“I had more bumps and bruises than normal”: Kit Harington Couldn’t Show His Butt in Game of Thrones N*de Scene Starring His Own Wife

In Game of Thrones, Kit Harington was no stranger to disrobing for the sake of the story. But during one memorable scene with his real-life wife, Rose Leslie, who played Ygritte, he faced an unexpected hurdle.

Though normally fearless in front of the camera, he was caught off guard this time around. The reason? A pre-shoot injury had left him less than camera-ready.

The Hilarious Reason Kit Harington Had to Hide His Rear in the Game of Thrones Scene with His Real-Life Wife!

In July 2013, Kit Harington, fresh from a lively night out, returned to his London flat only to discover he had misplaced his keys. Undeterred, he decided to climb through his window, but things took a turn for the worse when he fell from a second-floor window, resulting in a broken ankle. Ironically, this injury led to a notable on-screen moment in Game of Thrones.

During a scene where Jon Snow, portrayed by Harington, jumps naked into a pool after being seduced by Ygritte, played by his real-life wife, Rose Leslie, it wasn’t Harington’s own rear that made the splash. Instead, a stand-in’s bottom was featured. He revealed in an interview with GQ,

When it came down to it I had a broken ankle,–so the only time you saw my a–, it wasn’t my a–.

When asked by a journalist from The Guardian the following year about his readiness for the camera and any new mishaps, Kit Harington humorously addressed his track record. Reflecting on his role as Jon Snow, he quipped that bruises are simply part of the job description, joking that embodying the rugged character inevitably leads to a few bumps and scrapes along the way. As he revealed,

No. This year, weirdly, I had more bumps and bruises than normal. I got a bad knee and a bad ankle, various different twinges.

Although Kit Harington feared he’d royally botched his job, the situation eventually smoothed out, and he was cautious enough to not do anything too scandalous after all. At least, nothing that made the headlines!

How Kit Harington Preped Up for GoT Nude Scenes?

Kit Harington has acknowledged that while not his preferred aspect of acting, he views these particular scenes as necessary whenever and wherever the narrative necessitates it.

Speaking to GQ, he expressed his view stating,

It’s only right, if you’re going to make a show where nudity and s-x is a large part of it, that you be a part of that.

Discussing his preparation for such scenes during an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show (via Buzzfeed), Harington humorously shared how he traveled the extra mile to get ready. He said,

If you’re getting your bum out in front of 60 million people, you do your homework.

For the much-anticipated scene featuring Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen, Kit Harington went above and beyond in his preparations. He devoted weeks to intense squats and rigorous workouts, sculpting his physique to be camera-ready.

Game of Thrones is available to stream on Max.