Danish actor Pilou Asbæk as Euron Greyjoy: sexy beast or unrepentant psycho?

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This is Danish actor Pilou Asbæk, who is now best known by many people as Euron Greyjoy on Game of Thrones. He’s a well-known, popular and beloved actor in Denmark though, best known for playing heroes and well-meaning protagonists rather than Westerosi psychos. We first encountered Euron Greyjoy last season – was it? – when he killed his brother and manipulated his way onto the Salt Throne, then threatened to kill his niece and nephew, Yara and Theon. Yara and Theon escaped with all of the Greyjoy boats and set sail to meet up with Daenerys. So, Euron is looking to make some allies, and he thinks marrying Cersei is the ticket.

I discussed in the recap post that Euron’s proposal to Cersei was possibly one of the funniest things on Game of Thrones of all time. While Euron has been around, that one scene made him a rock star. And Pilou played it brilliantly. So, now I have a problem. Joffrey was a psycho but you knew that at the very beginning. Ramsay was terrible and I never had any doubt. But Euron is sexy, you guys. He’s the kind of psycho who could reasonably seduce most of the women and men in the seven kingdoms. He won my heart and now I’m worried about what will come next. Pilou already told Empire last month that Euron is, without a doubt, a psycho and “The psychos I’ve encountered have so many different sides to them. So each scene I’ve done with Euron, I pick a new thing I wanna show. ‘This scene I want to be charming.’ ‘This scene I wanna be a molester.’ ‘This scene I wanna kill someone.’ After this season, Ramsay’s gonna look like a little kid.” Oh God. After the premiere, Entertainment Weekly published a new interview with Pilou too, which you can read here. Some highlights:

What it’s like joining the cast of GoT: “It’s weird to be a fan of something and then to be a part of it. It’s like seeing a beautiful girl in class and you’ve been seeing her for five years and you just want to go, “You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve seen.” Then one day you talk to her and you end up kissing her and then all of a sudden you’re like, “All right, the magic is gone a tiny bit.” And then you get married and then you’re an old relationship and you try to make it work as best you can.

He no longer watches the show now that he’s on it: “I saw every single second of it the first five seasons. But now that I’m a part of it, I don’t want to ruin the universe with my presence, wondering, “Why is the stupid f—ing Dane in there?” So when people are referring to things like The Battle of the Bastards I’m all, “That sounds interesting.” I’m gonna do all my work and then I’ll watch it.

What Euron is up to: “He’s kind of a joker type. He doesn’t take anyone too seriously. He doesn’t take himself too seriously. You have a character in the books but you also have to make it personal. So where he’s much more like a demon in the books, he’s much more f—ing enjoying himself here. I want to show a guy who just loves it. Those psychopathic sociopaths I’ve met in my life are smiley and well-mannered and they’re the biggest pricks in the world. It’s fun to do a character who’s a fun ride.

He’s not the New Ramsay: “Ramsay was the new Joffrey. I think Ramsay was a great character and played by a great actor [Iwan Rheon]. But for me, Ramsay is 100 percent evil. I think Euron is not, which makes things a bit more conflicted within him. I’m more like a hooligan. Every scene he’s a new guy. The guy you met on the bridge is not the guy at the Kingsmoot, and is not the guy you see with Cersei and is not the guy you see on the ship. He’s different he’s different with different people. This season he’s more charming. He’s much more f—ing enjoying himself. He’s such a f—ing idiot douchebag, an impolite selfish child.

What Euron really thinks of Cersei: “The thing with Cersei is maybe she’s more man than a woman. She’s smart and intellectual and bloody sexy. But for Euron, the question is: “How can I become king of the Iron Throne?” Who gives him the best odds? Is it the dragon mother? No. Is it with Cersei? I think it is. Dany is still trying to be a good, decent, honest person. Cersei sold her soul many ago. Maybe that’s why Euron likes her. I think he considers her to be a worthy wife. Euron’s not a Lannister, he’s an Ironborn, she’s something better. There’s just one guy in the way…

[From EW]

Oh God. He’s going to be making mischief and trying to seduce Cersei constantly? I’m going to have such a problem. A Euron Problem. This guy is so sexy and such a beast. He’s going to break my heart.

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Photos courtesy of WENN, HBO.

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28 Responses to “Danish actor Pilou Asbæk as Euron Greyjoy: sexy beast or unrepentant psycho?”

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  1. lobbit says:

    I’m not feeling the sloppy rockstar aesthetic he’s got going on, plus he’s OBNOXIOUS af, which is probably the point but knowing that doesn’t make his scenes any less of a chore to watch.

    Also: “The thing with Cersei is maybe she’s more man than a woman.”
    Erm, what?

    • LadyMTL says:

      He’s giving me a “Liev Schreiber by way of Joshua Jackson” sort of vibe. I don’t hate it but he doesn’t float my boat (hah), at least not yet. I did like his dig at Jaime though, gotta say.

    • tracking says:

      +1 I was not feeling him at all.

    • Sara says:

      Agreed! What does ‘more man than woman’ mean? Sounds pretty sexist.

    • Sara says:

      Right?!?! I wasn’t feeling it at all. Guys like that skeev me out.

  2. rachel says:

    I don’t watch Game of Thrones, so I’m just here to say that he was terrific in the danish show Borgen.

    • Sixer says:

      I can’t take his character seriously because he’s Kasper from Borgen. Man, I loved that show. I had a girl crush on Sidse Babett Knudsen for ages after watching it.

    • MamaHoneyBadger says:

      Came here to say the same thing. Borgen was, hands down, one of the best series on TV, in any country.

    • Dotgirl says:

      Loved him on Borgen! Not feeling him on GoT yet, but we’ll see. I have hope yet for Jamie, so I’m hoping he doesn’t cleave back to Cersei out of jealousy.

    • Missmarirose says:

      I was going to say the same thing. He was so good as Caspar.

  3. TeamAwesome says:

    I have one word for you: Borgen. If you haven’t watched it, go do it. His spin doctor character will make you feel ALL the things.

  4. Jenns says:

    I’m not a big fan of Euron in the books, but I really enjoyed Pilou Asbæk as Euron last night.They added his character a bit late in the series, so it will be interesting to see how this all plays out, but he could be fun to watch. Time will tell.

    I just wish he didn’t cut his hair.

  5. Katrine Troelsen says:

    Haha, its so fun for me as a dane to read articles like this. I find him totally unappealing, having watched him play all these ugly roles before.
    I cant understand why danes are suddenly everywhere- the one i understand ppls attraction to will forever be Mads Mikkelsen. i saw him once in IKEA. none of the magic went away 😀

  6. Aiobhan Targaryen says:

    Both. I like the actor a lot and thought he was good in his one scene. I just hope that he does not become one note. D&D run things into the ground too quickly. He is right about Euron being different in every scene.

    Also, when did Euron meet Dany? How does he know that she has not sold her soul yet or is not willing to be ruthless to get what she wants? He is right about her but still. I feel like this is a spoiler but maybe not.

    Euron hasn’t met her in the books either. Other than Selmy, no one from Westeros has met her yet in the books and only Tyrion and Varys are dealing with her from the show. Tyrion is not saying anything. Varys might though with him being a spy. Varys is not loyal to anyone but Varys.

  7. Gaby says:

    I like Euron in the books, I think he plays it ridiculously in the show. And how on earth did hw build all those perfect ships so quickly and where did they get the wood?

  8. Lucy says:

    I was so surprised to find out he was in Borgen! My mom loved that show, and she recognized him immediately. Birgitte Hjort Sørensen (one of the Borgen leads) once played a Wilding in GoT, now that I remember.

  9. Catherine says:

    Goth Pacey

  10. Tiffany27 says:

    Real talk, he looks like my baby daddy. 🙂

  11. themummy says:

    He contradicts himself here, first saying that Euron will make Ramsay look like a little kid, but that Euron is not the next Ramsay and that he’s more of a jokester. Huh. Alrighty then. Whatever….I love this show. 😉

  12. Becks says:

    He’s so damn sexy and I’m also conflicted.
    How in the world am I so attracted to this psycho? Haha.

  13. Elizabeth says:

    Meh. Not really getting the rock god vibe so much. Then again, I greatly prefer classical music. I see a rock guy and assume he hasn’t bathed in a while, while Thomas Hampson in white tie makes me weak in the knees.

  14. Reglagonz says:

    He could get it! All of it!!!