If we told you Kit Harington was headlining an HBO series with religious zealots, plots to assassinate the king, capes and swords you’d probably assume we were talking about one of those Game of Thrones spinoffs. And while Gunpowder, Harington’s new three part mini series, might appear similar to Thrones on the surface, Harington noticed differences on the first day. Speaking with The New York Times, Harington relayed his initial reaction, ““I walked onto the set on ‘Gunpowder,’ going, ‘What do you mean we don’t have 200 extras?’Nothing competes with ‘Thrones.’ I knew that going in.”
Gunpowder centers on the failed Gunpowder plot of 1605, in which a group of Catholic extremists attempted to assassinate the Protestant King James I by blowing up the House of Lords in London. Harington plays one of the leaders of the plot, Robert Catesby. As the leading man on both HBO series, comparisons between Jon Snow and Catesby were inevitable, and Harington detailed their similarities and differences.
"They’re both quite introverted in some ways, and they’re both very serious about what they believe. They both hold their morals, and their moral compass and their code of honor, very close to their chest. But they’re entirely opposite in what they set out to achieve. Jon Snow’s all about protecting lives and saving lives and doing everything he can to avoid violence in many ways. Catesby’s the opposite: He wants to see death and destruction."
Harington added that both men shared a bravado that is “based around their stupid male nature, in many ways.” Charging the Bolton lines alone was indeed, stupid. Offscreen, Harington also served as a producer on the series, again noticing the stark contrast between Gunpowder and Thrones.
"I never really realized quite how difficult shooting a period drama is, even having been in one for years. I’ve never really been on the other side, trying to organize it or make it work. Everyone has to be in expensive costumes. You can’t just walk out into the street and film something — you’ve got to build the street."
Programme Name: Gunpowder – TX: n/a – Episode: Gunpowder (No. n/a) – Picture Shows: Robert Catesby (KIT HARINGTON), Thomas Wintour (EDWARD HOLCROFT), Faulkes (TOM CULLEN) – (C) Kudos – Photographer: Robert Viglaski
Harington admitted that being “distantly related” to Catesby in real life initially attracted him to the role, but that he later enjoyed the story’s irony, “On Nov. 5 in the U.K., we set off fireworks — it’s a bit like our Independence Day. And then if you look at it, it’s really about a great act of violence by a group of young men. And it hadn’t really been told much before.”
Finally, Harington touched on the recent wave of sexual harassment allegations that have swept through Hollywood, reaching all the way to England and its entertainment industry.
"Yeah, the Weinstein scandal kicked it off over the pond as well. Kevin Spacey was the head of the Old Vic for many years — we’re discovering the allegations made against him. Within British theater, there’s been a problem for many years. This is something that has been going on forever, and not just in the States. It’s everywhere.It’s upsetting and disturbing, but it’s not shocking. I think most actors hear stories, and people in the industry hear stories. It’s just very hard for people to come out and talk about it. But the doors have been blown open a bit, and we can only be thankful for that."
Yes indeed. Gunpowder debuts on HBO, Monday, Dec. 18th.
Next: Isaac Hempstead Wright dives deep into the Three-Eyed Raven’s motivations
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