5 Things We Learned From Kit Harington

Photography by Nino Munoz

"You know nothing, Jon Snow." It's perhaps the closest thing the hit HBO series Games of Throneshas to a tagline, and the actor who plays Jon Snow, Kit Harington, is the closest thing the ensemble drama has to a breakout star. For the Out's special summer 2015 "Hot List" double issue cover story, the Thrones star sat with William Van Meter to discuss his character, how the show addresses sexuality, and a controversial statement he made about being called a hunk. Here, a few things we learned.

On the backlash he received for saying it was "demeaning" to be called a hunk:

"I found it unfair, really, some of the stuff I read [in response]. I was making a point, which was that I think young men do get objectified, do get sexualized unnecessarily. As a person who is definitely in that category, as a young leading man in this world, I feel I have a unique voice to talk about that. I was making a point to sort of say, 'It just needs to be highlighted.' With every photo shoot I ever go to, I'm told to take off my shirt, and I don't."

On the fraternal Game of Thrones group Night's Watch:

"There is something homoerotic about that. They all bunk up together. I haven't really thought about it too much, but they're brotherly. There's brotherly love."

On Game of Thrones addressing sexuality:

"It's not just gay and straight. We've got bisexual characters as well, which is rarely done on TV. I like the fact that we deal with a broad spectrum of sexuality."

On only reading his Game of Thrones scripts this year:

"Every year, I've known before everyone else what happens. This year, I just thought, I want to watch as a fan."

On slowly becoming comfortable with media and the talk show circuit:

"I'm slowly getting to be more comfortable with them, but I find them terrifying. They scare the fucking living shit out of me."

SLIDESHOW | KIT HARINGTON