That sort of information must be lovely for an actor to hear. Whatever the idea of the writer, the finished result has gone through so many visions of so many people to get to the end result, that there may be very little left so to have the writer's work so fully translated to the screen in those scenes speaks volumes as to the quality of the writing, and the acting - our chap must be 'well chuffed' with that.
I loved the statue part too, that last look; Ned's last moment of cogent thought was the knowledge of the safety of Arya, and the peace that brought him as the sounds of all that hate faded.