14 Little Known Facts About Kit Harington’s Private Life

After he married his GoT love interest, Rose Leslie, fans became very interested in learning more about Kit’s private life.

Less than a decade ago, no one knew who Kit Harington was. The star, born Christopher Catesby Harington, has been called Kit his entire life. In fact, Kit didn’t know that his first name was really Christopher until writing exams at school when he was eleven. He found out the truth because a teacher wouldn’t let him write down his nickname.

It didn’t take long for the young star to earn attention and accolades for his starring role in the hit HBO show, Game of Thrones, which ran from 2011 to 2019. Kit earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Dramatic TV series, along with two Primetime Emmy nominations. Harington has starred in feature films, including Pompeii, and done voice acting for the How To Train Your Dragon franchise.

Today, the 33-year-old actor is moving on from his life-changing role as Jon Snow and proving himself in other genres. In 2019, Harington joined the Marvel universe, to portray Dane Whitman/The Black Knight in The Eternals (which is currently in post-production).

After he married his GoT love interest, Rose Leslie, fans became very interested in learning more about Kit’s private life. Here are 15 little known facts about Kit Harington’s private life.

An Interesting Introduction To George R.R. Martin

Many young adults have worked retail and Kit had a job in a bookstore. While working at the store, he was constantly restocking the popular George R.R. Martin books, something he begrudged because they were big and heavy.

Kit said, “I used to have to lug down the books and George’s always sold like hotcakes, so I was constantly having to restack them and they were just so heavy because they’re so huge. I remember cursing him. I’ve told him this many times.” Kit added, “I’d fill up the shelves and they’d sell out in a day!”

His Two Biggest Phobias

Kit Harington is afraid of a few things, including spiders, flying, and crowds. His worst fear is being buried alive – he had to face that fear head-on in the GoT episode, “Battle of the Bastards”, where he was pinned under many bodies.

Outlook India reported Kit’s thoughts about shooting that episode, “There was a moment where he could’ve just lay down and let go of the hell he’s in, and sleep, like drowning, but it cuts to the heart of Jon, that he fights his way up to the top.”

Fears Of Being Typecast

Any actor who becomes known for one specific role dreads the idea of being typecast, and although Harington loves his connection with Jon Snow, he’s ready to move on. One way he’s working on avoiding typecasting is writing his own roles!

Kit told The Guardian, “I’ve written three TV shows with my best friend Dan West, two of which we have sold, so I would like to see myself producing. I met Dan at drama school – we live together and write together. It’s like a sexless marriage.”

His Courtship With Rose

GoT gave Kit Harington his fame and it also gave him the love of his life. Harington first met Rose Leslie back in 2012, on the set, and it didn’t take long for their working relationship to become a romantic one.

After years of keeping a low profile about their dating status, they announced their engagement in 2017 and got married the same year. Kit said, “I thank the show for everything. But more than anything else, I thank it for introducing me to her.”

This Close To A Career-Ending Accident

Time stopped for Harington when he was filming Pompeii. He told Rolling Stone, “I was in my trailer, and I felt absolutely fine, but they called me to set, I got up, and my legs just went from underneath me, and I couldn’t stand. Every time I got up; the same thing happened. I just stayed in bed for 48 hours and then I was at work again. But it’s weird when that happens.”

Behind The Scenes In His Marriage

Although Kit and Rose do their best to keep their private lives to themselves, fun tidbits about their relationship come out every now and then. During an interview, when Kit was asked about the strangest possession he owns, the star joked, “I don’t know. Generally, my wife keeps throwing out anything weird I’ve got.”

Pitching In For Family

Even families with wealth can run into financial trouble. Rose Leslie’s family once owned a castle in Scotland but were given the boot from the 15th Century Castle because of their financial woes. Both Kit and Rose stepped in to help with money – they were married at the former family castle, called Wardhill Castle.

Dealing With Vices

Partying is a common and (mostly) socially acceptable way for celebrities to deal with fame, but unfortunately, it often becomes a problem. After a tiring filming schedule and the emotional drain of the end of GoT and Jon Snow, the downside of his lifestyle hit Kit hard. The star made his health a priority and went to rehab to an American rehab center. He needed help to cope with stress and his drinking.

The Role He Dreamed Of But Could Never Get

An entire generation grew up spellbound by the world of Hogwarts and Harry Potter. Kit Harington, an avid reader of the Potter series, was no different. The star told CNN, “I kind of wanted to audition for ‘Harry’ when it was first being done but I think I was a year too old.” Instead, he entered another world of magic and intrigue.

Embarrassing Snafu While Auditioning

While finishing up his time at drama school, Kit earned the male lead in the play, War Horse. It was there that he gained the attention of GoT producers, who asked him to audition. The star was set to read alongside Tyrion Lannister but unfortunately found himself with a black eye at his audition.

Apparently, Kit had been in a scrap at a McDonald’s the night before. He said, “I had a black eye as I’d been in a scrap. But I think it might have helped. You know, ‘Who’s the kid with the black eye?’ I was completely new to them, but I looked the part – still had the black eye.”

The Celebrity He’s Most Often Mistaken For & Why?

Kit Harington has said that the other celebrity he’s been mistaken for is Lord of the Rings star, Elijah Wood. Harington thinks this is because the pair are roughly the same height. Harington has also been candid about using his fame to get out of speeding tickets and to get into the hottest clubs.

Kit admitted, “I tried to get into a French nightclub by saying “je suis celebrity” once. That’s the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to me.”

The ‘Look’ That Was In His GoT Contract

During Kit’s audition, a show creator whispered to co-creator David Benioff, “This is what Jon Snow looks like, please let this kid be good.” At the beginning of filming, Kit had short hair and no facial hair. The star had to wear a wig for the pilot and soon became contractually obligated to keep his hair longer. He didn’t even know he had curly hair until he grew it out for the show.

Parenthood?

Post-marriage, Kit is thinking about the next phase of his life. The start told GQ Australia he hopes to be a father one day. He also said, “It dawned on me, recently, and I have no idea if we will, but say me and Rose do have children. They’ll know. They’ll be able to see the genesis of their parents getting together. Which is quite a wonderful thought, really.”

His Celebrity Crushes

Even celebrities may ‘fangirl’ over meeting other famous people. Kit Harington has had some of these moments, with more than one star. Kit admits, “I freaked out when I met Ed Norton. I freaked out when I met Paul McCartney. Ben Whishaw, I really freaked out. I got tongue-tied, I couldn’t speak to him.”

Sources: Biographypedia, Harper’s Bazaar, Buzzfeed, Eighties Kids