Geeks You Should Know: Gwendoline Christie

The geek community reserves a special place in its collective heart for those members of the entertainment industry who share the geeky mindset—particularly those who fly their banner high.  One such thespian is Gwendoline Christie, who is best known for her acting role as Brienne of Tarth in HBO’s Game of Thrones.  Christie was born in the UK and grew up in a small village near South Downs.  Her first love was gymnastics and she trained semi-professionally for most of her childhood until a spinal injury forced her to retire and find a career elsewhere.  Her high school drama coach, actor and author Simon Callow, mentored Christie and guided her into theatrical, and then on-screen acting, and she graduated from Drama Centre London in 2005.

Christie at a Game of Thrones Exhibit Party displaying the Brienne of Tarth FunkoPOP figure (@gameofthrones, 2014)

Christie was an avid fan of George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire long before it was in talks to become the source material for an HBO series.  She identified with Brienne because her own height (6’3”) and somewhat androgynous looks had made her the brunt of bullying as a child.  Before auditions, Christie began wearing unisex clothing and altering her posture, walk, and behavior to move more like the female knight of Westeros.  When she showed up to her audition in a full costume, she was basically given the role with no contest, according to G. R. R. Martin.  “This was… one of those cases where there was hardly any debate,” He wrote on his LiveJournal.

What makes Gwendoline Christie an amazing geek to know is her own status as a fan of science fiction, fantasy, and especially the show she herself works on.  Before her work with HBO, Christie landed a part on Wizards vs. Aliens as alien Lexi; and she has now been confirmed to be in Star Wars: Episode VII, which according to her is a “dream come true.”  About the opportunity to be a part of one of her all-time favorite franchises, she says, “to be a part of that thing that you held in such high regard, that’s been your escapism and your love and your entertainment and it’s been not just yours but everyone around you, I’m incredibly lucky.”  She is also slated to appear in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, part 2 as Commander Lyme.

I certainly hope to see more of Christie in other sci-fi roles–or even regular roles.  She is absolutely stunning, completely badass, and definitely a geek you should know!