Winter will finally arrive in April, at least for “Game of Thrones” devotees.
The HBO fantasy series’ six-episode season is one of the most anticipated TV and entertainment events of the year, and its patient but eager fans would have waited nearly two years between seasons 7 and 8.
By its conclusion, hopefully the only question left will be how will “GoT” fans cope without the Starks, Targaryens, Lannisters, the Iron Throne, dragons, White Walkers and all things Westeros (though a prequel is in the works)?
But at least one cast member — perhaps many more — is glad that the end of the series is upon us. Kit Harington, who plays Jon Snow, says he’s ready to thaw out and move on from the show following a grueling shooting schedule.
“The last season of Thrones,” he said, “seemed to be designed to break us.”
Harington, 32, hinted that he wasn’t the only cast member who felt the same way when he spoke with GQ Australia.
“Everyone was broken at the end,” he told the publication. “I don’t know if we were crying because we were sad it was ending or if we were crying because it was so (expletive) tiring. We were sleep deprived. It was like it was designed to make you think, ‘Right, I’m (expletive) sick of this.”
Harington is one of the cast members who has been around since the show began its run in 2011. He’s been involved in some of the show’s most physically demanding scenes, including its most epic battles. His character has also been — SPOILER ALERT — killed off and resurrected.
And while most his co-stars had concluded shooting their final scenes by July 2018, Harington was still working in front of the camera.
GQ Australia caught up with him toward the end of his “GoT” work, and Harington was admittedly exhausted and frustrated.
“I remember everyone walking around towards the end going, ‘I’ve had enough now. I love this, it’s been the best thing in my life, I’ll miss it one day — but I’m done.’”
Harington is currently starring in a Sam Shepard play “True West” in London. He told GQ Australia that he was looking forward to the slower pace of stage work.
“I think people who don’t work in film or TV don’t realize quite how disorienting it is, being away from home all the time,” he said. “Coming here today (to the hotel), and seeing all the people cycling in to work, it seemed in my head a real luxury. Which must sound mad.
“But the process of going to work, having a day with your colleagues, coming back to your family, cooking, having stuff in the fridge… It sounds odd to say but it’s the thing I’m looking forward to most. After nine years I’ll be at home. In one place. Static.”
