‘We’ve Gone All In,’ Says Game of Thrones Star Nikolai Coster-Waldau on the Show’s Final Series

Based on George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels, HBO’s Game of Thrones has since become one of the biggest TV shows of all time since its first season aired in 2011. With its mix of fantasy, gritty realism, and true-to-life depictions of politics and power struggles, the series has enjoyed millions of viewers and acclaim from critics.

Seven years and seven seasons later, HBO is currently working on the eighth and final season which is set to air in 2019. In what will no doubt be a bittersweet finale, we’ll see how the epic story wraps up, who will finally sit the Iron Throne, and who will die trying. Unlike previous seasons, season eight will only consist of six episodes, but it is said they will be longer than average.

Expectations for the series’ finale are sky high and it seems HBO is sparing no expense when it comes to creating a satisfying end to the show. In an interview with Variety, Nikolai Coster-Waldau, who plays the character Jaime Lannister, made it clear that every effort is being made to ensure the final episodes live up to the series’ stellar reputation.

Regarding wrapping up the series, he said: “They just couldn’t have done a better job on ending our story. We’ve worked harder than ever before. We spent twice as much shooting these six episodes than we did on two full seasons before. No expense has been spared. We’ve gone all in.”

After working on the show for almost a decade, Coster-Waldau said he feels like part of him will always be connected to Thrones. “I don’t think it’ll ever be gone from my life. I’m going back to Belfast next week,” he said, when asked if he was finished filming. “I’m not 100% done, but I’ve shot the last scene with me.”

When asked about his relationship with the rest of the cast and crew, Coster-Waldau said: “We haven’t had any a–holes on the show. It’s quite something. I’m gonna miss all those people, that’s for sure.”

No doubt millions of fans across the globe will be tuning in to see how the series concludes next year. The main series may be drawing to a close but there have been a number of reports stating that several spin-off shows are being contemplated by HBO.