Does Game of Thrones Go Too Fur?

It’s surprising that PETA hasn’t come a-howling down the pike over the amount of fur used on Game of Thrones - and yes, it’s real fur. According to House of de Clifford specialty furriers, they were approached by the Northern Irish HBO television team for help with furs for the show, and provided what they call ‘ethically sourced’ furs for filming.

What is ethically sourced fur? Apparently it’s real fur from animals, but consists of ‘culled’ furs (not good enough for the originally intended use) and by-products of the meat industry. This means most animal activists won’t be pleased, since many mainstream organizations such as PETA also promote vegetarianism.

In fact, one of the show’s primary characters is played by a veggie lover and PETA supporter - Peter Dinklage! Tyrion Lannister is in every scene, but we’ve yet to see him gnaw a leg of lamb at either feast or tavern. Dinklage has made a video taking about his acting career, his vegetarianism, and his love for his four footed furry friends. 

For most, the authenticity the fur brings to the show coupled with the fact that the fur used was not obtained from actual bears and wolves slaughtered for the sole reason of providing costumery for a cable series is satisfactory. For activists, however, the very fact that fake fur was not used will be a sticking point.

What is your opinion on fur used in period costume productions? Granted the Game of Thrones saga is set in an alternate universe (or AU for those of you who aren’t diehard fantasy/sci-fi geeks), so ‘period’ is in the eye of the beholder, but obviously George RR Martin’s descriptions of the characters have them wearing furs, reclining on them, and romping between them. Jason Momoa commented that his character (Dothraki leader Khal Drogo) ‘lies naked on furs a lot’!

Sounds comfy to me!  And at least in fantasy worlds there appear to be no fleas.

Written by G. Alexander

(Picture Copyright HBO)