Sophie Turner says it’s nice to be able to tell all about Game of Thrones, Michael Fassbender feels lucky to

have been part of X-Men, Jessica Chastain reveals she based her character on Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy talks about the pact the X-Men made, and Taylor Swift

gives a spectacular performance of Me

On tonight's show (24th May), Graham welcomes Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner, double Oscar nominees Jessica Chastain and Michael Fassbender, BAFTA award-winning James McAvoy and one of the world’s biggest music stars, Taylor Swift.

Sophie, talking about the end of Game of Thrones, says, “It’s nice to be able to tell all. I’ve been keeping in spoilers for so many years and I can finally say goodbye to them.”

Asked if, by joining the show as a 13-year-old, she had missed out on her childhood, she says, “I wish I’d had the university experience. I wish I could have gone out and drunk a lot and thrown up in the middle of a club without it being photographed! But, I am happy with my Game of Thrones experience. I don’t think I missed out on too much.”

Talking more about being on set as a child among so many adult actors, she says, “They were very protective. There was one moment before a scene where Peter (Dinklage) and Conleth (Hill) were talking amongst themselves and they were swearing, and Peter was like, ‘Don’t swear in front of Sophie. She’s 14, you can’t swear.’ And then they called, ‘action’ and the first words of the scene were a string of obscenities and expletives! It was all very strange.”

Michael, talking about their latest X-Men film Dark Phoenix, says, “It’s the last one and it feels good. We’ve got a great run at it with four films and I feel really lucky to be part of it. What’s really cool is that we are finishing off with a really good film and that Jean Grey gets center stage. She is the most powerful mutant in the saga, so it would be weird if she didn’t get her own film.”

Jessica, talking about her character, say, “I play an other-worldly creature. I was told I am not allowed to say that I play an alien, but basically I play an alien.”

Asked about her distinctive look in the film, she says, “I am a shape shifter, so I am supposed to look like an elevated form of a human being. The one person I think of that way is Tilda Swinton. I’m not convinced she’s a human being. I think she is ruling over some planet somewhere like the goddess she is.”

James, talking about signing up for the latest film, he says, “We sort of made a pact that if I, Michael, Jen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Nick (Nicholas Holt) didn’t all come back then none of us were coming back. Then the studio countered that with, ‘If one of you doesn’t come back then we won’t do the film’ and we were all like, ‘We definitely want to do it!’” Taylor gives a spectacular performance of Me before joining Graham for her first TV interview in the UK for several years.

Talking about the title of her new album, she says, “I like to tease my fans, and some have definitely worked out the name, and it’s my fault as I’ve given lots of clues, but I can’t change my mind now.” Asked if ‘Me’ reflects the album, she says, “Yes, because I am in a much better mood now.”

Revealing how much she loved preparing for the role of Bombalurina in the upcoming Cats film, Taylor says, “I had to go to cat school to learn how to move and behave. I was meant to go for three days and I stayed for four months! I had much more fun than anyone else.”

And finally, Graham pulls the lever on more foolhardy audience members brave enough to sit in the Big Red Chair.

The Graham Norton Show, BBC One, Friday 24th May 10.35pm.

Pictures are available from Press Association.

Notes to editors – All quotes in this release were said during the recording of the show but won’t necessarily appear in the final version.

Next week (31st May), Graham’s guests include, Gloria Estefan, Chris Hemsworth, Michael Sheen, David Tennant, Tessa Thompson and Jonas Brothers.

For further information please contact Mary Collins 07769 670516 or at mary@marycollins-pr.com 

24th May 2019