RED CARPET

The Game of Thrones Cast Killed on Their Final Red Carpet at the Season 8 Premiere

Thanks to Gwendoline Christie, it even featured an ethereal phoenix.


"Game Of Thrones" Season 8 Premiere
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The farewell tour of HBO’s beloved series Game of Thrones kicked off on the red carpet on Wednesday night, bringing a little Westeros to Radio City Music Hall, in New York. That was thanks not only to the appearance of a makeshift Iron Throne, but also, of course, to the cast—and not just those whose characters made it alive to the show’s eighth and final season; even King Joffrey (in the form of the actor Jack Gleeson) came back from the dead for the show’s swan song ahead of the season premiere, on Sunday, April 14. (HBO will air the season’s—and the show’s—finale on Sunday, May 19.)

It didn’t matter, though, if they were dead or alive; everyone in attendance seemed determined to give the show a proper send-off with their very best looks on the red carpet. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given that she’s transformed into a runway model over the course of the series, the evening’s undisputed star was Gwendoline Christie, who looked positively dreamy. But more on that later; let’s start with the usual suspects, in particular Sophie Turner, who was, as usual, accompanied by her fiancé, Joe Jonas.

Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner at the season 8 premiere of *Game of Thrones* in New York City on April 3, 2019.

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Not even Jonas, however, could get in the way of Turner and her BFF Maisie Williams, who proved to be Turner’s slightly more-significant other and her choice for companion in a couples photo with Rose Leslie and Kit Harington. Harington and Williams also coordinated, but in quite a different way: Both changed up their signature hair. Whereas Williams said goodbye to pink, Harington once again showcased his excitement to move on from the show; as promised, he officially said goodbye to Jon Snow by cutting his hair “short-short.”

Maisie Williams, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, and Rose Leslie at the afterparty of the season 8 premiere of *Game of Thrones* in New York City on April 3, 2019.

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Rose Leslie and Kit Harington at the season 8 premiere of *Game of Thrones* in New York City on April 3, 2019.

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Emilia Clarke also caused a stir, thanks to the slogan emblazoned across her tulle gown by Valentino that read, “Leave your door open for me I might sleepwalk into your dreams.” It’s simply a verse written by Mustafa the Poet, but it already has quite a few fans digging for clues.

Emilia Clarke at the season 8 premiere of *Game of Thrones* in New York City on April 3, 2019.

Jamie McCarthy

Getting back to the duos on the red carpet: Lisa Bonet and Jason Momoa reminded the world of their red-carpet prowess, which they notably showcased at the Academy Awards earlier this year. Momoa reprised the pale pink hue that he and Bonet wore on the night of the Oscars, while Bonet opted to change things up a bit.

Lisa Bonet and Jason Momoa at the season 8 premiere of *Game of Thrones* in New York City on April 3, 2019.

Dimitrios Kambouris

Momoa, whose stint on the show as Khal Drogo came to an end all the way back in season one, wasn’t the only one of the show’s dearly departed to come through. Also in attendance were Natalie Dormer, aka Margaery Tyrell, and Sean Bean, who definitely didn’t seem like he was dwelling over demise of his character, Lord Eddard Stark, when he was on the carpet with George R. R. Martin. No one’s return from the dead, however, was more notable than that of Jack Gleeson—at least to Joe Jonas, anyway, who Instagrammed a photo of the actor who played King Joffrey (or as Turner prefers to think of him, Game of Thrones’s very own Justin Bieber) with the caption “WTF I thought this dude was dead…”

Sean Bean and George R. R. Martin at the season 8 premiere of *Game of Thrones* in New York City on April 3, 2019.

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Carice van Houten, Jack Gleeson, and Natalie Dormer at the afterparty of the season 8 premiere of *Game of Thrones* in New York City on April 3, 2019.

Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images

The non-Westeros natives in attendance, on the other hand, were very much alive. Rosie O’Donnell, Dave Chappelle, Sarah Paulson, and Debbie Harry served as living proof of the show’s mass appeal. (The latter, who brought along her Blondie bandmate Chris Stein, also used the opportunity to keep the celebrity harness trend alive.)

Sarah Paulson at the season 8 premiere of *Game of Thrones* in New York City on April 3, 2019.

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Rosie O’Donnell at the season 8 premiere of *Game of Thrones* in New York City on April 3, 2019.

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Chris Stein and Debbie Harry at the afterparty of the season 8 premiere of *Game of Thrones* in New York City on April 3, 2019.

Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images

But like the premiere, the afterparty was all about the cast, who had what’s hopefully the first of many reunions to come.

Nathalie Emmanuel, Emilia Clarke, and Sophie Turner at the afterparty of the season 8 premiere of *Game of Thrones* in New York City on April 3, 2019.

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Peter Dinklage and Emilia Clarke at the afterparty of the season 8 premiere of *Game of Thrones* in New York City on April 3, 2019.

Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images

In short, together they made for quite the impressive bunch. On the other hand, they all could have skipped out on the night and it would have been just as memorable. The sole exception is Gwendoline Christie, who could easily have been mistaken for a phoenix rising from ashes, or Botticelli’s Venus rising from the sea, in a silk Iris Van Herpen gown that most definitely could have stood on its own.

Gwendoline Christie at the season 8 premiere of *Game of Thrones* in New York City on April 3, 2019.

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Related: Game of Thrones Season 8 Preview: Everything You Need to Know Before the Premiere