‘Game of Thrones’: The Battle Scene So Graphic That Kit Harington Need a Safe Word
Game of Thrones, HBO’s smash hit fantasy series, is responsible for several young actors becoming major superstars. Over the course of seven years, the series boosted the careers of actors like Rose Leslie, Emilia Clarke, and Maisie Williams.
However, one particular young actor has really managed to thrive after starring on Game of Thrones. Kit Harington is a British performer with experience in stage productions as well as television shows and film projects.
Still, it is his work on Game of Thrones that has made him a star, and many fans believe that it is well deserved — especially after the trauma caused by filming one particular Game of Thrones sequence.
‘Game of Thrones’ is a fan-favorite television series
Game of Thrones premiered on HBO in 2011. The show is based on George R. R. Martin‘s popular fantasy novel series, although it diverged from his books in many ways over the course of the eight-season run. One of HBO’s biggest moneymakers, the show was filmed in many exotic locations all around the world, from Malta to Ireland.
Fans gravitated toward the series immediately, and at the height of its popularity, received millions of viewers every week.
Game of Thrones was often criticized for the use of violence in the series. There’s no doubt that the show had many brutal moments, and often featured graphic sexual violence. Still, it consistently defied the odds, and even today, over a year after the show aired its series finale, remains very popular with fans.
Kit Harington became a star on ‘Game of Thrones’
Kit Harington portrayed Jon Snow on Game of Thrones. His character arc was one of the most dramatic, and he was often the subject of the show’s most fascinating revelations.
Ultimately, it was Jon Snow that saved the day for many of the show’s heroes, but characteristically, he decided to take his leave and at the end of the series finale, could be seen heading off into the wilderness to find his next great adventure.
Harington was born in London in 1986. His work prior to Game of Thrones was centered on the theater, and he appeared in many stage productions prior to getting cast as Jon Snow.
Harington became popular with critics as well as fans for his work on the series and was nominated for several awards during the course of the series run. He also went on to get cast in several major motion pictures as a result of the fame he received from Game of Thrones, including Pompeii and How to Train Your Dragon 2.
What scene required Kit Harington to have a safe word?
It’s no secret that filming Game of Thrones could be brutal at times. The cast was often required to film in harsh weather conditions, usually wearing no additional protection against the elements.
Still, one particular sequence proved to be very challenging for Harington. The sequence, called “the Battle of the Bastards,” featured Harington getting caught in the midst of a stampeding army and then trampled to the ground.
As showrunners later revealed, the scene had to be filmed by hovering a camera over Harington as stuntmen piled on top of him. It was also revealed that in order to make sure Harington didn’t get injured while filming, the actor was given a safe word so that he could halt filming instantly if he felt that he was getting injured.
Fortunately, Harington wasn’t hurt, and the scene went on to become one of the most popular in the entire series.
