Earlier today, it was reported that Game of Thrones star Kit Harington had checked himself into a luxury rehab for stress and alcohol use ahead of the popular HBO series’ finale airing on television. Now, representatives for the actor are offering a statement on the situation, clarifying that the Jon Snow actor isn’t in “rehab”, but is instead spending time at a “wellness retreat”.
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According to TMZ, Harington’s representatives say that the actor “has decided to utilize this break in his schedule as an opportunity to spend some time at a wellness retreat to work on some personal issues.”
Previously, Page Six had reported that Harington had been “really hit hard” by the ending of Game of Thrones and that he has been at a Connecticut mental health retreat since May 19.
“The British actor has been undergoing psychological coaching, practicing mindful meditation and cognitive behavioral therapy to combat stress and deal with negative emotions at the facility, which costs over $120,000 a month,” the report says. “His actress wife Rose Leslie, 32, whom he met on the set of Game of Thrones and played Jon Snow’s Wildling companion Ygritte, is being ‘extremely supportive,’ we’re told.”
“He realized ‘this is it — this is the end,’ it was something they had all worked so hard on for so many years. He had a moment of, what next?” a source told Page Six. “His wife Rose is being extremely supportive. Everyone close to him really wanted him to get some rest. Right now, he just needs peace and quiet.”
Harington played Jon Snow on Game of Thrones for all eight seasons — a time frame that spanned nearly a decade. In the series’ conclusion, his character killed his love Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) in a move that not only shocked fans, but stunned the actors as well, as was seen in videos from the first table read of the finale which showed both Clarke and Harington being surprised by what they read.
For Harington, he has previously been open about some of the emotional challenges of his role on Game of Thrones. He recently opened up to Variety about how the point in the series when Jon Snow died and came back to life was his darkest one.
“My darkest period was when the show seemed to become so much about Jon when he died and came back,” Harington said. “I really didn’t like the focus of the whole show coming onto Jon. When you become the cliffhanger of a TV show and a TV show probably at the height of its power, the focus on you is f—ing terrifying.”
