The battle for the “Iron Throne” will finally be decided in the next season of Game of Thrones. Multiple families are preparing their final moves to see who will take control of Westeros. However, in the past seven seasons of the show many potential heirs have met their demise. Shireen Baratheon arguably met one of the most controversial fates when her own father sacrificed her for his political gain.

The young princess was no stranger to struggles. At a young age Shireen had to overcome a deadly disease that threatened to take her life and left her permanently scarred. Additionally, she had a mother who loathed her existence and had no inclination to suppress her harsh feelings of disappointment. Yet through all of the issues Shireen maintained her innocence and compassion.

Kerry Ingram, who played Shireen in Game of Thrones, shares some remarkable similarities with her onscreen character. Kerry was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, better known as brittle bone disease. Her childhood was burdened with treatments and hours spent in hospitals. This led her to have somewhat of a unique bond with Shireen.

“…Growing up I understood the feeling of being left out because there were activities that my friends could do that I couldn’t, so I really connected with her in that sense. I knew growing up that I wasn’t the same as everyone else and so did Shireen. She knows what she can and cannot do and also that people may disagree with what she decided to do. That was definitely the one thing that me and Shireen really connected on.”

Her resolve is rather inspiring if you take a look at the physical demands of being an actress with talent agencies on two continents. In fact, when we met up with Kerry at the 2018 Con Of Thrones in Dallas this past weekend she had just arrived from the United Kingdom the night before. She then spent a day and a half, one of which also happened to be her birthday, at the convention before quickly flying back to England to shoot some scenes for her current show on Netflix called Free Rein. Like Shireen, Kerry hasn’t let her affliction dampen her spirits.

“It was harder in the beginning, but as long as I maintain the treatment I am actually able to do quite a lot of things. Obviously I cannot do everything others can do, but I can do a lot more than what I could when I was ten. This industry is always going to be difficult because of the traveling, stunts, long days, and living away from home where I am not with family. It is always really hard, but it is ten times harder when you are living with a disability. If anything it gave me that sense of independence that quite a bit of people in my position do not get. That is what this industry gives me, this reason to have independence and such…”

Kerry’s physical health was not her only limitation during her time filming Game Of Thrones. She began filming the series as a young teenager, an interesting situation considering the shows content. Game of Thrones takes place in a fictional world heavily inundated with murder, sex, and other adult-oriented themes. Playing such a role at her age obviously came with its setbacks.

“It was strange to me because I hadn’t seen the scripts; I wasn’t allowed to. I had no idea what the show was or what was going on. I only knew what was going on with my character and had no idea what was going on in this world that everyone was so invested in. There was this incredible fan base. It was really an incredible experience and so different, but it was crazy doing a show for older audiences.”

While her career continues to carry her far from the world of Westeros she will always be Shireen Baratheon to diehard Game of Thrones fans. In recent years many actors have talked about how they resent the fact that they are still associated with their breakout roles or movies, but this is not the case for Kerry. She has continued to follow the series even after her departure and has nothing but fond memories of her time on set.

“…I guess my last day on set would be my least and one of my most favorites. It was one of my favorites in the sense that it was a really nice sendoff and was my last scene with Liam. It was also the last scene of the season so there was a really nice little gathering with speeches and stuff. It was also my least favorite in the fact that it was my last day and I would not be coming back. I was having to say goodbye to everyone and know that I probably would not see them again for quite some while. “

Much like Shireen, Kerry has proven that she is tougher than the odds that stand against her. As a matter of fact, just last month she recently received an Emmy for her performance in Free Rein. She may not have a future on the Iron Throne but if Kerry’s determination is any indication of her upcoming success then her potential in the film industry has few limitations.

Want to find out what house Kerry thinks that she belongs in or who she believes will end up ruling Westeros? Click here to read our full, exclusive interview with Kerry including these answers and more!