Kit Harington never expected one of his most awkward acting challenges would come years after Game of Thrones ended.
Speaking to fellow former co-star Peter Dinklage for Variety’s Actors on Actors, Harington admitted filming romantic scenes with Sophie Turner in their new horror movie The Dreadful felt downright “gross” after spending years playing siblings/ cousins on HBO’s fantasy hit.
“It was weird,” the 39-year-old actor confessed.
Turner, who also served as a producer on the film, initially didn’t realise how many explicit scenes there were when she first asked Harrington to join the cast.
“She sent me the script and I said, ‘Sophie, there’s a lot of us getting it on,’” Harington recalled. “She hadn’t seen that. She just said, ‘Yeah, Kit would be good for this part.’”
The situation felt especially strange because the actors essentially grew up together while filming Game of Thrones. Harington explained that he has “known [Turner] since she was a child” and views her as “a younger sister.”
Despite his hesitation, Harrington ultimately signed on.
“We did it. It was gross but it was fine,” he insisted. “She’s an amazing actor. I know we all know that but she was a child when she [started on Game of Thrones]. She is phenomenal!”
Turner previously admitted she had a similar reaction after revisiting the script. Speaking on Late Night With Seth Meyers last year, she recalled suddenly noticing all the romantic scenes and thinking, “oh shoot, that’s my brother.”
Still, both actors agreed the project was too good to pass up, even if it made for some very uncomfortable filming days.
