Game of Thrones actor Kit Harington checked into a luxurious rehabilitation center in Connecticut reportedly before the HBO’s drama series finale, which aired on May 19. Harington has been going to therapy for nearly a month to deal with his issues of stress and alcohol use.
“Kit has decided to utilize this break in his schedule as an opportunity to spend some time at a wellness retreat to work on some personal issues,” his publicist said in statement to Variety.
Harington has been on Game of Thrones as Jon Snow since the very first episode in 2011. The series became one of the most in-demand shows in the world. Working on such an emotionally and physically draining show can possibly affect actors’ health and mindset.
When Jon Snow died in the season five finale, fans would jump at the chance to ask Harington whether his character really had died. The stress from the cliffhanger took its toll on Kit.
“It wasn’t a very good time in my life,” he said. “I felt I had to feel that I was the most fortunate person in the world, when actually, I felt very vulnerable. I had a shaky time in my life around there — like I think a lot of people do in their 20s. That was a time when I started therapy, and started talking to people. I had felt very unsafe, and I wasn’t talking to anyone.”
Eventually, Jon Snow was resurrected in the season six premiere. The last time we would ever see the character was during the series finale. As fans, it was an emotional moment to say goodbye to Jon Snow, but for Harington, he was saying goodbye to his on-set family.
“My final day of shooting, I felt fine … I felt fine … I felt fine … then I went to do my last shots and started hyperventilating a bit,” he said. “Then they called ‘wrap’ and I just f—-g broke down. It was this onslaught of relief and grief about not being able to do this again.”