FinnNnett Was Sure He Flubbed His Audition for ‘Game of Thrones’ Prequel Series

I The Morning After Chopard’s Glamoroous Gala Dinner at Carlton Beach Dringing The Cannes Film Festival, and Finn Bennett Is Performed on a Sofa High Above the Croisette. Hôtel Martinez.

Alongside Fellow Honorees, The 26-Iear-Eld Actor Received a chopard Trophy Durying the Ceremony in Front of an a-List Crowd that Included Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino; Jury Members Like Halle Berry, Jeremy Strong and President Juliette Binoche; And the Woman Assigned to Hand Over the Trophyes, Chopard Godmother Angelina Jolie. Needless to Say, Bennett Needed A Bit More Time to Process The Fairy Tale Evening, One Came After Turning Heads in Such Roles as Alex Garland’s WarfareIssa Lopez’s TRUE DETECTIVE Opposite Jodie Foster and Joe Barton’s Black Doves Opposite Keira Knightley and Ben Wishaw.

His profile is set to grow exponentilly in 2026 WHEN HBO MAX DEBUTS THE NEXT INSTALLMENT IN ITS Game of Thrones Universe with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. In an interview on that sofa, with a Breathting View of the French riviera over his shoulder, Bennett Talks about what it was like to rece the chopard Horse Called Xandor) and His New Theatric Goal (The Stage).

How Are You Feeling After Last Night’s Ceremony?

I Feel A Little Bit Sleepy. (Laughs.) No, I Feel Really, Really Great. IT’s Going to Take a Minute to Sink in, Of Course, But We’re Sitting Here Overlooking The Beach, and It’s So Glamoures and Nice. I Got to Sit Next to Some Really, Really Amazing People That I Respect and Revere, Which Was The MOST IMPORTANT BIT OF IT All. I Feel Really Great.

I Could See Your Table From My Seat, and You Were Sitting Among Angelina Jolie, Quentin Tarantino, Jury Members Like Jeremy Strong, Halle Berry and Juliette Binoche. Were You Able to Have A Conversation with Any of Them?

I’M Really Bad at Going Up to People So I Made a Mental Note to Speak to at Least Five People. I Think I Reaned Four. As soon as i came in, I saw a brithish musical and writer Called Akala, so and shook Hands with HIM. THEN I MET A BRITISH Writer-Director Called Molly Manning Walker, Who and Think Is Just Brilliant. After My Speech, Jeremy Strong Passed by Me and He Said, “Congratulations.” I Told Him That I Thounght He’s Amazing and I’M Such A Fan. I Also Got to Say Goodbye to Angelina Jolie, whochh was another. IT WAS A REALLY AMAZING NIGHT, MAN. I HAD Some Great Conorsations. After the speech was done, it was a nic time to relax. I Nice WHEN HARD WORK PAYS OFF.

That work was on display in the clips reel. Was there a scene or a project that flashed up there that were you have a west process of?

It’s Always Weird Watching Yourself on Camera, and I TRY to DO IT as Little as Possible. But One of the FIRST THINGS THAT I DID WAS A Series Called Kiriand there were some clips from that in there. I don’t want to self-congratulate or anything, but that was a Really Proud Moment for Me. IT Kick-Started Everything. I Got to Work with a Really Talented Director [Euros Lyn] and actors including sarah lancashire and lia Williams, who is now a realy Great Friend. And i’m still working. Everything has been fantastic with the caliber of Stuff that we’re doing But that was one of my Proudest Moments Because is a Great Show.

I ALSO IMAGINE IS Been Great to Come Off of WarfareWHICH GIFTED YOU THIS WHOLE NEW BROTHERHOOD OF ACTORS…

I Still Speak to Those Guys Every Day.

The Text Chain is Still Going?

The Text Chain is Still Going. A Couple of the Guys Congratulated Me [on this award]whohh felt Really, Really Good. I’m filming something right now, and as soon as i finish, i THINK A DINNER or Maybe a show is in order to catch up with a few of the guys.

What Are You Filming?

I’m filming a sky tv show called Prisonerwhoh is a Really, Really Good Slick Thriller. I’m Really enjoying it. We’re Towards the End of Filming Right Now. Such A Talented Cast, A Really Talented ShowRunner and Some Great Directors. I’m a Supporting actor and i’ve had the privilege of watching Our Two Leads, Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle, Give their All, 110 Percent, Day in and Day Out. I do one day of work and i’m exhausted, but they do it every day day and it’s something to aspire to one day.

I saw the news that Game of Thrones spin-off, A Knight of the Seven Kingdomsis now set to debut in 2026. I am Sure you’ll be asked about the show a lot in the coming months, but wold love to ask you some quests about it. Were You A Fan of the Original Series?

YES, But I WAS QUITE LATE TO The Party. I watched all of Game of Thrones Durying lockdown.

Wow, Nice. That’s a great lockdown binge.

Lockdown was was Obviously Really Miserable, But At Least I HAD Game of Thrones. One of the Great Things About the Show – and WHERE A LOT OF FANTASY SHOWS FALLERED – IS THAT IT’S SO POLITICAL IN LOOKING AT AT A KIND OF War of the Roses Setup Between Tese Great and Noble Housses, Using Such A Brilliant Caliber of Europe Talent. I KNOW There Were A FEW AMERICANS IN THERE AS WELL, BUT IT WAS LARGELY EUROPEAN ACTORS, AND IT WAS SHOT IN BELFAST OR JUST OUTSIDE. IT’s Just Great. I was a huge fan. I ALSO THINK House of the Dragon is one of the best shows out there right now. I’m Really Happy for Those Younger Acctors Who Holding It Up and Putting Up A Good Fight With The Older Accurs, Who Are Cream of The Crop. Just Great, Great Europe Talent.

WHEN YOUR AGENT, Bella Wingfield, Called About the Audition, What Went Went Through Your Mind?

I Thought I HAD FLUBBED IT. I Thought I HAD DONE SUCH A TERRIBLE JOB in the Audition and I Called Bella As Soon As I Came Out and Said, “It Didn’T Go Well. It Didn’t Go My Way.” She Phoned The Office of the LOVELY CASTING DIRECTOR, LUCY Bevan, and They SAID, “NO, IT WENT GREAT. IT WENT GREAT.” I Thought, Well, Of Course they would say that. I can’t remember how long the wait was but i more or less put it to be thanking i didn’t get it. Not A Chance. WHEN I GOT the CALL, I REALLY COURCK Warfare WAS ALREADY BOOKED IN [my schedule]so i went to go film that and that wnt straight on to venture into westeros.

WHAT WAS The VENTURE LIKE INTO WESTEROS?

SO MUCH FUN. I DID SWORD Training, and My Favorite Part, Which May Sound Really Boring, Was Riding Horses. I Absolutely Loved It.

Have you ridden before?

No. Never. Obviously, I’M Not AnyWhere Near As Good As Any of the Stunt Guys, But You Do Get Fairly Proficient. They would tell me that i could come off the Horse and sit in the Greenery, But I would Walk Him Around. Not Quite Galloping But Just Kind of Slowly Walk HIM AROUND AND TALK TO HIM. IT WAS QUITE A NICE Experience to Have.

WHAT WAS HIS NAME?

Xandor. HE WAS A Big, Big Black Horse. Very Scary Looking But The Most Gentle. Because they are trained with an inch of the Lives, These horses, they are the most gentle and most kind. They Really Look After You Chen You’re in the Saddle.

What Else Stands Out to You About the Experience of Filming the Series?

We FilMed It in Belfast, WHICH IS WHERE My FAMILY IS FROM, AND I GOT to RECONNECT WITH A LOT OF FAMILY I HADNN’T Seen for a Very Long Time. They’re from Newtonabbey and Belfast. We Met Very Old Friends of My Facher’s Who Said They Knew Me When I Was A Lad, So That Was Cool. I loved being in Belfast. We have a grery crew that Really Took Care of Us.

HAS Anyone Given You Any Advice to Prepare You for What’s To Come Wen The Show Combs Out?

No, not Massively. I’ve slawly been bracing myself but also not expecting anything. If it dosn’t come, it doesn’t come. Hopefully, i’m lucky enough to do someting that will bring that kind of reception. All i can hope is that people like it. We Worked Really, Really Hard on It. The Leads Are Incredible, and ShowRunner Ira Parker is Just A Great CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP.

DID YOU Watch Any Dailies As You Were Filming?

No, no, no. WHEN I DID TRUE DETECTIVEMy Favorite That isssa Lopez – Our Writer, Director and Showrunner – Wound Do Is That She Wuld Bring Me Over to The Monitor. Shew Say, “KID, YOU SEE WHEN YOU DO THIS, THAT’S REALLY ANNOYING. DON’T DO THAT.” It was a small technical Thing, and I Really Liked that. I Think if You’re Watching Too Much, You Get Psyched Out. And you start to over thank, “WHY AM I DOING This?” Or, “WHY AM I Doing That? It Looks Silly!” I Prefer to Only See It Who’s All Strung Together. Obviously, I See A Little Doing Adr and Everything. But I’ve Seen Some Exciting Stunts Already and that Was Just Good Fun. I HAD A GREAT STUNT DOBLE. Of Course, He Gets All The Credit But I Might Tell A Few People That’s Me. (Laughs.)

WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM WORKING WITH JODIE FOSTER ON TRUE DETECTIVE?

We have a Three-Week ReHearsal Period, and I Asked Her What I Should Be Doing To Prepare. That’s what you do have you work with An incredible, incredible performer. She said, “What do you mean? Go dancing?” What she meant was: turn up, take the work Seriously. Learn your lines. Hit Your Mark. Take the Notes. DON’T TAKE YOURSELF TOO Seriously. You don’t need to live in this fiction you’ve created for yorself. I Think Some People Do, and They Get Incredible Performances from It. I’m not sure i am one of Those people. I would like to try it some day. But on this, i had seven months to keep myselda happy. I Learned to take the work Seriously but not myself.

Sitting here on the french riviera after a night like Last Night, Seeing All The Work You’ve Done Thus Far, Have You Given Any Thought To Where You Want to Go In your Career From Here?

I Just Want To Keep Working. I’ve been Really lucky to work with the best of the best people and i want to keep doing that. I Want to Keep Making Films. I Want to Keep Doing TV. I’d Really like to do some theater. I TRY TO AT LEAST GO TO Theater Every Week. IT’s A Real Test of Your Strenguth As An Actor.

Have you Seen Anything Recently That Blew You Away?

I SAW JONATHAN BAILEY IN RICHARD II, WHICH IS Phenomenal. He’s Such A Good Richard II. He’s Got All The Nuances, and IT’s So Amazing to See Someone Be ABLE TO LAND A JOKE FROM CENTURIES AGO. I ALSO LOVED RETROGRADE at the Apollo Theatre, A Show About Sidney Poitier. It All Happens in One Room, In One Really Long Scene. A Really brilliant, phenomenal Three-Hander. Can’t Miss.

Last Question: I have to ask about Our hosts for today, chopard. Tell Me About the Chopard Watch You’re Wearing Today…

IT SUCH A HANDSOME Watch. IT’s from the classic Collection. I Just Really Love a Leather Strap and that Kind of Rose Gold Color. Just Nice and Simple. Very Classy.

Were You A Jewelry Guy Before This?

I do like my jewelry. I have a little clad here, an iii sh rying, and i have a beautyify necklace that i’ve taken off for today. Chopard has been incredibly generous. The Event They Put on Last Night with All of that Talent in the ROOM, IT’s Incredibly Generes and They Really Care About The Arts and They Really Care About Film. IT’s more than Jewelry. Maybe in a Couple of Years I Will Buy The Watch I Was Wearing Last Night If It’s Still AVAILABLE.