In 2016, Game of Thrones fans went wild when they found out the meaning of Hodor’s name. In this excerpt from his memoir Beyond the Throne, Kristian Nairn tells the surprising story of what happened while he filmed it.
Kristian Nairn, the actor who played Hodor, shares his experience of filming his final scene in Game of Thrones. The director for his final episode was Jack Bender, a veteran director with a long history of working on hit TV series such as Falcon Crest and The Sopranos. Nairn was eager to work with Bender, hoping that he would draw out the best in him.
Nairn met Jack Bender on the first day of filming, and they greeted each other with a firm handshake. Bender had small, round glasses and a shaggy-dog demeanor, and Nairn was immediately drawn to his laid-back style. Before they began filming, Nairn asked Bender if he would meet Sam, the actor who would be playing him as a young boy. However, due to the schedule, Sam’s scenes had already been filmed several days ago.
Nairn was concerned about meeting Sam, as they would have to follow each other’s movements in certain scenes while Bran was warging. Jack showed Nairn a set of outtakes on his iPhone, so that he could get a feel for what was needed. The challenge was that Jack would have to match up their performances later, so they would need to be as exact as possible.
Nairn also reflects on his time with Isaac Hempstead Wright, the actor who played Bran. He notes that Isaac had grown significantly since they last worked together, and that their time together was drawing to a close.