‘I asked for an Action Man and I got a doll’: Kit Harington reveals he was brought up in a ‘gender fluid’ environment by his parents
Kit Harington has revealed he was brought up in a ‘gender fluid’ environment in his childhood and feels many men have an emotional ‘blockage’.
The actor, 33, told how he grew up idolising his mother, playwright Deborah Jane Catesby, who eschewed gender roles with him and his brother John.
Speaking to The Telegraph, he said: ‘I asked for a Mighty Max and she bought me a Polly Pocket. I asked for an Action Man and I got a doll – it was very gender fluid from the word go. And I went with it.’
Childhood: Kit Harington, 33, revealed he was brought up in a ‘gender fluid’ environment in his childhood and feels many men have an emotional ‘blockage’ (pictured in April 2019)
The Game of Thrones star went on to say that he believes some men struggle with expressing their feelings because of attitudes passed down since World War II.
He said: ‘I feel that emotionally men have a problem, a blockage, and that blockage has come from the Second World War, passed down from grandfather to father to son.
‘We do not speak about how we feel because it shows weakness, because it is not masculine. Having portrayed a man who was silent, who was heroic, I feel going forward that is a role I don’t want to play any more.’
Kit, who played Jon Snow on Game of Thrones, added that he does not think the world needs to see more of a ‘masculine role’.
Roles: The actor told how he grew up idolising his mother, playwright Deborah Jane Catesby, who eschewed gender roles with him and his brother John (pictured in September 2019)
The actor has mostly kept out of the spotlight this year since he attended the Golden Globes with his wife Rose.
The couple keep their marriage private and prior to the event hadn’t been snapped together for more than six months.
The former co-stars have recently celebrated their second wedding anniversary, after tying the knot in 2018.
Kit portrayed Jon Snow on the HBO fantasy series for its entire run from 2011 to 2019 and won rave reviews for his performance.
He said: ‘I asked for a Mighty Max and she bought me a Polly Pocket. I asked for an Action Man and I got a doll – it was very gender fluid from the word go. And I went with it’
However, the show’s finale was slammed for being a letdown and, despite being up for two gongs at this year’s BAFTAs, the series was left empty handed.
It had been nominated for Costume Design and Must-See Moment but failed to scoop either.
Kit will next be seen in the upcoming superhero film Eternals where he will play Dane Whitman, a human warrior who owns a mystical sword.
The actor will star in the film, which is scheduled for release in February 2021, with Richard Madden, Gemma Chan and Angelina Jolie.
Opinion: Kit believes some men struggle with expressing their feelings because of attitudes passed down since World War II (pictured with wife Rose Leslie in April 2019)