Meeting in the airport

Lucas's contract for the "Seven Kingdoms" series on HBO stipulated that he would earn $45,000 per episode. Despite Vincent's efforts to negotiate an increase in Lucas's appearances per episode, the production team reasoned that Lucas was not sufficiently experienced or well-known to justify a salary of $80,000 or more per episode. This was the case even though Lucas had delivered a notable performance in "127 Hours" and made a guest appearance in "Modern Family."

Furthermore, the indie film "127 Hours," despite its support from indie film enthusiasts, was relatively unknown in North America and especially around the world.

Therefore, while Lucas is undoubtedly talented, he has not yet reached the level of popularity necessary to command a higher salary per episode.

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Lucas arrived at the airport and noticed the production team of "Seven Kingdoms" already gathered there.

As soon as Lucas made his entrance, David Benioff spotted him and exclaimed, "Ah, there's the new actor set to play Robb Stark in our series—Lucas Knight."

Hearing David's introduction, the cast and crew turned their attention towards Lucas. Among them were Sean Bean, Michelle Fairley, and other cast members of the series. Lucas caught sight of Emilia Clarke and, pausing briefly, he nodded in greeting to the cast and crew, saying, "It's nice to meet all of you."

The group returned his nod in greeting. Lucas then asked, "I just found out that I'm the new actor for Robb Stark. Was someone else playing him before me?"

At this, some of the group chuckled. Kit Harington replied, "Actually, we've already finished filming the series pilot, but it didn't get a positive response. As a result, we're reshooting 90% of the scenes, and some actors didn't come back for the reshoot."

Lucas was a bit surprised by this news.

D.B. Weiss then interjected, "Let's not dwell on that. Our flight will be boarding soon, and we're still waiting for a few more cast members to arrive." He appeared to be keen to steer the conversation away from the topic of the original pilot.

Kit couldn't help but chuckle; he was well aware that D.B. Weiss and David Benioff were embarrassed by the original pilot. His light-hearted joke about it during a screening had led to a half-serious threat from the showrunners to release the pilot on YouTube, silencing him momentarily.

As the other cast members mingled, Kit turned his attention to Lucas, the newcomer.

"Hey, I realized I didn't introduce myself earlier. I'm Kit Harington," he said, extending his hand.

Lucas returned the gesture with a smile. "Nice to meet you, I'm Lucas Knight."

Kit nodded. "So, I heard you're taking on the role of Robb Stark?"

"Yes," Lucas confirmed, running a hand along his chin. "I've been growing out my beard for the role, getting into character."

Kit laughed. "You still look pretty young, though. You're quite different from the original actor for Robb Stark, especially with your blonde hair."

Lucas just grinned and leaned in slightly, points towards Emilia. "Well, I'm not the only one. Take a look at her," he whispered, indicating Emilia, who was sporting dark hair.

Kit followed his gaze. "What about Emilia?"

"She's playing Daenerys Targaryen," Lucas shared.

Kit stroked his chin thoughtfully. "You just got here and already know about her role, huh?"

Lucas just responded with a smile, though he couldn't disclose how he knew about the casting choices of their current series project due to the fact that the reason he knew was because from a previous life.

"Well, it's just a guess," Lucas said casually. "But if you're curious, why not ask her directly?"

Kit, puzzled yet intrigued, decided to take Lucas's advice and approached Emilia to inquire about her role in the series. When he returned, his expression was one of sheer surprise. "You guessed right... She is indeed playing the blonde Targaryen," Kit confirmed, still in disbelief. Then, with a hint of suspicion, he added, "Looks like either David or Weiss must have tipped you off about the cast roles, right?"

Lucas shook his head, maintaining his innocent front. "No, I just made a lucky guess."

Kit eyed him, half-amused yet skeptical. "Really? It seems like you were pretty certain about her role..."

The conversation shifted as Lucas and Kit delved into discussions about the series, occasionally touching upon the controversial original pilot. Kit, with his characteristic humor, made light-hearted jabs at the failed pilot, eliciting restrained smiles from Lucas, who was careful not to let the showrunners catch wind of their banter.

As time ticked by, other cast members gradually congregated at the airport, joining the lively group. Finally, it was time to board their flight, destined for Northern Ireland—a land marked by its rugged beauty and historic castles, chosen as the new backdrop for the reshot pilot.

The original pilot, with its scenes sprawled across Scotland and Morocco, had failed to resonate with audiences and critics alike, prompting HBO and the showrunners to opt for a complete overhaul. Morocco's scenes were slated for a total redo, while the Scottish landscapes would be replaced by the scenic vistas of Northern Ireland. This change in location was part of a broader effort to revitalize the series, alongside the decision to bring in a new director, signaling a fresh start and a renewed hope for the ambitious project.