Nathalie Emmanuel Also Thought That Sex Scene Between Missandei and Grey Worm Was a ‘Big Deal’

Nathalie Emmanuel has finally experienced something that seems to be a rite of passage for most Game of Thrones actors: her first nude scene of the series. (And yes, there are major spoilers ahead.)

In the second episode of season seven of Game of Thrones, Emmanuel’s character, Missandei, consummates her relationship with Grey Worm in what was a romantic and long-overdue love scene. This type of pure emotional connection can be rare in GoT, and we’ve been dying to see Daenerys’ aides come together after all the time spent pining for each other—and so have the actors, apparently. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Emmanuel discussed how she felt when she found out about the nude scene and what it was like to get intimate in a new way onscreen.

“There’s something unique about it purely because of Grey Worm’s situation—his brutal history of being mutilated—there’s a real sense of trust here and that really plays out in this lovely scene where they physically act upon their love,” Emmanuel says. “For him to do that is a really big deal, and Missandei knows that and doesn’t really care. She just loves him and that intimacy they’ve shared comes to a head.”

It was also Emmanuel’s first onscreen nude scene ever, which she explained was a bit awkward but not totally uncomfortable (or necessarily unexpected). “When I read the script, the first thing I thought was that it’s a big deal for these two characters and also it’s a nude scene and you can’t help but think about that,” she says. “You’re like, ‘OK, I’m getting naked.’ And that was really strange for Jacob and I because we’ve danced around that scenario and we’ve become good mates and now we got to be naked around each other. But it was fine and, obviously, done really respectfully. Whether you’ve done it many times, or none at all, it’s a big deal. You feel like you’re giving something quite vulnerable and, yes, it’s hard.” Emmanuel adds that she used her nervous energy to fuel the scene.

The actress is not alone, considering many of her female GoT colleagues have had some type of nude scene throughout the series. Emilia Clarke has been particularly vocal about her sometimes-conflicting feelings about the show’s use of nudity. Although she’s not apologizing for the scenes she’s in, Clarke also critiques the directing if she feels it necessary. She previously wrote in an Instagram post, “In drama, if a nude scene forwards a story or is shot in a way that adds insight into characters, I’m perfectly fine with it. Sometimes explicit scenes are required and make sense for the characters/story, as they do in Westeros. If it’s gratuitous for gratuitous sake, then I will discuss with a director on how to make it more subtle. In either case, like a good Mother of Dragons, I’m always in control.” Preach.

For the show creators’ part, the connection between Missandei and Grey Worm has proved to be a fan favorite, and the sex scene was lauded on social media. Emmanuel suggests it’s because they’re one of a few true love stories in the series. “Amongst this chaos they’re like this beacon of something sweet and pure and beautiful,” she said.

Now that’s warm enough to melt a White Walker.

Related: A ‘Game of Thrones’ Actress Was Almost Fired From the Show Because of Spoilers