I read the books and I really, really wanted to play the part. I started kundalini yoga, kickboxing and running, and completely changed my diet. I felt I wanted to undergo what was necessary for the part. I love a challenge. And I love defying limitation, gender stereotypes and people’s expectations of me as an actress.

Game of Thrones' is a fantasy show not dedicated to any specific time, but it seems to exist in sort of a 1400s medieval fantasy world, and in that setting, I wouldn't have had a six-pack.

I'm just not wearing any makeup. People thinking I'm wearing prosthetics of all sorts, I just don't have any makeup on.

I heard that a lot and I just sort of thought, the world was an even more interesting place than the people who were making the decisions were perhaps interpreting it to be.

I was really, really lucky because I have always worked. It hasn't always been consistent, but I have always worked.

Genuine and true love is so rare that when you encounter it in any form, it's a wonderful thing, to be utterly cherished in whatever form it takes.

As a woman, we all want to feel attractive. We all want to feel that we're making the very best of ourselves so we can accept ourselves.