With the deaths of her sisters Obara and Nymeria at Euron Greyjoy’s hand, and her capture during battle on last week’s episode of Game of Thrones, things were looking grim for Tyene Sand. Alas, she met her bitter end on Sunday night in one of the show’s most heartrending and well-acted scenes. Tyene didn’t get to go out fighting like her fellow Sand Snakes, but her final appearance had a tremendous impact and gave Rosabell Laurenti Sellers one last chance to shine.
Although Sellers hadn’t seen Game of Thrones prior to auditioning, she knew the show was a huge hit. Once she was cast, she quickly caught up to prepare for her role. Part of that preparation involved intense martial arts and combat training:
I flew out to Belfast a few times for training as well, and then just found somebody [to] follow me with the daggers. I learned the choreography late after I started training. So I had to really catch up on that, and it’s really hard. I’ve never done any fight scenes. I’ve never done stage combat. It’s so hard because you have to put all the intention into it, but then make it fake. It’s so much fun.
As the youngest Sand Snake, Sellers felt her character was always trying to “prove herself to her older sisters.” Tyene was incredibly loyal to her mother Ellaria, and she was a fierce fighter who also had “a seductive side to her…discovering her sexuality and discovering the effect that that could have on people.”
Tyene’s playful (and deadly) sexuality was on full display in season 5, when in episode 7 – “The Gift” – she taunts Bronn in his cell. After poisoning him with a slow acting agent (The Long Farewell, which would eventually be her own downfall), Tyene purposely arouses him to induce the poison to take effect. Sellers does a wonderful job at playing both the innocent and the seductress, and being able to catch Bronn off guard is an impressive feat!
Even more impressive was Sellers’ final performance. Tyene and Ellaria are given to Cersei as gifts from Euron in “The Queen’s Justice,” and Cersei certainly has a cruel fate in store. Mother and daughter are taken to a cell and chained opposite each other, while Cersei monologues about Myrcella’s murder and contemplates the best way to punish them for their crime.
Cersei finally reveals her grand plan – poisoning Tyene and forcing Ellaria to watch her slowly die and rot in front of her. All three women turn in outstanding performances here. Sellers is particularly good at conveying her fear and agony – as well as longing for comfort from her mother in her final moments – all while being bound and gagged. I suppose Ellaria and Tyene got what they deserved, but Sellers’ emotional portrayal and ability to generate sympathy for Tyene made it difficult to watch.
Sellers was born in California and spent much of her childhood in New York City, where she began acting at the age of eight. She moved to Rome shortly thereafter and has spent the majority of her career performing in Italian film and television. Game of Thrones gave Sellers her first big opportunity to be seen on the international stage, but hopefully it won’t be her last. Her next project is the upcoming film What About Love, starring Andy Garcia, Sharon Stone, and fellow Game of Thrones castmate Iain Glen. Sellers is a talented young actress, and I look forward to seeing more of her work in the years to come.
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