Game of Thrones character was killed on the actor’s birthday

Although “Game of Thrones” was famous for killing big characters, at least the actors in the early seasons had the comfort of knowing when and where their characters would die. Sean Bean knew he had a meat one season in front of him, for example, Just as Pedro Pascal did in season 4. But as the seasons passed the source material, that sense of job security fell to most of its actors. From season 6 onwards, more or less anyone could be removed from the show at any moment.

The first death to make this clear Was poor Hodor “The Door” in season 6. After helping Bran and Meera faithfully on their journey across the wall, Hodor has to stay back to hold a door closed while the others escape an army of wonders. Hodor manages to save Bran and Meera, but is torn apart by the wonders in the process. That sounds dark, but it darkens: in its final moments, we learn that the warm -up and travel of Bran’s time is what the brain of Hodor broke back in his childhood. Hodor (originally named Wylis) says “Hodor” all the time because “holding the door” is what Meera tells him to do in his final moments, and repeats her instructions until the words blend into one. His custody, the only word he has been able to say about most of his life, basically warned everyone of the death on the horizon.

This was a shocking sequence to order readers and display viewers alike. He was also a great surprise to Hodor actor Kristian Nairn, who, when he heard, did not get the luxury of knowing what was underway to his character. To make things worse: the show killed him on his birthday.

“In the biggest game twist ‘Thrones,’ Orwellian ever, they killed me on my 40th birthday. That’s intense,” Nairn said in interview 2024. “Part of me was looking forward to leaving, frankly, because it’s been six years and, as much as I loved the people, this was my new career and I was looking forward to doing something different. … But, as the day came closer and closer, I was more intimidated that I would leave the people I really loved and thought of as a family.”

Although Hodor was not the first character to die even though he was still alive in the books, this was the first big spoiler of the show of what the books have “A Song of Ice and Fire” unpublished. No disrespect towards the runners David Benioff and DB Weiss, but there is no way that they were the ones who had shaped this time; It was a plot point designed early by author George RR Martin himself.

Supporters and critics considered the time disclosure in Hodor’s final seconds in one of the clear highlights of season 6, even if the nature of the disclosure Lots of extra strain on the translators behind versions called at the show. It was a bleak crazy end to such a beloved character, which was heartbreaking to Nairn.

“The runners thought it was going to be one of the characters that people actually clicked and liked,” said Nairn. “I was like, ‘Really? It’s a glorious kind of joke!

Since his time on “Game of Thrones” ends, Nairn has continued his acting career with a series of shorter roles, as in “Robin Hood: The Rebellion” in 2018 and “Digromcome” in 2023. He played a large part in the 2022 HBO MAX SERIES “Our banner means death” Like the Pyromaniac John Feeney Sea. Though nairn always have his dj career going forHis success on television and film is largely thanks to him to land that first major role as Hodor. As Nairn noted for an audition for the role, “my life changed from A to Z.”