‘Game of Thrones’ star visits Manila

CEBU, Philippines – If Nathalie Emmanuel thought hearing the orchestra play the “Game of Thrones” theme song upon her arrival at The Peninsula Manila on Thursday was “the coolest welcome ever,” Colton Haynes said riding a helicopter from the hotel to the World Trade Center in Pasay City was “the most beautiful thing I’ve probably ever done.”

As Emmanuel arrived at the The Peninsula Manila’s elegant lobby, the orchestra played the indelible theme song of “Game of Thrones,” the acclaimed fantasy series where she plays Missandei, Daenerys Targaryen’s interpreter and right hand.

“Talk about the coolest welcome ever!!!!! Was not expecting this as I walked into the hotel,” Emmanuel said on Instagram and Twitter as she posted a video of her pleasant surprise at the orchestra’s performance

The actress from Essex, England, 26, and the actor and model from Kansas, 27, sat down with local media at the first ever Asia Pop Comic Con Manila on Saturday.

Both said they were honored to be invited to the comic book and pop culture convention, the largest of its kind to be held in this country, and were gracious in complimenting Filipinos for their hospitality.

“People are so nice here!” enthused Haynes, best known for playing Jackson Whittemore in the supernatural drama series “Teen Wolf” and Roy Harper in the superhero series “Arrow.” He called the fans he had met at the event “sweet” and “down-to-earth.”

He also heaped praise on the Filipino food he has sampled, such as longganisa, sinigang, and bistek. However, he said no thanks to that traditional Filipino culinary rite of passage, balut.

Emmanuel, who was making her Comicon debut, said she had already heard a lot of beautiful things about the Philippines’ islands and beaches from her friends before her visit. She went on a tour of Intramuros on Friday and found the experience “lovely.”

She would love to return and really explore the islands someday.

Meanwhile, she confessed she was nervous about her “Games of Thrones” character Missandei’s growing popularity because that could mean she would be suddenly killed off in the series, which is notorious for the abrupt and brutal departure of its likeable characters.

Nevertheless, if the creators of the show do decide to get rid of Missandei, the actress said she would prefer to see her character “die fighting and kicking some ass.”

Asked to name her favorite characters on the show, she said Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen “because she’s my homey as well and I need to be loyal” and Peter Dinklage’s Tyrion Lannister because he’s “brilliant and hilarious.”

The actress also starred in “Furious 7” and currently appears in “Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials.”—InterAksyon.com