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Friday, March 29, 2024
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1231429 - Pompeii

Q&A: Kit Harington, actor from ‘Game of Thrones’

Famously known for his role as the dark and brooding Jon Snow on the hit HBO series “Game of Thrones,” Kit Harington recently shifted his focus to the big screen and has seized the leading part as gladiator hero Milo in the film “Pompeii.” Taking place during the notorious eruption of Mount Vesuvius in the city of Pompeii in 79 A.D., the film chronicles Milo’s mission to rescue his true love and seek revenge against the corrupt Roman empire.

Harington, starring in “Pompeii” as his first leading role in a major motion picture, met with The Eagle’s Lauren Hain to talk about his involvement and experiences with the film.

E: As an actor, how was it like balancing the passionate romance with Emily Browning’s character Cassia and your character Milo’s furious quest for vengeance?
Kit Harington: I liked that he was dead inside at the start. He’s just driven by fury and rage, and he wants to kill as many people as he can – he’s almost on that autistic spectrum of death. He’s awaken[ed] by this girl who says ‘thank you’ to him and treats him like a human, which sets in motion this whole sequence of feelings that he has. In a weird analogy, the volcano goes off and he ignites as a person. He finds her and that levels the playing field for them as people to be together.

E: What was your experience being part of a film with such a historically significant context?
KH: I think there was a movie called “The Last Days of Pompeii” a while ago, but it didn’t have the CGI capabilities that we have now to make a volcano explode. I loved the idea of telling the story of these plaster-cast people. When the millions of people that go to Pompeii every year see these plaster-cast people, I think what goes through their head is “What were they doing in the moments before they died? Who was this person? This pregnant woman clutching her belly, this man grasping at his face?” It’s a very moving place to go because of that, and what I liked about this film was that we bookend with those images of those plaster-cast people. It lets us imagine maybe who some of these people were, and look through a looking glass into some of their lives and what they might have done. I thought that was a neat idea and a good idea for a movie.

E: Would you say the bonds and friendships formed in the movie could be emotionally relevant in the midst of natural disasters happening today?
KH: I think something like this does completely level the playing field as far as social status. If you have a million pounds or one pound, the minute the volcano goes off you’re all people and I think that’s one of the nice things I like about the movie. I also think natural disasters are very prevalent today, they always will be, so we like as humans to imagine what something might be like and this [film] is a good way of exploring it.

E: What was your favorite part about filming as the leading man?
KH: There is something about being a leading man or woman in a film, when you’re there [on set] more than anyone else. You’re there first thing in the morning, and you’re the last one to leave. Other actors come and go and they have day parts or they come in for a week, but you’re there with the crew the whole time so you kind of become family in a weird sort of way, and that’s something I enjoyed. I enjoyed that element of being the leading man because with “Game of Thrones,” I come in and do two weeks and go back, come in and do another week a bit later. The crew is always there, whereas if you’re leading man you’re always with that crew so you become a really tight knit group of people.

E: One of your most notable roles is Jon Snow on “Game of Thrones.” I think fans would be curious to know, how do you think Jon Snow a man of the Night’s Watch would fare against Milo the gladiator in a battle?
KH: I don’t know because essentially they’re the same person – they’re me. I think it would be very difficult to defend against two swords with one sword, but I don’t know. I couldn’t say, I don’t want to put Jon down and say he loses, but I don’t want to put Milo down and say he loses. Let’s just say Jon. They’re both training warriors, I think it would be a good fight.

“Pompeii” opens in wide distribution on Feb. 21

thescene@theeagleonline.com


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