Castle Black is no soundstage. The fictional castle at the Northern border of the Seven Kingdoms in “Game of Thrones” is actually a 360-degree film set, built from the ground up at an old stone quarry in Northern Ireland.
On “60 Minutes” this week, the actor Kit Harington, who plays Jon Snow, revisits the set of Castle Black with Anderson Cooper to show “60 Minutes” viewers the real Wall— a modest cliff face painted white—and the castle grounds where the Brothers of the Night’s Watch defend the Wall from wildlings and White Walkers.
With “60 Minutes” cameras in tow, Harington and Cooper stroll through the set, discussing favorite scenes and marveling at the hyper-realistic details of Castle Black.
“That was always, with “Thrones,” what I felt was amazing,” says Harington. “There was a level of detail that went beyond what the audience sees—just to give the actors that bit more of reality in the world they’re in to play off.”
Harington shares how “Thrones” directors filmed ferocious battle scenes and shocking plot twists at the quarry.
“That’s the spot there where I died,” Harington says, pointing to a patch of ground where his character lay dead, albeit temporarily, from stab wounds. The actor also reveals how his favorite Castle Black battle was filmed, using a 360-degree filming technique he called a “oner.”
“It’s a continuous shot,” explains Harington. “I remember we got it on the first take—and that was a magical moment for me.”
The video above was produced by Ann Silvio and Lisa Orlando. It was edited by Lisa Orlando and Sarah Shafer Prediger.
To see the full “60 Minutes” report on “Game of Thrones,” click here.
© 2019 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
