Ed Sheeran Says Negative Reactions to His 'Game of Thrones' Cameo 'Muddied My Joy' 

Ed Sheeran said he was a Game of Thrones fan and talked with producers about appearing on the show for years — but his cameo didn't go as planned

Ed Sheeran in Game of Thrones.

Ed Sheeran is the first to admit that his surprise cameo on Game of Thrones didn't exactly go as he planned.

Sheeran made an appearance on Dax Shepard's podcast Armchair Expert Monday, where he admitted that the negative reaction to his cameo changed the way he looks back on his experience on the show.

"I feel like people's reaction to it sort of muddied my joy to it," he said.

The "Bad Habits" singer briefly appeared on the HBO series as he played a Lannister soldier in the season 7 episode "Dragonstone," which aired in 2017. At the time, his appearance caused a stir on social media, with many fans complaining that his appearance was a distraction from the plot.

Sheeran said he had been a fan of the show since season 3 aired, and started asking producers for a cameo in 2012. Then, they finally decided to book him as a way to surprise Sheeran's friend and GoT star Maisie Williams (who played Arya Stark.) The surprise didn't last, though, Sheeran noted, as Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) spilled the secret at ComicCon.

"She's always been awesome," he said of Williams. "I don't think they had written the ending yet. It was meant to be her last season but it wasn't. And as a surprise for her, [they got] me on. So, she was meant to turn up on set and I was by the fire."

And when confronted by fans about his decision to make a guest appearance, Sheeran said he has a simple answer: "For me, what I say to people all the time, because I know there was a big 'why?' — and I just say 'What would you say?' "

But the "Bad Habits" singer said he isn't planning on acting again anytime soon — at least not when he has to be on screen.

"I love the break from the norm, but I did a TV show called The Bastard Executioner and I loved the first day. Then, the second day, I felt so out of place because I wasn't an actor and the confidence — I just didn't feel like a very confident actor," he said on the podcast. "I watch that show now and it actually turned out well, but I feel I don't really have impostor syndrome too much with my own career because I know the path that it's trot, but I have real impostor syndrome with acting."

He continued, "I'm very aware that I'm a very recognizable person who is well-known for having a face for radio, so I'm not looking to be a heartthrob. I'd love to do an animated movie. I'd love to do a musical, animated movie."