Movies - TV
The Game Of Thrones Showrunners Had A Unique Way Of Keeping Kit Harington 'In Line'
By FATEMEH MIRJALILI
Despite leaving behind a controversial legacy, “Game of Thrones” is a historic triumph of television that launched the careers of many of its younger actors, such as Kit Harington, who played fan favorite Jon Snow. Harington portrayed the hero as a brooding warrior clad in black with a solemn look and purpose in his stride — but that wasn’t always the case.
“Game of Thrones” had a rocky start with a failed, unreleased pilot that showrunners D. B. Weiss and David Benioff referred to watching as a “painful” experience. The episode featured a 19-year-old Harington fresh from drama school in the same role, but this depiction sported a wig and a clean-shaven “baby” face that was embarrassing enough for Weiss and Benioff to use as a threat.
The showrunners used the pilot as a playful threat to Harington, with the actor sharing, "They say, if I ever piss them off too much, they'll release it on YouTube. Every now and then, they send me a screengrab, just as a threat." Weiss and Benioff reworked the episode and made some changes, including having Harington grow out his hair and beard, becoming the character we know today.