Ed Sheeran recently opened up about a surprising controversy surrounding his Game of Thrones cameo. During his recent appearance on a celebrity podcast, the singer-songwriter reflected on the backlash he received for his brief appearance in the hit series.
Ed Sheeran addresses the hate he received for his Game of Thrones cameo
Ed Sheeran has finally broken his silence on the intense backlash he faced for his appearance in Game of Thrones. The Photograph hitmaker revealed that he was taken aback by the intense reaction that followed his brief on-screen moment.
“I feel like I definitely ruffled some feathers being on Game of Thrones,” he shared on the Wednesday episode of Benny Blanco’s Friends Keep Secrets podcast.
Sheeran’s brief Game of Thrones cameo sparked intense online debate in 2017. Interestingly, other musicians, including Coldplay drummer Will Champion and Chris Stapleton, also made cameos in the show. However, they didn’t receive the same level of criticism.
“Members of Coldplay [were] at the Red Wedding. [Gary Lightbody] from Snow Patrol is in there. Chris Stapleton’s in it as like a White Walker,” Ed Sheeran shared with Benny Blanco and co-hosts Lil Dicky and Kristin Batalucco.
With hindsight, Sheeran now thinks he understands why he faced such heat. He pinpointed two main reasons why his cameo as a Lannister soldier, singing by a campfire, rubbed some fans and critics the wrong way.
“I think at the time I was very omnipresent and just everywhere. So, I think it was quite jarring,” he explained. But he also added that debacles like those “happen quite a lot in my career. I just get s‑‑‑ on for things.”
The Grammy winner’s appearance on Game of Thrones had indeed occurred at the height of his popularity. The release of his album, Divide, and the single Shape of You had achieved significant commercial success in the preceding months.
However, Ed Sheeran had previously revealed on the Armchair Expert podcast in 2021 that his Game of Thrones cameo was a gift for actress Maisie Williams, who is a huge fan of his music.
Originally reported by Sibanee Gogoi for Mandatory.
