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From Game of Thrones to Star Wars, Gwendoline Christie has played characters who are even stronger than the steely armor that they wear. As Brienne of Tarth, she showed Westeros what it meant to be a true Knight of the Seven Kingdoms; and as Captain Phasma, she got to explore darker shades as an officer of the evil First Order.

Christie got a warm welcome from fans at ACE Comic Con Midwest in Chicago, where she discussed everything from playing these iconic characters to finding her voice and confidence as an artist.

Edited for length and clarity

On playing Brienne of Tarth and Captain Phasma
“Those characters really speak to me, and they speak to me in a profound way. I didn’t expect them to speak to anyone else because of what we’ve been fed in mainstream media which comes from a very particular and patriarchal perspective– we haven’t had a lot of diversity. We haven’t heard a variety of women’s stories. So I found these characters spoke to me on many different levels, and I just wanted to communicate what they said to me.”

On finding confidence
“No matter how big or how small it is, you have to make the leap of faith. You have to say, ‘It doesn’t matter that no one believes in me. I think that this is right.’ And then slowly, other people [will] respond to that, and an idea can gather steam, and that can help to change the world. I know that sounds idealistic but it’s true: it takes a deep breath, and it takes a moment of courage to say, ‘I am relevant. I deserve to exist. I deserve my place in the world.’ It can literally start with the smallest thing. Even something simple like lifting up your eyes and looking someone in the eyes and saying hello. It’s really difficult and challenging. But if you start there, who knows what you could possibly achieve? It takes constant effort. That can be exhausting. But if you want to create, I think that’s what you have to do: truly, truly believe. Confidence comes from being given a chance, and I’m hugely lucky that some people have given me a chance.”

On her professional journey
“Life is very difficult for a lot of people in the world. And a career in the arts is difficult. It’s also hard when we have those archetypes that we feel excluded from. We have those models of behavior or the way people look that say, ‘This is it! Everything outside of this isn’t relevant!’ But I never really saw why so much emphasis would be placed on a group of random elements that come together and form the way we look. I didn’t understand how any judgment process would ever be made on that because we have no control over it. We only have control over our actions and the choices that we make. We’re seeing an awakening in society. People want to see themselves represented in the stories that we’re told.”

On getting an Emmy nomination after submitting herself for Best Supporting Actress for Game of Thrones
“The reason I did it [submitted myself] was as a testament to the character and what I believe the character of Brienne of Tarth represents. I was very lucky to play that part. I believe she represents a woman outside the patriarchy; who lives life on her own terms; who’s doing what she can to excel in her chosen field; and who also worked very hard.”

On Brienne of Tarth’s story arc and ending
“I have to say that I did [think she was done justice] because I love that Brienne got to have this sexual experience– her first sexual experience. I love that she got to have something she desired. I love that she elected to have the experience. I love that her storyline for the final season wasn’t defined by that. [I love] the fact that she had that experience with Jaime Lannister and it didn’t live on– it didn’t demolish her– it didn’t break her down. [I love] how Brienne of Tarth ends up getting the promotion she always wanted– and is alive! She achieves what she wants. She achieves her dreams. And she’s made a knight on her own terms. So, yes, I was delighted.”

On the character she most relates to
“It’s obvious I loved playing the role of Brienne of Tarth. I really did, and I put my heart and soul into it.”

On Captain Phasma’s armor
“The Captain Phasma armor was made for me. When they showed me what my character was going to look like, I was just dazzled by it: it was the idea of a woman wearing a suit of armor that was genderless. It shouldn’t have felt new, but it was. The idea that a woman could fight in combat and not have her physical shape delineated felt really exciting to me and really, really new. It was. It shouldn’t be, but it was.”

On the new film adaptation of The Personal History of David Copperfield
“I started working on David Copperfield the day after I finished Game of Thrones. To undergo that kind of transformation was very refreshing, and incredibly cathartic– to go from playing somebody who has a very strong and in-depth emotional world and a great deal of vulnerability, into someone who is the opposite of those things. The film is truly brilliant and heart-warming. It’s about reinterpretation. It’s something classic that has been reinterpreted for modern times.”

Dream role
“I think that there is definitely a space for a feminist sci-fi movie. A really extreme, action-filled, funny feminist sci-fi movie. So let’s just hope, shall we?”

 

Check out more from Ace Comic Con Midwest! Hear from Brie Larson and Tess Thompson , Kit Harington, and Kiernan Shipka & Ross Lynch!