Kit Harington has opened up about his journey to sobriety and the impact it has had on his life, especially in relation to his role as a father. The 37-year-old Game of Thrones star, who shares two children with his wife and former co-star Rose Leslie, has shared candid reflections on overcoming his alcohol addiction.
In a revealing interview with GQ, Harington discussed how his battle with alcohol led him to a dark place where he struggled to find pride in his achievements. He recounted, “Before getting sober, I would stare in the mirror and call myself a c**t. I hated myself and couldn’t be proud of anything I’d done.” This period of self-loathing and addiction felt like a “huge monkey” on his back, weighing him down.
Kit Harington Feels ‘Lucky’ To Have Kicked His Alcohol Addiction Before Having Kids https://t.co/y7dqAuMb3u pic.twitter.com/EMK1o7MljP
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Harington entered rehab in the U.S. in 2019 to address stress and alcohol use. Reflecting on his sobriety, he expressed gratitude for overcoming his addiction before becoming a parent. “I was so lucky I got sober before having kids,” he said. “At one time, it felt physically and emotionally impossible for me not to drink again.”
The actor, who portrayed Jon Snow in the HBO series, admitted that while he is now able to take pride in his sobriety, he is still wary of the potential for relapse. “I can’t guarantee I won’t have a messy, chaotic relapse,” he noted.
Since becoming a parent, Harington has experienced a shift in focus. He married Leslie in 2018, and the couple now has a three-year-old son and a daughter born in June 2023. The actor remarked on how parenthood has made him less self-centered. “With kids, you just don’t get to be self-centered. They strip you of it,” he said. “Kids are ultimately completely self-centered. They don’t think about anyone else but themselves.”
Despite the joy of fatherhood, Harington has had moments of missing his family while working. At the recent season three premiere of his HBO series Industry in New York, he shared his feelings of missing his family, especially noting that he had missed his daughter’s first steps while filming. “I have a boy and a girl now. I couldn’t be more blessed,” he said, praising his children as “the most beautiful.”
“They’ll Be Deeply Uncomfortable”: Kit Harington Guarantees His Kids Will Never Watch ‘Game Of Thrones’ https://t.co/dNZ1OBlsIA #News #GameofThrones
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Earlier this year, Harington reflected on how his approach to parenting has evolved. He noted that while their first pregnancy was approached with a romantic outlook, their second has been more practical. “We’re really practical about it at the moment,” he explained, contrasting it with the more sentimental approach they had with their first child.
Key Points:
i. Kit Harington spoke candidly about his struggle with alcohol addiction and how he feels fortunate to have achieved sobriety before starting a family.
ii. In a GQ interview, he described his past self-loathing and how overcoming his addiction has made him feel like “an entirely different person.”
iii. Harington admitted he is still wary of potential relapse but is now able to take pride in his sobriety.
iv. Becoming a father has shifted his focus from self-centeredness to prioritizing his children, who he describes as “the most beautiful.”
v. Harington expressed his feelings of missing his family while working, especially noting missing significant moments like his daughter’s first steps.
Al Santana – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
