Kit Harington, widely recognized as the compelling John Snow from the epic series Game of Thrones, was born Christopher Catesby Harington in Acton, London. His birthdate is December 26, 1986. He comes from a family with a background in the arts and business. His mother, Deborah Jane (Catesby), was a playwright, and his father, David Richard Harington, worked in business. Interestingly, he was named after the Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe, though he goes by the shortened version, Kit, which he prefers.
Harington’s family lineage also includes notable figures. His uncle is Sir Nicholas John Harington, the 14th Baronet Harington, and his paternal great-grandfather was Sir Richard Harington, the 12th Baronet Harington. Tracing his ancestry further, through his paternal grandmother, Lavender Cecilia Denny, Harington is a direct descendant, eight times removed, of King Charles II of England. His family history also connects him to historical figures such as politician Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, and others from merchant and political backgrounds, reflecting a diverse and interesting heritage.
Alt text: Kit Harington embodying the stoic and heroic John Snow in a promotional image for Game of Thrones.
Growing up, Harington attended Southfield Primary School in London from 1992 to 1998. When he was eleven, his family relocated to Worcestershire, where he continued his education at the Chantry High School in Martley until 2003. His path towards acting began to take shape when, at the age of 14, he was deeply moved by a production of Waiting for Godot. This experience sparked his interest in performance, and he participated in several school plays. Furthering his academic pursuits, he studied Drama and Theatre Studies at Worcester Sixth Form College from 2003 to 2005.
The pivotal moment that solidified his decision to pursue acting professionally came at 17. Inspired by a performance of Hamlet by Ben Whishaw in 2004, he resolved to attend drama school. At eighteen, Harington moved back to London and, a year later, enrolled at the Central School of Speech and Drama. He successfully completed his studies and graduated in 2008, marking the formal beginning of his journey to becoming the acclaimed actor now synonymous with the role of John Snow.
