Forget winter coming - it's arrived as the Game of Thrones cast descended on Belfast for a special star-studded premiere.

The HBO show, which was largely filmed at locations across Northern Ireland became infamous for gritty scenes including sex and extreme violence, hooked audiences across the world.

It has made household names of the likes of Kit Harington, Sophie Turner and Alfie Allen who were among the celebrities on the red carpet in Belfast.

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LIVE: Star-studded red carpet for Game of Thrones season 8 premiere in Belfast Posted by Belfast Telegraph on Friday, April 12, 2019

Maisie Williams, made famous for her role as Arya Stark in the series, arrived in the city on Thursday via a cheap and cheerful easyJet flight.

The 21-year-old posted mirror selfies from a Belfast hotel on Instagram as she and a friend appeared to be dressed up and ready to enjoy a night out in the Northern Ireland capital.

Pilou Asbæk, who stars on screen as villain Euron Greyjoy, was branded a "handsome fella" as he was snapped on a flight to the city by fellow actor Johanne Slassen.

Carice van Houten revealed she may be too unwell to make it the Belfast premiere.

The actress, who plays Red Priestess Melisandre, shared a poll on Instagram asking fans to weigh in on if they think she will be well enough to attend.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close The cast of Game of Thrones attend the "Game of Thrones" Season 8 premiere screening at Waterfront Hall on April 12, 2019 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The first episode of the final season of the HBO series will air this weekend. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Getty Images Stars arrive for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Maisie Williams, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, and Isaac Hempstead Wright arrive for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Jerome Flynn attending the Game of Thrones Premiere, held at Waterfront Hall, Belfast. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 12, 2019. See PA story SHOWBIZ Thrones. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA Liam Cunningham attending the Game of Thrones Premiere, held at Waterfront Hall, Belfast. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 12, 2019. See PA story SHOWBIZ Thrones. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA Maisie Williams (left) and Kerry Ingram attending the Game of Thrones Premiere, held at Waterfront Hall, Belfast. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 12, 2019. See PA story SHOWBIZ Thrones. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - APRIL 12: Isaac Hempstead Wright attends the "Game of Thrones" Season 8 screening at the Waterfront Hall on April 12, 2019 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Getty Images Kit Harington attending the Game of Thrones Premiere, held at Waterfront Hall, Belfast. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 12, 2019. See PA story SHOWBIZ Thrones. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - APRIL 12: Maisie Williams attends the "Game of Thrones" Season 8 screening at the Waterfront Hall on April 12, 2019 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Getty Images BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - APRIL 12: Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner attend the "Game of Thrones" Season 8 screening at the Waterfront Hall on April 12, 2019 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Getty Images Maisie Williams (left) and Sophie Turner attending the Game of Thrones Premiere, held at Waterfront Hall, Belfast. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 12, 2019. See PA story SHOWBIZ Thrones. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA Ben Crompton attending the Game of Thrones Premiere, held at Waterfront Hall, Belfast. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 12, 2019. See PA story SHOWBIZ Thrones. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - APRIL 12: Kit Harington attends the "Game of Thrones" Season 8 screening at the Waterfront Hall on April 12, 2019 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Getty Images Stars arrive for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Maisie Williams, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, and Isaac Hempstead Wright arrive for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Maisie Williams and Sophie Turnerat the the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Stars arrive for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner arrive for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Richard Dormer, Maisie Williams, Kerry Ingram, Gemma Whelan, Pilou Asbaek, Issac Hempstead Wright, Joe Dempsie, Conleth Hill, Hannah Murray, Jerome Flynn, John Bradley, Chris Newman, Bernadette Caulfield, Kit Harington, Carice van Houten, Liam Cunningham, Richard Dormer, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jacob Anderson, and Sophie Turner attending the Game of Thrones Premiere, held at Waterfront Hall, Belfast. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 12, 2019. See PA story SHOWBIZ Thrones. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA Kit Harington arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Pilou Asbaek arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Sophie Turner arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Stars arrive for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Stars arrive for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Pilou Asbaek arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Richard Dormer arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Stars arrive for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Conleth Hill arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Carice van Houten arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Carice van Houten arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Stars arrive for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Stars arrive for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kit Harrington arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kit Harington arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner arrive for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kit Harington arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kerry Ingram arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kit Harington arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Hannah Murray arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Isaac hempstead Wright arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Ben Compton arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Gemma Whelan arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Jacob Anderson arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Liam Cunningham arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Rebecca April May and John Bradley arrive for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Jerome Flynn arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Jerome Flynn arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Jerome Flynn arrives for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premier at the Waterfront ICC in Belfast on April 12th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Isaac Hampstead Wright attends the season six premiere of "Game Of Thrones" at TCL Chinese Theatre on Sunday, April 10, 2016, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP / Facebook

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Whatsapp The cast of Game of Thrones attend the "Game of Thrones" Season 8 premiere screening at Waterfront Hall on April 12, 2019 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The first episode of the final season of the HBO series will air this weekend. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Gemma Whelan, known for her role as Yara Greyjoy in Game of Thrones, also announced that she was headed to Belfast.

Sharing a picture of her sleeping daughter on Instagram, she wrote: "Belfast here we come! Someone is super pumped #GoTPremiereBelfast."

Dublin actor Liam Cunningham appeared in Belfast on Wednesday to launch the Game Of Thrones Touring Exhibition. He plays smuggler turned Lord Davos Seaworth in the fantasy epic.

The show returns for its eighth and final season on Monday, April 15 on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV at 2am on and is repeated at 9pm.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Jerome Flynn attending the Game of Thrones Premiere, held at Waterfront Hall, Belfast. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 12, 2019. See PA story SHOWBIZ Thrones. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA Liam Cunningham attending the Game of Thrones Premiere, held at Waterfront Hall, Belfast. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 12, 2019. See PA story SHOWBIZ Thrones. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - APRIL 12: Isaac Hempstead Wright attends the "Game of Thrones" Season 8 screening at the Waterfront Hall on April 12, 2019 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Getty Images Kit Harington attending the Game of Thrones Premiere, held at Waterfront Hall, Belfast. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 12, 2019. See PA story SHOWBIZ Thrones. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - APRIL 12: Maisie Williams attends the "Game of Thrones" Season 8 screening at the Waterfront Hall on April 12, 2019 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Getty Images BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - APRIL 12: Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner attend the "Game of Thrones" Season 8 screening at the Waterfront Hall on April 12, 2019 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Getty Images Maisie Williams (left) and Sophie Turner attending the Game of Thrones Premiere, held at Waterfront Hall, Belfast. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 12, 2019. See PA story SHOWBIZ Thrones. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA Ben Crompton attending the Game of Thrones Premiere, held at Waterfront Hall, Belfast. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 12, 2019. See PA story SHOWBIZ Thrones. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - APRIL 12: Kit Harington attends the "Game of Thrones" Season 8 screening at the Waterfront Hall on April 12, 2019 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Getty Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Jerome Flynn attending the Game of Thrones Premiere, held at Waterfront Hall, Belfast. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 12, 2019. See PA story SHOWBIZ Thrones. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Belfast Telegraph