Gwendoline Christie has revealed she "lost a lot weight," underwent hardcore training and completely changed her style to land the role of brutal warrior Brienne of Tarth in Game of Thrones.
The 38-year-old Star Wars actress was inspired to play the part after reading the George RR Martin books, and began to train hard and change the way she walked and what she wore.
"This is what I want!" the star said of the role to Radio Times. "I lost a lot of weight. I got a trainer, I did kickboxing, Kundalini yoga, running."
She went on: "I used to have long hair and wear make-up and feminine clothes, so I started wearing unisex sportswear, working on changing the way that I walked and moved."
Christie added that while she "loved every moment of GoT," she was ready to take on a new challenge, which she found in the sequel to Jane Campion's award-winning drama Top of the Lake.
"I have always wanted to bring light to characters who often feel like they aren't seen, who don't fit in," she continued of her role of as eager junior police officer Miranda opposite Elizabeth Moss in the BBC2 series.
"And while I've loved every moment of being on Game of Thrones, I was desperate to play something different."
Game of Thrones has not been without controversies, but Christie recently insisted the show has been a game-changer for female characters because they're "people in their own right."
"This was a television show that would put women at the forefront," the star told EW. "We were going to explore female characters in a way that conventionally doesn't happen.
"They wouldn't simply exist as the mother role, the girlfriend role, the wife role, or the sister. They would be people in their own right.
"I think putting women to the fore is what has changed the platform for television now."
Christie currently stars in HBO's Game of Thrones, and BBC2's Top of the Lake: China Girl.
Naomi Gordon is news writer mainly covering entertainment news with a focus on celebrity interviews and television.
