Los Angeles, Feb 21 (NationPress) Director Natasha Kermani, who has skillfully directed 'The Dreadful', has shared insights about casting Sophie Turner and Kit Harington as romantic partners.

The director has emphasized the “forbidden fruit” aspect of the film, according to 'Female First UK'.

The duo previously portrayed half-siblings Sansa Stark and Jon Snow in 'Game of Thrones' prior to being cast as childhood friends turned lovers Anne and Jago in the new dramatic horror film 'The Dreadful'. Kermani believes their historical collaboration adds a unique dimension to the new project.

She told 'Variety', “These characters were always childhood friends. One of the film's themes is coming of age, so she carries memories of their childhood together. Now, as adults, they are reassessing their relationship.”

She further mentioned, “While they are not related in our film, there exists a love triangle, contributing to the forbidden fruit feeling present in our narrative. I find it fascinating how this unfolded.”

According to 'Female First UK', this horror film is set during the War of the Roses, marking the end of the Dark Ages, with Sophie portraying Anne, who resides with her mother-in-law, Morwen (played by Marcia Gay Harden), while her husband is away at war.

Praising Sophie’s performance, Natasha remarked, “One aspect she resonated with was the character’s spirituality and inner strength. Initially, I perceived this character as potentially more childlike, a blank slate evolving over time. However, what Sophie brought, which delighted me, was her ability to embody that strength and determination from her very first appearance on screen.”

She elaborated, “Her instincts and intuition for the characters have been consistently impressive. The core relationship between the two women, particularly across the generations, and the conflict between them as one seeks independence while the other attempts to maintain her hold, provided a captivating playground for exploration. All the other elements, from mythology to fantastical aspects, emerged from examining this core relationship.”

Meanwhile, Kit, 39, acknowledged he felt “odd” about kissing his friend Sophie, 30, for the film.

He shared with E! News, “She was the one who introduced this movie to me, and she somehow didn’t perceive it the way I did. I thought, 'These characters are lovers, right?' It felt somewhat strange. It was a bit embarrassing having to step on an apple box to kiss her since she’s about a foot taller than me. Nevertheless, my dignity remained intact. It was a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with her again.”

“What was heartwarming was our chemistry on set rekindled. It felt like being with family,” he added.