Kit Harington Lost It When He Found Out Jon Snow Kills Daenerys
HBO’s behind-the scenes Game of Thrones documentary included footage of Harington learning the characters' fates.
![Hair, Facial hair, Beard, Chin, Hairstyle, Forehead, Suit, White-collar worker, Black hair, Moustache,](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Wv2tuuXhujuZwcKcs6KnYb-415-80.jpg)
Game of Thrones's finale was pretty polarizing, but even if the final season felt a bit like a sprint to the finish, there was one moment that even the most jaded fans could agree landed like a gut punch. After eight seasons of following Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen, first on their separate journeys and finally as a couple, we watched Jon stab Dany to death in the finale, killing the woman he loved to save the realm.
HBO released a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Thrones with its documentary The Last Watch, which aired Sunday. It included footage from the cast’s table reads, and gave fans a glimpse of an emotional scene—the moment Jon Snow actor Kit Harington learned that his character would kill Daenerys.
"I was very shocked and surprised at certain events unfolding," he said of the moment during a Late Show appearance earlier this month, "and then I blubbed my eyes out. I cried."
Harington told Entertainment Weekly that he purposely didn’t read the script ahead of time so that he could learn the story’s resolution alongside his castmates. Daenerys actor Emilia Clarke, who’d already read her scripts, purposefully positioned herself opposite Harington during the table read, in order to have the perfect view of the moment he learned the truth. “He was crying,” she told EW, “and then it was kind of great him not having read it.”
The actor also knew the ending wouldn’t delight every fan. "I think it’s going to divide," he told EW in the same interview. "But if you track [Daenerys’s] story all the way back, she does some terrible things. She crucifies people. She burns people alive. This has been building. So, we have to say to the audience: ‘You’re in denial about this woman as well. You knew something was wrong. You’re culpable, you cheered her on.’"
Still, when Harington learned Daenerys’s fate, he was visibly emotional, holding his head in shock. Check out the clip below.
A post shared by Filmatic (@filmatic)
A photo posted by on
For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.
Stay In The Know
Marie Claire email subscribers get intel on fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Sign up here.
RELATED STORIES
Dedicated to women of power, purpose, and style, Marie Claire is committed to celebrating the richness and scope of women's lives. Reaching millions of women every month, Marie Claire is an internationally recognized destination for celebrity news, fashion trends, beauty recommendations, and renowned investigative packages.
-
Lady Gaga Performs in Full Moulin Rouge Glam—and Flamingo Feathers
The pop star is bringing her glamorous residency feathers to her highly-anticipated Paris performance.
By India Roby Published
-
Why Did Prince William Remove Queen Camilla's Sister From His Payroll?
She was hired by King Charles in 2005.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Céline Dion Channels Her Inner Track Star at the Olympics
Logomania is back.
By Julia Gray Published
-
How Victoria Justice Learned to Use Her Voice on the Set of 'Victorious'
The former Nickelodeon star recalls what it was like to speak up to adults on set as a child.
By Sadie Bell Published
-
Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones Tease an Announcement: "We've Got Some News to Share"
The former 'Normal People' costars and IRL best friends seem to have a new project in the works.
By Sadie Bell Published
-
The Woman Who Inspired Martha in 'Baby Reindeer' Calls the Series "a Work of Fiction" In a YouTube Interview
A woman has come forward as the alleged inspiration behind Martha in the hit Netflix series.
By Sadie Bell Last updated
-
The Best 'Friends' Episodes of All Time
Could these BE any better?
By Katherine J. Igoe Published
-
‘Bachelor in Paradise’ 2023: Everything We Know
Cue up Mike Reno and Ann Wilson’s “Almost Paradise."
By Andrea Park Last updated
-
Who Is Gerry Turner, the ‘Golden Bachelor’?
The Indiana native is the first senior citizen to join Bachelor Nation.
By Andrea Park Last updated
-
‘Virgin River’ Season 6: Everything We Know
Here's everything we know on the upcoming episodes.
By Andrea Park Last updated
-
Kim Cattrall Didn't See or Speak to Her Costars When Filming 'And Just Like That' Cameo
That's some type of commitment.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published