'Game of Thrones' Actor Sean Bean Explains Why He Won't Play Killed Off Characters Anymore

From his roles in films such as Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), Black Death (2010), and Patriot Games (1992), not to mention his very short (but memorable) part in Season 1 of Game of Thrones in 2011, Sean Bean has seen his character killed off more than just a few times. This fact has become a running joke for fans of the actor, and even Bean himself has addressed it. But now, it looks like he’s finally done with death scenes, and his reasoning is actually pretty considerate to viewers.

While speaking with The Sun, as reported by ComicBook.com, the 60-year-old star declared that he’s no longer playing characters who get killed off, all so that he can avoid spoilers. “I’ve turned down stuff,” Bean shared. “I’ve said, ‘They know my character’s going to die because I’m in it!’ I just had to cut that out and start surviving, otherwise it was all a bit predictable.”

Bean went on to recall a particularly humorous instance where he almost turned down a part, stating, “I did do one job and they said, ‘We’re going to kill you’, and I was like, ‘Oh no!’ and then they said, ‘Well, can we injure you badly?’ and I was like, ‘OK, so long as I stay alive this time.’”

After portraying over 20 characters who get killed off, Bean reflected on the experience with, “I’ve played a lot of baddies, they were great but they weren’t very fulfilling — and I always died.”

Here’s to hoping Bean’s career is now more fulfilling than ever, and we get to see him on our screens longer in turn.

This article also appears on Mental Floss.