Sophie Turner refuses to watch new Game of Thrones spin-off, cites 'crazy' anxiety

Sophie Turner may forever be remembered as Sansa Stark, but when it comes to returning to Westeros, even as a viewer, she’s politely sitting this one out.

The actor has revealed that she won’t be tuning into HBO’s upcoming Game of Thrones spin-off A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and her reason is anxiety.

“If I am totally honest, anything Game of Thrones, I don’t think I can… I can’t even hear the theme tune, it gives me crazy anxiety,” Turner admitted at the red carpet, recently. “I don’t know why.”

Turner’s honesty struck a chord with many fans, especially those who have followed her journey since the early days of the show. For millions, the theme music brings nostalgia and excitement. For Turner, it triggers something far more personal. Her reaction highlights how deeply actors can be affected by long running roles that blur the line between work and identity.

This, notably, isn’t coming from a place of bitterness or regret. Quite the opposite. Turner is quick to stress that her time on the original series, where she grew up on screen over eight seasons, was deeply positive. “I had the best time on that show,” she said, underscoring that the emotional response isn’t tied to bad memories, but to how intense and all-consuming the experience was.

Spending nearly a decade in the same fictional world can leave a lasting mark. For Turner, Game of Thrones was not something she stepped into as an adult with distance and perspective. She was a teenager navigating fame, pressure, and global attention at the same time. That level of exposure, especially at a young age, can create emotional ties that are hard to shake, even years later.

For Turner, Game of Thrones wasn’t just another job; it was a formative chapter of her life. She joined the show as a teenager and left it as one of the most recognisable faces on television. However, while the show was a phenomenal success, the last season received brutal criticism for its abrupt pacing, and inability to tie loose ends. In fact, there were viral petitions for a 'remake'.

Despite the mixed reaction to the final season, the cultural impact of the series remains undeniable. Game of Thrones reshaped television, changed how fantasy was viewed on screen, and launched the careers of its cast into a new stratosphere. Turner, in particular, became a symbol of growth, as viewers watched Sansa Stark evolve from a naive girl into a hardened survivor.

That evolution mirrored Turner’s own life in many ways. Growing up under constant scrutiny, dealing with public opinion, and learning to separate herself from a character so deeply loved and criticized is no small task. Her anxiety response may be less about the show itself and more about revisiting a period that carried enormous emotional weight.

Still, don’t mistake her absence as indifference. While she won’t be watching A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which is set decades before the events of Game of Thrones and follows the adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg, Turner is very much cheering from the sidelines.

“I’m really excited for all the actors on it and I think it will be incredible because it is that universe,” she said. "So, good luck to everyone involved. I won’t be watching it but I’ll be rooting for you.”

Her comments offer a rare glimpse into the quieter side of fame, where success does not always equal comfort. Turner’s choice to step back, even as a viewer, shows a level of self awareness that is often missing in the industry. Sometimes, protecting mental peace matters more than revisiting a beloved world, no matter how iconic it may be.

For fans, her words serve as a reminder that behind every legendary role is a real person, carrying memories that the audience will never fully see. Westeros may live on through spin offs and new stories, but for Sophie Turner, it remains a chapter that is best admired from a distance.

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Sophie Turner

Game of Thrones

Sansa Stark

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

HBO

TV Spin Off

Celebrity Mental Health

Westeros

Fantasy Television