Game of Thrones Star Nathalie Emmanuel Responds to Fan Backlash

It's been over two months since HBO's Game of Thrones came to an end, but the series remains a significant topic of conversation, and not in a good way. Even with a little distance from the series finale, fans are still upset with how the story concluded, so much so that there was even a petition to "remake" the final batch of episodes. While the passionate reaction to the series certainly reveals just how much the show means to fans, though, doesn't mean it's a reaction that is going over particularly well with those involved in the making of Game of Thrones -- including Missandei actress Nathalie Emmanuel.

In a recent interview with TV Line, Emmanuel said that while she thinks it's fine if fans don't like something, the petition is just taking things too far.

"Listen, I think it's totally fine if you don't like something. That's perfectly acceptable," Emmanuel said. "What I didn't like was that people were signing a petition. You can't ask for receipts on art. You just can't. The art has been created for you, and you can either choose to like it or not."

She specifically went on to note that the series' ending was a difficult one to pull off and that she doesn't think people understand that.

"[The finale] was a hard plane to land... I don't think people quite realize the undertaking and the amount of manpower it took to do that," Emmanuel said.

Emmanuel's comments echo those of HBO programming exec Casey Bloys. Bloys was asked about the petition at the Television Critics Association Press Tour, admitting that it was never really taken seriously by the network.

"There are very few downsides to having a hugely popular show," Bloys said. "One I can think of, when you try to end it, many people have opinions on how to end it. I think that comes with the territory. The petition shows a lot of enthusiasm and passion for the show, but it wasn't something we seriously considered. I can't imagine another network would."

Bloys has been outspoken in the past about the Thrones backlash and argued that the finale was always going to court controversy in some form or fashion.

"There's no way for [co-creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss] to have landed this plane in a way that would have made everybody happy and they're not out to make everybody happy," Bloys shared shortly after the finale. "I think they did a beautiful job. You just have to accept that not everybody is going to agree with the choices. I'm paraphrasing Tim but basically for show this big, and this epic and this sprawling, they [Benioff and Weiss] have to make choices."

"Not everyone will be happy," Isaac Hempstead-Wright, who played Bran Stark, said after the finale. "It's so difficult to finish a series as popular as this without pissing some people off. I don't think anybody will think it's predictable and that's as much as you can hope for. People are going to be angry. There's going to be a lot of broken hearts. It's 'bittersweet,' exactly as [saga author] George R.R. Martin intended. It's a fitting conclusion to this epic saga."

What do you think of HBO's response to the Game of Thrones petition? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!