‘Game of Thrones’ Star Kit Harington Reveals He Learned His Real Name at Age 11

Kit Harington, renowned for his portrayal of Jon Snow in Game of Thrones, recently shared a surprising anecdote from his childhood regarding his name. This revelation came during an interview with Interview magazine in 2012, where he disclosed that he only found out his real name at the age of 11.

Born Christopher Catesby Harington on December 26, 1986, in Acton, West London, Harington has been known as Kit since infancy. For much of his early years, he believed Kit was his actual name.

This perception changed during a school placement test when he wrote “Kit Harington” on his paper, unaware that it was incorrect. The reaction he received was unexpected.

He vividly recalled the moment in the interview, stating, “They looked at me like I was completely stupid, and they said, ‘No, you’re Christopher Harington, I’m afraid.’ It was only then I learned my actual name. That was kind of a bizarre existential crisis for an 11-year-old to have.”

This revelation was confusing for him, as he had never been informed that Kit was merely a nickname. It led to an unexpected identity shock at a young age, a situation most people never encounter.

Despite this discovery, Harington continued to use the name Kit in all aspects of his life. He explained in the same interview, “No one ever calls me Christopher. I only use it when I’m applying for a new passport or something.”

He emphasized his strong identification with the name Kit, saying, “I felt that’s who I was. I’m not really a Chris.”

Despite the unusual backstory, Harington successfully built a prominent acting career under the name Kit Harington. He trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama before embarking on his professional journey on stage, including a notable performance in the West End production of War Horse in 2009.

His breakthrough role came when he was cast as Jon Snow in HBO’s Game of Thrones, which catapulted him to global fame and made him one of the most recognized faces on television. He portrayed the character throughout all eight seasons of the series.

During the show’s peak, Harington became one of the highest-paid actors on television, reportedly earning up to 1.1 million dollars per episode in later seasons. His portrayal of Jon Snow solidified the character as one of the most beloved figures in modern TV history.

After Game of Thrones concluded, HBO contemplated a spin-off series centered on Jon Snow, but the project was ultimately shelved. Harington later revealed that the cancellation was due to the team’s inability to find a compelling story to tell.

Since then, he has taken on various roles in film, television, and theater. He appeared in the Marvel film Eternals and joined the cast of the HBO series Industry, portraying a wealthy yet troubled character named Sir Henry Muck. He has also returned to the stage in several significant theater productions.

Even with an extensive list of roles, the story of his name remains one of the most intriguing aspects of his life. A childhood misunderstanding about something as simple as a name has become a memorable part of his personal narrative.

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