Richard Madden, best known for his role as Robb Stark on the hit HBO series Game of Thrones, recently reflected on the infamous Red Wedding nearly a decade after it first aired. The sequence, which took place in season 3, episode 9, The Rains of Castamere, featured the brutal slaughter of Madden’s character, along with his mother, pregnant wife, and the entire Stark congregation present at the wedding.
The Red Wedding is widely regarded as one of the most devastating episodes in television history. The massacre was planned and carried out by Walder Frey as revenge for Robb violating the marriage pact between House Stark and House Frey.
During an appearance on Entertainment Tonight to promote his new Amazon Prime series, Citadel, with co-star Priyanka Chopra Jonas, the topic of the infamous Red Wedding scene arose, as this year marks its ten-year anniversary. Madden reflected on his time on the HBO series, stating that he still has fond memories of the whole experience, despite the horrific nature of his character’s death.
“It’s nice to be back into recurring series drama where you get so much time to tell a story, and then you get these huge payoffs like [the Red Wedding],” Madden said. “Three seasons deep we got to have this horrible death with characters that you’re invested in. I think that’s our ambition [with Citadel] too, to create a huge world and get to know these people well.”
Madden’s character, Robb Stark, was a fan favorite on Game of Thrones, and his death, along with that of his mother and wife, was a major shock to viewers. However, it also cemented the show’s reputation for its willingness to kill off beloved characters.
Madden has since gone on to star in other notable roles, including as the lead in the BBC series Bodyguard, which earned him a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama. His latest project, Citadel, is an upcoming Amazon Prime series produced by the Russo brothers and co-starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas.
As fans continue to reflect on the impact of the Red Wedding nearly a decade later, it’s clear that the episode remains a significant moment in television history and a defining moment in Madden’s career.
