Keith Harrington, whose filmography so far includes less than 10 films, is known to all devoted fans of the television series “Game of Thrones,” whose audience numbers in the millions. It is with his character that the main mystery of the future season of the acclaimed show is connected. He became one of the few TV stars who woke up famous after their first filming experience, avoiding a series of failed films. Of course, viewers are interested in details about the identity of the mysterious 28-year-old actor.
Kit Harrington: biography of a star
The future Jon Snow was born in 1986, his homeland was England. The boy got his passion for the stage from his playwright mother. It’s interesting that as a child, Kit Harrington, whose filmography opened with such a successful role, did not imagine himself as an actor at all. Like many children, he alternately changed his hobbies, promising to become either a journalist or a cinematographer. Fortunately, his love for the theater forced him to make the final decision.
Keith Harrington, whose filmography cannot yet be called extensive, is not one of the movie stars who came into the profession “from the street.” Having decided on his future career, he studied acting at one of the best London colleges. At the same time, “Jon Snow” acquired practical skills by playing in student plays.
Descendant of the king and inventor of the toilet
Keith was born in 1986 in London into a family with a serious pedigree. His father John Harington is a real aristocrat, a baronet and a descendant of two prominent personalities: the English king Charles II and the Scottish lord Henry Dadas, whom his contemporaries called the “uncrowned king of Scotland” (however, he left a bad mark on history and became notorious for his enormous thefts). Keith himself claims that among his ancestors there was also John Harington, the court poet and godson of Queen Elizabeth I, a close friend of the poet and playwright Christopher Marlowe. There is no exact evidence of this, but the future actor received his name thanks to Shakespeare’s predecessor: his mother named him in honor of Marlowe, whose name was shortened to “Whale.”
Keith refers to his aristocratic roots without pride and even with humor. For example, in one interview he said that his ancestor John Harington was a very bad poet, but he invented... the toilet. When the journalist half-jokingly asked whether the push was named after his glorious ancestor (in English slang it is called “john”), Keith agreed with a laugh and joyfully added: “Okay, at least they didn’t call it “Harington”!” In any case, Keith does not come across as an arrogant blue-blooded person. Everyone who has worked with him notes what a pleasant and easy-to-communicate guy he is.
When Keith was 11 years old, his family moved to Worcestershire. A few years later, he saw the play “Waiting for Godot” based on Beckett’s play, and it made such an impression on him that Keith wanted to try himself on stage for the first time. Starting at age 14, he participated in school plays and then went to college in Worcester, where he began studying drama. At the age of seventeen he went to London, where he saw Ben Whishaw . He himself was still a novice actor, but his performance of the role of Hamlet in the Old Vic theater production literally blew up London theater circles. Keith was mesmerized by his performance. Worried and blushing desperately, he tried to communicate with Whishaw backstage, but was unable to utter a word out of embarrassment and ran away. Whishaw forever became his idol and inspired him to take the most important action in his life: Keith, who until that moment doubted his choice of profession, firmly decided to become an actor.
Theater roles
The play “War Horse,” staged in 2008, became the debut for the then 22-year-old actor. The young man had the opportunity to play one of the leading roles, his work received positive feedback from the audience, and was liked by the theater audience. Actor Kit Harrington, before filming the first season of the famous television project, managed to take part in another production, coping well with the role of Ed Montgomery.
It is interesting that “Jon Snow” himself never ceases to put performances first, giving preference to traditional productions and refusing innovative experiments. Movie roles remain a pleasant bonus for him. To the delight of his fans, he successfully combines all his hobbies.
Filming in "Game of Thrones"
The failed journalist easily passed the casting, beating out other contenders for the role in one of the most ambitious projects of the 21st century. Kit Harrington, whose biography contains no downs, only ups, began starring in the series as the character to whom the public is most sympathetic. Naturally, the fame that befell the young man was inevitable. His bastard Jon Snow has remained a favorite of fans of the show for several seasons, who dream of the actor continuing to participate in the filming.
In the first season of Game of Thrones, released in 2011, viewers watch the actor wearing a wig because his own hair was too short. Gradually they are industries. The character's gothic style and his passion for the color black are close to Keith in real life. Harrington speaks warmly about his hero, adding that he would gladly make friends with John if he were a real person. Having read the script for the last episode of the fifth season, according to which Snow dies at the hands of his brothers in arms, the actor was upset to the point of tears.
Personal life
Kit Harington doesn't talk about his personal life. After Game of Thrones, fans attributed him with an affair with actress Emilia Clarke. The reason for the conversation was the frequent appearances of young people in public. The actors also starred together in a Dolce & Gabbana perfume advertisement. The stars appeared in two videos for an advertising campaign for a perfume called The One. But Keith said that he and Emily were good friends, nothing more.
Soon, Harington began to be noticed in the company of Rose Leslie, who played Ygritte in the same Game of Thrones. In the spring of 2020, they officially announced that they had become a couple.
The remaining novels that were attributed to the actor remained the fruits of the fantasies of journalists.
The candid scenes in which Keith and Rose had to film grew into a serious relationship in life. Kit and Rose have a lot in common: they are the same age, born and raised in the UK, and do the same thing. Kit Harington admitted that he enjoyed filming intimate scenes with Rose Leslie and never required a double. Moreover, he was looking forward to a new shooting day in order to touch the girl he liked.
Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington
On July 21, 2020, journalists learned that the couple was engaged. At the same time, some publications called the engagement rumors ordinary gossip, claiming that although the actors are in a relationship, they are not yet planning a wedding. However, Kit and Rose have already committed another responsible act together. The actors bought a common property: a house in England worth $2 million.
In October of the same year, Keith and Rose's relationship again attracted the attention of fans. Kit Harington was a guest on The Jonathan Ross Show, where he talked about the prank he played on the girl. The actor put a fake head with a face similar to his own in the refrigerator. The show aired hidden camera footage of the girl falling to her knees, screaming and crying after seeing this.
Rose Leslie and Kit Harington
Harington's joke received mixed reviews from fans. Many considered such an act towards a loved one to be cruel and irresponsible.
Other star projects
Kit Harrington, whose filmography began with the film that immediately gave him fame, does not want to get hung up on “Game of Thrones.” In order not to become an actor whom directors see in a single role, he pays attention to other interesting projects. Fans will be able to admire his performance in the films “Pompeii” and “The Seventh Son”, where the young man already looks mature.
Kit Harrington (his filmography confirms this) always takes responsibility in preparing for his own roles. If for the filming of some episodes of the fantastic “Game” he had to master the basics of rock climbing, then participation in the film “Pompeii” required different work. To gain weight, the young man followed a special menu that included consuming 3,000 kcal per day. He also became a regular visitor to the gym, paying special attention to muscle-building exercises.
Who is the actor dating?
Considering the active career building that Kit Harrington is currently busy with, his personal life is in the background for the young man. If you trust the rumors, his girlfriend for several years has been Rose Leslie, an actress from Ireland. The fateful meeting took place on the set of a fantasy series in which they acted as a love couple.
There is a topic that Kit Harrington does not like to talk to journalists about - his personal life. The actor jokes that the press knows about his romantic relationships much better than he does. Interestingly, he was also credited with having an affair with another co-star in Game of Thrones, Emilia Clarke, who portrayed Daenerys Targaryen on screen. But after a long period of observation of the actors, journalists found no evidence of anything more than a strong friendship between them.
The actor is only 28 years old, so his brightest film works are probably ahead.
Another John
So far, Harington's name is associated with fantasy and historical projects. Outside of Game of Thrones, he died in the arms of his beloved under the ashes of Vesuvius in the disaster film Pompeii, voiced a flying kite hunter in the animated franchise How to Train Your Dragon, died in World War I in Remembrance of the Future and planned to blow up the English parliament in his production project “Gunpowder”.
Keith called Game of Thrones his work, his life and his unique experience. He continues to modestly believe that his fame is connected only with the popularity of the series itself. He braved the galloping horses in the famous scene from Battle of the Bastards, upset that people would think the fight was computer-generated rather than filmed live. He cried when he first read the last scene between Jon and Daenerys. He refused roles in other projects for which he did not have enough strength and time. And he devoted himself to his work with such passion that it affected his health and mental state: after the end of filming the series, Keith was forced to go to the clinic.
Now the actor is back in shape. Epic battles no longer interest him: he wants to play anti-heroes, complex and ambiguous characters. He managed to play in 2020 in the production of Doctor Faustus based on Marlowe’s play, and on screen he had the opportunity to play in the story of the fictional star serial actor John Donovan, who hides his gay sexuality for the sake of his career. Xavier Dolan's film, as usual for the director, is largely autobiographical, but Keith also finds a lot in common with his character: society's interference in his personal life, relationships with loved ones, the struggle with his own ego. But it seems that the main reason Keith chose this role was the desire to say goodbye to Jon Snow, so as not to remain forever “that guy with the sword.”
The examples of Daniel Radcliffe and Robert Pattinson confirm that breaking out of an image that has firmly stuck to you is possible, but it will require a lot of effort and uncharacteristic roles. Kit Harington has taken the first step. It will be interesting to see if he left the sword in the closet.
Read also: More dead than alive: Review of the film “The Death and Life of John F. Donovan”, Crooked Path: What Jolie, Lolita, Affleck and other stars were sitting on
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Game of Thrones Kit Harington Profile The Death and Life of John F. Donovan
