Entertainment

Natalie Dormer reveals writing advice she received from Game Of Thrones creators

The actress has written her first film, in which she also stars.
The actress has written her first film, in which she also stars. The actress has written her first film, in which she also stars.

Game Of Thrones star Natalie Dormer has said she received advice from the show’s creators when she made her writing debut with her new film.

The actress penned In Darkness with her partner Anthony Byrne and said they received some help from showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss.

She told the Press Association: “We learned quite quickly not to write [while] eyeballing each other at the same time.

“It was better to do it separately and swap drafts of certain scenes and sequences. I remember Dan and David, said to me, ‘you were writing in the same room to begin with? You idiot!’ and I was like, ‘Oh right, yeah we worked that out quite quickly!’

“But it made me a better actor, and it’s made me, hopefully, a more team-orientated actor now.

“There’s no greater lesson than starting a project right from the beginning and following it all the way through to the edit, the grade, the sound design, and the promotion, right to the very end.”

In the film, Dormer plays blind pianist Sofia who overhears a struggle in the apartment above hers that leads to the death of her neighbour.

She said she would encourage more actresses to write their own material and not be worried that they do not feel prepared.

She added: “You’re never going to be ready, I think what I learnt from In Darkness and the writing process, that I am now taking and developing and producing other projects, is that you never feel fully ready.

“Maybe sometimes, this is a big sweeping statement, a generalisation, but maybe as women, we are more nervous when we don’t feel quite ready.

“The answer is, jump in with both feet. I mean what’s the worst that is actually going to happen? You’re going to embarrass yourself slightly?

“I mean, there’s worse things. And you’ll learn, the only way you learn is by making mistakes.”

In Darkness is in UK cinemas now.