Along with the rest of the world on Thursday, we sat patiently waiting for “Game of Thrones” to melt a block of ice on Facebook to reveal the Season 7 release date. A tortuous couple of failed Facebook Live streams later, we finally got our answer.
As the ice was melting (literally), The Huffington Post asked Harington over the phone if Season 7 was worth it.
Advertisement
“Yes, I’m gonna say, ‘Yes.’ I mean I hope it is. I certainly did more this season than I’ve ever done. I think every actor on it did more action, had more action, had more scenes,” he said. “They really focused it because less characters are coming in, and they’re focusing in on the existing ones, and there are lots of people who cross paths, and that’s something that I think the audience has been waiting for for a long time.”
(Hmmm, what characters have we been waiting a “long time” to cross paths?)
(Khal it maybe?)
Harington continued, “They spent an increasing amount of money on less episodes, so it’s gonna be much bigger in scale, the CGI ... we’re trying new things, experimenting with new camera techniques. I think we’re trying to break boundaries and push past boundaries in these final two seasons.”
Was he done yet? Oh, hells Snow.
“You have to live up to the hype that’s surrounded the show and the worst thing would be to end without really pushing and trying new things. Even if it’s a failure, at least trying to go out with a bang,” Harington added.
Advertisement
Despite what happens in the final two seasons, Harington is aware that he’ll never totally get away from Jon Snow.
The actor is now appearing in the Western-horror movie “Brimstone.” Through chapters, the movie reveals the haunting and horrific struggle of a woman (Dakota Fanning), who is tormented and pursued by a mysterious preacher (Guy Pearce). Harington plays Samuel, an antihero who may get a bit of redemption, but he knows some fans will still see him as his “Game of Thrones” character.
Harington said, “Most roles I go into I have the same appearance, so you’re never going to drift completely away from a viewer who’s watched ‘Thrones’ and loves ‘Thrones.’ They’re always going to see an element of me, which is the character of Jon Snow. I’m never going to get away from that so, for me, I don’t try and fight against a character like Jon Snow.”
Still, Harington explained that he actively seeks out a variety of different roles.
“I spend half the year playing a surly hero, and the other half of the year I quite like trying a different type of character, and this, he’s a short but powerful part of the film in the girl’s life, and he’s an antihero, but she changes him and he leaves the film trying to save her. I found that really interesting,” said Harington. “Brief but really interesting character development to explore.”
Advertisement
Taking on those new parts can be challenging. Harington said a shake-up in the casting gave him only one day to prepare for “Brimstone.”
“I was on a plane about 24 hours after being offered the part, desperately trying to make quick choices about who this character was. Usually you have a couple of months getting into character. I had very limited time. I didn’t have a lot of time with the accent, so I made a choice, and it’s probably horribly inaccurate, but it helped me gloss who he might be,” said the actor.
At least his “Game of Thrones” castmate, Carice van Houten, who also stars in “Brimstone,” had a hug waiting for him when he arrived.
Hey, Jon Snow didn’t have time to prepare to be King in the North either, and that worked out pretty well for him.
Advertisement
”Brimstone” is now in select theaters and On Demand.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.