Peter Dinklage: 'It's the perfect time' to end 'Game of Thrones'

Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage says it's "the perfect time" to end the show.

The 48-year-old actor, who plays Tyrion Lannister on the HBO series, explained in an interview with Variety why it makes sense for the popular drama to end with Season 8.

"It's time," he said. "Storywise, not just for all our lives. It's the perfect time to end it. Sometimes shows stay on a little too long, the jumping-the-shark thing."

Dinklage said it will be "bittersweet" to say goodbye to Tyrion and "move on" from Game of Thrones.

"It's always the sad part of our business, we get pockets of great people for a short amount of time and then you have to move on," he shared. "It's always heartbreaking, especially when you've spent more than a couple months with people."

Game of Thrones, which co-stars Kit Harington, Emilia Clarke and Lena Headey, will return for an eighth and final season in 2019. Dinklage will next star in the Reed Morano film I Think We're Alone Now, and recently expressed interest in the Star Wars franchise.

"I just want a part!" he said during an interview with Morano with IMDb.

Game of Thrones started production on Season 8 in October. Dinklage told Variety the cast and crew are "really taking [their] time" with the final season.