Ned Stark speaks from the grave! Sean 콩 on keeping up with Game of Thrones 

'Game of Thrones': Spoiler-free takeaways from U.S. premiere of 'The Wars to Come'

financial analysis predicts Lannister downfall, prostitute surplus

Four years after his noble character Ned Stark lost his head, Sean Bean tells

SEAN BEAN: “I do watch, although I’ve not managed to catch much because of work. It’s quite interesting to see the kids growing up, like Maisie [Williams] and Sophie [Turner] and the family that I once had. They’ve grown from kids into women. So I don’t really catch all of it, but when I do get to watch, I do think it’s fascinating to see who’s left. Cersei, she’s still around, isn’t she?”

“I know what’s behind the scenes, but I don’t really want to think about that. I suppose I like to try and believe that it’s all actually happening and suspend my disbelief, as it were, to be taken on this scary ride. I want to see what happens like everyone else. I didn’t read the books, so it was all new when I first started, and I’ve not read the books since I got my head chopped off!”

, and we were actually filming next to the old Game of Thrones set where we first did the pilot. I went over and had a look through the gates at the old set, and that was a weird experience for me. It’s strange coming back to Northern Ireland, but it feels like a home away from home. Looking back on it, they were really good times.”

“I remember walking around spooking people with my prosthetic head, holding it by its hair. That was a vivid memory. Obviously I knew from day one that I wasn’t going to make it to season 2, but it got quite a flattering reception. I was pleased people were saddened to see the death of me. I guess that set the benchmark that if you kill off the lead guy, anyone can get killed off. And they have been and they continue to be killed off! It’s actually quite refreshing.”

“I often think of what would have happened to Ned, what would he have become, how would his family have reacted to him. But of course that wasn’t the case. He was a good man in this moral maze, and if I’m being honest, he couldn’t really survive anyway because he was just too good and too trusting.”

“He’d probably have said, ‘Just stay at home in the castle, with your mum.’” 

“No, I didn’t get [a call]. Maybe season 6!”

A version of this article appears in the March 20/27, 2015 issue of 

Nintendo CEO addresses \'Legend of Zelda\' Netflix series rumors

Durham Bulls prepare for battle, unveil \'Game of Thrones\' jerseys

Tom Hanks says, \'Hey Internet, the train was half-empty!\' in light of being dubbed the face of manspreading

\'The Walking Dead\': Alexandria\'s biggest jerk speaks out

Esquire Network greenlights \'Jerry Maguire\' documentary series

Angelina Jolie op-ed about surgery: \'My children will never have to say, \'Mom died of ovarian cancer\'

Double trouble: Movie/TV characters who fight themselves

Patricia Field dishes on 5 gigs before she got \'Younger\'

\'Game of Thrones\' London premiere: Red carpet style

Best ‘DWTS’ champ? A (non-scientific) power ranking

Fairy Godmothers: 13 who have us under their spell

\'Cinderella\' style: Gowns, sets, and a glass slipper

Salma Hayek, Colin Firth, Rita Ora & More!