced the morning we filmed that particular scene—that particular day of that scene with Mr. Kit Harington. We may have been rehearsing that scene. But that was the first time that Kit Harington had said those words on that platform in that scene. So it had a certain resonance, I'm sure you'll understand."

Moving to lighter notes, Cunningham also spoke about the strong bond Davos and Jon have, stating that they're both straight shooters and have loyalty and decency about them, and have both been thrust into greatness and responsibility. "[Davos] doesn't have that addictive personality that requires validation by being the boss, by being in control. At the same time, Jon, as a much younger man, has had this so-called greatness thrust upon him," he said. "So it's very interesting what both of them are going to do with that—now with the added problem, if you like, of his lineage coming out into the open. And what is more interesting is what is Daenerys going to do with that particular bit of information?"

Speaking of the big "Jon Snow is actually Aegon Targaryen" reveal, Cunningham admitted that he tries to avoid thinking about the aunt-nephew incest, despite it not being the first time Game of Thrones had dealt with such a relationship. "I tried to think of a funny answer for what Davos would do if he were in the room when the word about Jon comes out. I think the character of Davos would probably turn around and go, 'Well, at least she's not your sister,'" Cunningham said with a laugh. 

With season seven of Game of Thrones done and dusted, we'll now have to play the game of waiting. To pass the time until season eight premieres, check out the Game of Thrones characters who dead are on TV but still alive in the books.