Game of Thrones star Kristian Nairn — who played everyone’s favourite gentle giant Hodor — graced an hour-long In Conversation panel at the ongoing Middle East Film & Comic Con in Dubai, and shocked fans when he said he’s never going to read the books that kicked off what is arguably one of the most massive TV franchises of all time.
“I wouldn’t say I was a fan of the series when I was offered the role,” he said. “I’m really lazy and I just never made the time or the effort to get into it. Also, my mother is a huge fan and a reader.
“So, for almost four years our dinner conversations where about what happens in the books and she would give me all the spoilers. And now that I’m done with the series, I know that I’m never going to read them. I know I’m being terrible.”
In 2016, when Game of Thrones’ sixth season was running, fans of the HBO fantasy series watched with gutted sadness as Hodor in a final act of heroism gave up his life to save Bran from an army of White Walkers. The two characters share a deep bond on screen, having grown together in the span of six years. But Nairn reveals that the two are also good friends in real life and still keep in touch all the time.
“The first day I met him, he smashed my iPhone. And I knew we had something special,” Nairn said to a round of laughter. “He was just the clumsiest child. And I say this to his face, that he’s a very smart kid but he’s not very streetwise. Like he wouldn’t know how to open a can of Red Bull, but he’d get straight A’s on all his exams. It’s almost annoying.”
And although he refused to give up any details about the upcoming finale season, he did hype it up for fans of the show, saying “it’s going to be absolutely mind-blowing. You are going to be ‘very’ surprised.”
Check it out!
The Middle East Film & Comic Con runs until April 7 at the DWTC’s Zabeel Halls 4, 5 and 6. Single-day passes are Dh140 at the door.
