10 Fascinating Facts About Kit Harington

by Lindsey Young

Kit Harington is widely recognized for his portrayal of Jon Snow in Game of Thrones, but there’s a lot more to this London-born actor, who was born on December 26, 1986 (including his dislike for birthday celebrations).

1. His full name is Christopher—but even he didn’t find that out until he was a pre-teen.

Born on December 26, 1986, in west London, Christopher Catesby Harington went by Kit his entire life. It wasn’t until he was 11 that he discovered his actual first name was "Christopher."

2. He was named after the iconic Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe.

Harington’s name honors the renowned playwright Christopher "Kit" Marlowe, whose work inspired William Shakespeare and also influenced Harington’s mother, Deborah Jane Catesby, another playwright. Harington has tried his hand at writing poetry, though he confessed to The Huffington Post that, "It’s terrible poetry. I would never ever ever read it to anybody. But I do write, I do write poems."

3. He launched his career on the stage, performing in the original production of War Horse.

While attending the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama (where he graduated in 2008), Harington was cast in the lead role of the National Theatre’s inaugural production of War Horse. In 2009, when the show moved to the West End’s New London Theatre, Harington continued his portrayal of Albert, which earned him widespread praise. This role ultimately led him to Jon Snow: one of the producers of Game of Thrones saw Harington in War Horse and invited him to audition.

4. He is 5’8" tall.

Although Harington commands attention on Game of Thrones, he actually stands at only 5’8". He once shared a story about a woman who approached him at a bar, saying, "OMG, you look just like Jon Snow." When he replied, "Well, I am," she responded, "Nah, he’s much taller than you." (Ouch.)

5. He arrived at his Game of Thrones audition with a black eye.

The night before his Game of Thrones audition, Harington found himself at a McDonald's with a woman he was dating. It was crowded, so they sat at a table with another couple they didn’t know. Soon, the man across from them started making rude comments to Harington’s date. After Harington stood up to confront the stranger, he realized just how tall his opponent was. "I got battered," Harington confessed, ending up with a fresh black eye. On the bright side, he believes his bruised face may have played a role in landing him the job. "I think that man who punched me in the face may have helped me get the job," he said. "So if you're watching, thank you."

6. He wore a wig for the original Game of Thrones pilot.

Harington’s signature dark curly hair wasn’t always a trademark. Though he eventually became contractually obligated to keep his hair long for the role of Jon Snow, that wasn’t the case when they filmed the original pilot of Game of Thrones—the one that never aired, not the one we all know. Harington, for one, is glad it never saw the light of day. "I had a horrible wig on," he told BBC Breakfast in 2016.

However, that’s not the only reason Harington is relieved they reshot it. "The pilot really didn’t work," Harington shared. “No one’s ever seen it, it’s in some back room somewhere, and I’d like it to stay there!”

7. He suffers from extreme claustrophobia, which created challenges during the filming of a key Game of Thrones scene.

While shooting the Game of Thrones season six episode, "Battle of the Bastards," Harington had to confront his severe claustrophobia. "I've got a few fears, spiders being one of them," he told the Belfast Telegraph in 2017. "But the worst is my claustrophobia—I'm mortally afraid of crowds. I panic." He described the intense scene in the episode as "one of the most terrifying ... and most uncomfortable" things he’s ever done.

8. He’s a descendant of the inventor of the flushable toilet.

In an interview with Elle, when asked about the rumors that he is distantly related to John Harington, the man who invented the first flushable toilet (which was created for Queen Elizabeth I), Harington confirmed it. "That's 100 percent true. It’s called 'the John Harington.'" That’s supposedly where the term "the john" for toilet comes from. As for Kit, he jokes that people don’t call the toilet "the Harington."

9. He had to reveal Jon Snow's fate to get out of a speeding ticket.

After being sworn to secrecy about his character's fate in the sixth season, Harington was put in a tough spot when he was pulled over for speeding. The officer, a fan of Game of Thrones, offered him a deal: either accept the consequences of speeding or reveal whether Jon Snow would live or die. Harington initially thought the officer was joking, but upon seeing the officer's sincerity, he told him: 'I’m alive next season.' The officer responded with, 'On your way, Lord Commander.'

10. He becomes grumpy on his birthday.

People born in December often have a difficult time properly celebrating their birthdays, and Harington is no exception. Being born the day after Christmas, which is also Boxing Day in England, has always been a letdown. "I always end up getting really grumpy and selfish on my birthday," he told W Magazine, adding that "I never get enough attention."