Game of Thrones star Kit Harington has admitted he thinks Jon Snow is the “unfunniest character ever to grace television”.
The British actor rose to fame on the HBO drama – which began in 2011 – as one of the key characters, and was even involved in one of the biggest TV cliffhangers to date when he was “killed off” at the end of season five.
Harington has revealed he is more than ready to show fans a “lighter” side of his acting after eight years of playing “unfunny” Snow.
“I have played possibly the unfunniest character ever to have graced television,” he told Emmy magazine. “I love comedy. But Jon Snow is not a joke person.”
The 32-year-old explained that it was going to be “quite nice to subvert what people see him as” and show his lighter and comedic side in new projects.
Harington added: “In some ways comedy works even better if you’re the overly serious guy in a ridiculous comedy, then it can be even funnier.”
Reflecting on the crucial moment in the show’s history, Harington admitted that he was thrown into the limelight with people asking him if he was “really dead” after being spotted filming, and said that the level of focus on his character “heightened” things for him.
“It wasn’t a very good time in my life,” Harington told Variety. “I felt I had to feel that I was the most fortunate person in the world, when actually, I felt very vulnerable.
“I had a shaky time in my life around there – like I think a lot of people do in their 20s. That was a time when I started therapy, and started talking to people.”
The star, who married former co-star Rose Leslie last year, admitted that he felt “unsafe” and isolated himself during the dark period as theories about his character swirled around.
Game Of Thrones will return for a final series on April 15, simulcasting with the US at 2am. Episodes will be repeated at 9pm on Sky Atlantic.
