is filled with dark moments, but one affected Kit Harington personally. Based on George R. R. Martin's series, the hit show started in 2011 with a cast filled with young actors. Chief among them, Harington starred as the brooding Jon Snow, as his character slowly rose to become the Commander of the Night's Watch. Along the way, Jon suffered through countless struggles, including a death and resurrection during seasons 5 and 6.
While Jon's resurrection was a shocking twist, it was also a massive challenge for Harington to overcome. As a member of , Harington was always at the center of pop culture, but Jon's death rocketed him into the spotlight.
Instead of being a mere member of an ensemble, Harington was shocked to realize that he was quickly becoming a star. In an interview on the podcast, he revealed that it brought him to a dark place. Check out his quote below (via ):
My darkest period was when the show seemed to become so much about Jon when he died and came back. I didn't like the focus of the whole show coming onto Jon. When you become the cliffhanger of a TV show and a TV show probably at the height of its power, the focus on you is f—ing terrifying. I realized that my life was hinging on this. Luckily, it was the right place at the right time.
I managed to forge a new life from there... That is a dangerous rabbit hole to fall down because you find all of the bad stuff that people are saying as well as the nice stuff.
before, but Jon's resurrection impacted him more than being a member of the ensemble ever did. Part of the reason for that was that it enabled Harington to become essentially the spokesman of the show. On late-night talk shows, he was constantly asked about Jon's death and whether he would return to the show.
His subsequent suffering would give him more than enough reason to declare that he is no longer interested in reprising his role in future projects.
While that would be understandable, it is not the path that Harington has taken. Instead, he is working on developing a . Author George R. R. Martin already formally announced the project, but it has not been officially greenlit by HBO yet. Unlike the highly successful spin-off, would serve as a sequel to . The scripts are currently in development, and Harington is hopeful to see the show reach production.
Other spinoffs in development include ,
, season 2, , and .
If is not greenlit, it is unlikely that Harington will have the opportunity to reprise his role as Jon Snow. Still, his interest in the spin-off is a sign that he would be open to any future opportunities that develop. Harington's time in the spotlight enabled him to seek help with coping with his new stardom. If he can ever take part in a spinoff, his time coping with Jon's resurrection will have been an important learning tool for his future.
Created by David Benioff and D.
B. Weiss, Game of Thrones is a TV series based on the book “A Song of Ice of Fire” by George R. R. Martin. It tells the story of the ongoing battle between the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros - as they fight for control of the coveted Iron Throne. Friction between the houses leads to full-scale war. All while a very ancient evil awakens in the far north. Amidst the war, a neglected military order of misfits, the Night's Watch, led by House Stark's Jon Snow, is the first to encounter icy horrors that threaten all realms of men. The series premiered on HBO in the United States on April 17, 2011, and quickly became one of the biggest event series in the "Golden Age" of TV.
Winner of 38 Primetime Emmy Awards, Game of Thrones has attracted record viewership on HBO and has a broad, active, international fan base.
