“Game of Thrones” star Sophie Turner says that the rape scene her character Sansa Stark endured in Season 5 inspired her to work with a charity that helps women in need.
“I teamed up with this amazing charity called Women for Women International, which is about basically helping women rebuild their lives after … all of the war crimes that happen against these women, one of them being rape and sexual assault,” Turner told TheWrap’s Stuart Brazell.
As part of her work with the charity group, Turner traveled to Rwanda and witnessed all they did to help victims on an international scale.
Turner also addressed the response to the controversial “Game of Thrones” scene, which saw Sansa’s husband, Ramsay Bolton, rape her on their wedding night.
“We kind of expected a bit of blowback and a bit of controversy. Rightly so. And it was quite a big reaction,” she said. “At first I was kind of thinking, ‘Why are people complaining about a TV show when it’s happening all over the world and people aren’t really speaking about it?’
“And that kind of annoyed me but then I realized it is a dialogue that needs to be had,” she said.
Watch the video above.
'Game of Thrones' 16 Most Memorable Sex Scenes (Photos)
There have been plenty of times when characters got down and dirty during the last six seasons of "Game of Thrones," although it hasn't always been pleasant. Here's your fully safe for work look at some of the most memorable sex scenes in the show, including at least one that involved leeches. (Note: Spoilers ahead!)
Jaime & Cersei: Season 1, Ep. 1
This scene set the tone for much of the show when the twins were caught committing incest by Bran Stark. From its setting in abandoned broken tower to its ending with attempted murder, the whole thing is pretty gross.
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Tyrion & Ros: Season 1, Ep. 1
We got introduced to the Imp in memorable fashion during this brothel scene. The lovable sex worker Ros was also a part of the moment, before she went on to bigger and better things in King's Landing.
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Daenerys & Drogo: Season 1, Ep. 2
A key turning point in Daenerys taking control of her situation is when she takes control in bed with Khal Drogo. This scene also marks a turning point in their relationship, from arranged marriage to actual love affair.
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Theon & Ros: Season 1, Ep. 5
Long before he became Reek, Theon snuck the ever-present sex worker Ros into Winterfell for this steamy encounter. The stories that Theon was a pretty great lover were part of what led Ramsay to take his "favorite toy" away from him.
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Renly & Loras: Season 2, Ep. 3
The secret lovers faced some turmoil when they argued over Renly's marriage to Loras' sister, Margaery. But it's clear they care for each other, which makes everything that follows so much harder for Loras to bear.
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Stannis & Melisandre: Season 2, Ep. 2
The blood magic the Red Woman, Melisandre, utilizes often has some gross but sexy requirements. The tryst between her and Stannis is necessary to create a ghostly shadow that murders his brother Renly, adding a whole extra level of creepy.
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Robb & Talisa: Season 2, Ep. 8
Robb Stark's downfall began when he broke his engagement to the daughter of Walder Frey in favor of Volantis-born nurse, Talisa. The pair's love isn't enough to save them from betrayal at the Red Wedding, unfortunately.
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Podrick and various sex workers: Season 3, Ep. 3
Podrick proved to be quite the ladies' man when several sex workers refused to take his money -- apparently because he was so good in bed. Bronn and Tyrion demanded details but whatever tips Pod had, they were revealed offscreen.
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Jon & Ygritte: Season 3, Ep. 5
The tender moment in the cave, in which Jon Snow breaks his vows to the Night's Watch, shows real feelings between Jon and Ygritte, despite him being a Crow and her being a Wildling. This is the one moment of happiness the two share before their different worlds tear them apart, with tragic consequences.
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Theon, Myranda & Violet: Season 3, Ep. 7
In this torturous scene, Myranda, Ramsay Bolton's girlfriend, and a second woman, Violet, come to Theon in the torture chamber. He has just enough time to feel like a person again, and for the scene to get hot, before the horrible truth is revealed about Ramsay's plans for Theon.
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Melisandre & Gendry (and leeches): Season 3, Ep. 8
More sexy blood magic times with Melisandre, this time with her seducing the bastard son of Robert Baratheon, Gendry. After the act, she puts leeches on him -- the King's Blood they suck out of Gendry allows Melisandre to see the future. Creepy though that may be, it wasn't a wholly bad deal for Gendry.
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Oberyn & Ellaria: Season 4, Ep. 1
Oberyn and Ellaria not only had each other but several other women and men at the same time at Littlefinger's brothel. The Dornish have fewer hangups than the rest of Westeros, that's for sure.
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Daario & Daenerys: Season 4, Ep. 7
Daenerys took her first lover since Drogo when she slept with sexy sellsword Daario Naharis. The pair had something of a relationship from then on, but Daenerys broke it off when she sailed for Westeros -- and was surprised that doing so didn't really bother her.
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Ramsay & Myranda: Season 5, Ep. 5
Ramsay was creepy enough on his own. But then you add in Myranda, his girlfriend and the daughter of his kennelmaster. Myranda's just as sick as Ramsay when it comes to sadism, and their sexy moment oscillates between pleasure and pain pretty easily.
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Missandei & Grey Worm: Season 7, Ep. 2
The tension between Daenerys' former slaves turned trusted advisers has been ramping up for what seems like forever. Finally, Missandei and Grey Worm had their moment together. The Unsullied are famously eunuchs, but Grey Worm and Missandei found ways to be intimate that got around his limitation.
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Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen, Season 7, Ep. 7
After teasing romance between Jon and Dany all through the season, it finally happened on the boat from Dragonstone to White Harbor. It wasn't the most ridiculous sex scene of the show, but it was one fans have been waiting for throughout Season 7 -- and for fans who predicted this might happen long ago, years.
TheWrap takes a mostly-clothed, SFW look at some of the steamiest moments from the HBO series across the last seven seasons
There have been plenty of times when characters got down and dirty during the last six seasons of "Game of Thrones," although it hasn't always been pleasant. Here's your fully safe for work look at some of the most memorable sex scenes in the show, including at least one that involved leeches. (Note: Spoilers ahead!)
HBO
