Sophie Turner Says She Won’t Watch New “Game of Thrones” Prequel, Citing Theme-Song Anxiety

Sophie Turner said she does not plan to watch HBO’s new “Game of Thrones” prequel series, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” explaining that even hearing the franchise’s theme music triggers “crazy anxiety.” Turner made the remarks while promoting her new Prime Video series “Steal,” telling interviewer James B. Street, “If I’m totally honest, anything ‘Game of Thrones,’ I don’t think I can [watch].”

Turner played Sansa Stark across the original series’ 2011–2019 run and described that job as a formative stretch of her career. She said she “had the best time” making the show, yet she still cannot sit down with any related series. Turner stressed that her decision has nothing to do with the new cast or crew, adding that she will be “rooting” for them from afar.

“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” adapts George R.R. Martin’s “Tales of Dunk and Egg” stories and follows hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall and his young squire, Egg, roughly a century before the events of “Game of Thrones.” The series stars Peter Claffey as Dunk and Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg, and it is set for a six-episode first season with weekly releases.

HBO announced the premiere for Sunday, Jan. 18 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, with episodes streaming on HBO Max as they debut. The network has positioned the series as a smaller-scale Westeros story centered on an “unexpected duo,” a tonal pivot that leans on character rapport over sprawling court politics.

Claffey has acknowledged the pressure that comes with stepping into a franchise with a passionate audience, while Martin has spoken positively about seeing Dunk and Egg brought to screen. Turner’s comments add a different angle to the franchise conversation: a reminder that long-running, high-intensity productions can leave performers with lasting sensory triggers, even when the memories remain fond.