In a recent interview for Interview magazine, Bella Ramsey and Kit Harington reminisced about their time on the iconic HBO series Game of Thrones. The conversation highlighted Ramsey’s experience as a young actor and their initial impressions of working alongside Harington, who portrayed Jon Snow. Along with the screening, the dialogue allowed Taika and Chris to share their memories of filming. It illuminated the invaluable perspectives, difficulties, and wisdom of child actors especially in productions with immense visibility.
Bella Ramsey had only recently turned 11 when she first encountered Harington during production. She remembered how Game of Thrones first launched them and other members of their generation into the acting world. “I had no reference point for what it would be like to work on Game of Thrones,” Ramsey stated. Though more mature than their age at the time, they sure didn’t act like it. They could no longer imagine themselves as that child at all. Today, Ramsey looks back at how small an 11-year-old would really be. It’s poignant for them to reflect on how young they were when shouldering such a great responsibility.
Things got pretty sentimental when Ramsey described the experience of first acting alongside Harington. “I remember it quite vividly and have some remorse for it now, but during that scene I was mouthing your lines to you,” they admitted. As Allison’s candid confession drew laughter from the audience, the two former cast-mates launched into a light-hearted exchange over-turning the tables.
Harington responded to Ramsey’s revelation with a chuckle, recalling, “I do remember you helping me out and it being quite humiliating.” He further elaborated on the experience, saying, “Oh god, I’ve got to up my game. I came here not really being comfortable enough with my lines, in the arrogance of however old I was, thinking I’m just opposite some child. And then that child actor is wiping me off the screen.”
Despite the challenges of their early collaboration, Ramsey noted how the experience on Game of Thrones laid a foundation for their future projects. They recently starred in the critically acclaimed series The Last of Us in 2023, which benefited from the lessons learned during their time on Game of Thrones. “The Game of Thrones experience helped me with The Last of Us,” they explained, highlighting the importance of their earlier work.
Ramsey quoted Harington about the duo’s timeless looks. He noted the impressive ways both actresses have navigated the difficulties of maturing in the public eye and somehow continue to perpetuate youthful appearances. This shared understanding of their characters and their journeys probably helped their chemistry on set and during our interview.
Ramsey and Harington’s discussion offered insight into their experiences on Game of Thrones. What it really did, along with giving us an amazing launchpad into a new form of storytelling, was to highlight how child actors have become a pretty horrible pandemic. It was a beautiful demonstration of how formative experiences can determine an actor’s career trajectory. It shone a light on the specific challenges young talent is grappling with.
Both actors recently attended the 2024 Critics Choice Awards, where they represented their respective projects and celebrated each other’s successes in the industry.
