Kit Harington

Christopher Catesby “Kit” Harington was born on December 26, 1986, in Acton, London. His mother, Deborah, was a playwright, while his father, Sir David Harington, is a businessman. The family has aristocratic connections: Harington’s full name refers to the Catesby family, and he is a descendant of King Charles II through his paternal line. He studied drama at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, graduating in 2008. Before becoming internationally famous, Harington performed on stage. His first major professional role was Albert Narracott in the original West End production of “War Horse,” which opened at the New London Theatre in 2007. The production’s success helped lead to his casting as Jon Snow in HBO’s “Game of Thrones.” Harington played Jon Snow throughout all eight seasons of “Game of Thrones,” from 2011 to 2019. Jon begins as the illegitimate son of Eddard Stark, joins the Night’s Watch, and gradually becomes a central military and political figure. The character’s parentage, revealed near the end of the series, connects him to the Targaryen dynasty. Harington received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for playing Jon Snow, including an Outstanding Lead Actor nomination in 2019. His film work includes “Silent Hill: Revelation 3D” (2012), “Pompeii” (2014), and “Testament of Youth” (2014), in which he played Roland Leighton opposite Alicia Vikander. He also appeared in the Western “Brimstone” (2016), voiced Eret in “How to Train Your Dragon 2” and “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World,” and played a fictionalized version of tennis player Charles Poole in the HBO comedy “7 Days in Hell.” In 2017, Harington wrote and starred in the BBC historical miniseries “Gunpowder,” portraying Robert Catesby, the Catholic conspirator who organized the 1605 Gunpowder Plot against King James I. In the Marvel film “Eternals” (2021), he played Dane Whitman, a London museum curator and the romantic partner of Sersi. The film also established Whitman’s connection to the Black Knight identity. Harington married actress Rose Leslie in 2018. They had played lovers Jon Snow and Ygritte in “Game of Thrones,” where their characters’ relationship ended tragically beyond the Wall. In 2024, Harington appeared in the third season of the HBO series “Industry” as Henry Muck, a wealthy technology executive and founder of Lumi, bringing another prominent television role to his career.