Game of Thrones star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau reveals the one scene he 'just couldn't watch'

Eyes have been gouged, siblings have had sex, and skin's been peeled off — but still, fans have stuck with the gruesome yet insanely popular Game of Thrones.

But there was one scene during the final episode of season five that even the show's star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau couldn't bring himself to watch.

In an interview with Variety, the actor — who plays Jaime Lannister — admitted he had to turn away when nine-year-old Shireen Baratheon was burned alive.

"It was just cruel. I understand why they did it, but I just couldn't watch it. And it was difficult to even read," he told the publication of the shocking moment.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau says he couldn't bring himself to watch the scene in season 5, when Princess Shireen Baratheon is burned alive. Photo / HBO

Coster-Waldau added that seeing seven-year-old Robin Arryn being breastfed in season one was also pretty difficult to digest.

"It was so weird and wrong on every level," he said.

After confirming he'd already filmed his last scene after nine years working on the show, the actor praised Thrones creators D.B. Weiss and David Benioff for the way the final season played out.

"They just couldn't have done a better job on ending our story," he said. "We've worked harder than ever before. We spent twice as much shooting these six episodes than we did on two full seasons before. No expense has been spared. We've gone all in."

Coster-Waldau also praised the cast and crew, pointing out that there had been "no a**holes on the show."

"It's quite something," he said. "I'm gonna miss all those people, that's for sure."

Game of Thrones is slated to return in 2019.