Watching the behind-the-scenes episodes of the HBO show ‘Game of Thrones’, fans can see just how much hard work the actors have to put in to play their characters. And with the show running for almost nine years, it’s understandable that its cast members have grown attached to the crew during their time together.
It’s in this context that main cast member Kit Harington finds himself in when news of him going to a ‘wellness retreat’ after the show ended blew up.
Personal Issues
Although it’s almost been a month since the British actor checked himself in at the Privé-Swiss health retreat in Connecticut, the decision has only been officially confirmed recently by his team. According to one of his representatives, Harington is utilizing the acting break he has after the end of ‘Game of Thrones’ to work on some personal issues. The representative didn’t expound on what these personal issues might be but plenty of rumors has since been floating around regarding the matter.
According to Page Six, the actor is having trouble dealing with the show’s end having worked on it for almost a decade. Harington himself has opened up about being emotional while shooting his final scenes for the show in an interview with Graham Norton in April. Meanwhile, there are also sources who say that the 32-year-old star is dealing with stress, exhaustion and alcohol problems.
Supportive Spouse
Fortunately, the Harington seems to have a solid support team in his wife and fellow actor Rose Leslie. The actress is known for her role as Ygritte, who was Jon Snow’s first love interest, on the show.
Still, the Scottish actress didn’t evade criticism when passionate fans of the show expressed their disappointment in her actions. Leslie was recently spotted attending a London music festival with her friends while Harington is still in rehab in the United States. Apparently, pictures of the actress having fun and laughing with her friends didn’t sit well with fans who felt like she wasn’t being emphatic with her husband’s struggles.
On the other hand, Leslie was defended by netizens who rejected the fans’ high expectations saying they were being too demanding.
Fans Give Back
In the end, fans who want to support the actor came through. A group of them even took it upon themselves to raise money for Mencap, a British nonprofit is dedicated to supporting people with learning disabilities.
According to reports, Harington has a personal connection with Mencap because of his cousin Laurent, who has a learning disability. He has also previously spoken publicly about the organization and its advocacies.
So far, the fundraiser has collected over $60,000 with many generous fans leaving Harington notes of thanks for his performance on the show and support for his speedy recovery.
Fans have also done a similar act of gratitude for Harington’s co-star Emilia Clarke, who played Daenerys Targaryen. After the finale, an online community raised thousands of dollars to donate to Clarke’s foundation, SameYou.
