Kristian Nairn, 48, found stardom with his first acting role as monosyllabic giant Hodor on Game Of Thrones, after years as a DJ and queen of Belfast’s drag scene.
In this weekend’s 60 Seconds, he discusses growing up gay in rural Ireland, being a fan favourite on an iconic show and how new memoir, Beyond The Throne, turned into something of a ‘therapy project’ for him.
How often does someone shout ‘Hodor’ at you these days?
A lot! I used to go to Tesco at 3am and I’d walk past the aisle with fish fingers and hear a ‘Hodor!’ coming out loud and clear.
Why was he such a beloved character?
It’s like Bella in Twilight. She was a popular character but there was enough left to the imagination that you could see yourself in that role. It’s the same with Hodor, a nice guy in an unfortunate situation.
What made you write your memoir?
My manager got burdened with my tales at dinner as we toured. After almost every one, he’d say, ‘There’s a benefit to these stories – you should share them’. I was reluctant at first, but as I wrote them down it became like a therapy project.
Given your size and your sexuality, did you always feel slightly on the outside?
I always have and I think I still do. What has changed is what I do with that. I’ve realised it’s part of who I am and I don’t give myself a hard time about any of it anymore. I use it my advantage.
What were your dreams growing up?
I always wanted to be a guitar player in a glam-metal band, wearing the most disgusting pair of spandex leggings and 18 pounds of hairspray, playing a crazily shaped neon guitar. Basically, I wanted to be in Poison or Mötley Crüe. That hasn’t happened yet, although I have played guitar with Megadeth…
Your first drag performance as Revvlon reads like a personal breakthrough. Did it feel that way at the time?
It did. I can’t tell you how nervous I was beforehand. It was like a door-to-destiny moment. No one had really ever seen me in Belfast that way before and I was terrified of what people were going to say about me, but I pushed myself through that door and on to that stage. I didn’t know what I was doing but it was a formative night.
There’s something poetic about your mum being responsible for you doing Game of Thrones…
Yeah, my mum, Pat, is sat beside me pretending not to be here! She’s a huge fantasy geek and, when I went for the auditions, I hadn’t a clue what Game Of Thrones was. I mentioned it to her over dinner and she said, ‘I know that name, Hodor – was that Game Of Thrones?’ She told me it was an amazing series of books, right up there with The Lord Of The Rings, and I should definitely be enthusiastic about taking that part. (Pat: ‘More than that – I said, “You’re going to take it!”’)
She sounds like your agent!
No way, I wouldn’t get any work. Everyone would be terrified…
Your recall of Game of Thrones is amazing. Did you keep a diary?
I have a pretty good memory, which admittedly wasn’t shown in Game Of Thrones through my line recall. But when something’s such a part of your emotional landscape and so much part of a change in your life, you’re not going to forget that.
Are you still in touch with Isaac Hempstead Wright, who played Bran?
Yeah, we have that sort of uncle-nephew, father-son, brotherly relationship. But he’s an amazing kid. Well, he’s not a kid anymore – I have to stop saying that.
Did you pinch anything from the set?
No, but there was a newspaper in Canada that claimed no one else was allowed to take props because I’d stolen ‘The Door’. The real story was, as I was dying against the door, a tiny piece of balsa wood covered in fake snow came off in my hand. I thought it was a great little keepsake but that translated to some person in Canada saying I stole an entire door.
You were a DJ before becoming an actor. What does music do for you?
I always felt there was something in there that wanted to perform. I learned to communicate through music before I was confident enough to go out into the world. I feel privileged to have played places like Gorky Park in Moscow and Hellfest in France.
After all these personas, have you figured out how to be ‘Kristian’?
Yes, they’re all parts of me – I just had to learn how to reconcile them.
What would you say to the young Kristian we meet in the book?
Believe in yourself, be kind to yourself and yours is the only opinion that matters.
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