Kit Harington is ready to step out of his comfort zone.
After eight years as a fan-favorite character Jon Snow on a cultural phenomenon POWER The Game, Harrington in director Rod Blackhurst For the blood of dust . In the action thriller, the Eternals actor will play the film’s antagonist, Ricky, a violent dealer of illegal weapons.
“I’m playing a very rude guy,” Harrington told The Hollywood Reporter about him Role. “It’s not necessarily a part of what I usually get, it’s fun for me.”
Scheduled to start production in late November, The dust settles Set Follow ex-friends Cliff (Scoot McNairy) and Ricky as they reconnect for a big day . In order to make a quick buck, Cliff gets involved in a dangerous business scheme for Ricky, including making money for John(Josh Lucas ), the leader of the middle-class cartel in the United States. When Ricky turns a simple exchange into a bloodbath to eliminate competition, Cliff realizes his harsh new reality and he must fight to survive.
“Right now, for the past few years, I’ve been trying—and that’s another reason I wanted to play this role—playing a role that I was a little bit scared of,” Harington said. “I thought it was fun to play the bad guy. I spent a long time playing the epitome of a kind, honest person trying to do the right thing that everyone supported. Maybe it was a reaction to the length of time I was doing it.”
After living in the center of power the zeitgeist of the show’s eight seasons, Harington says he’s recently been featured in independent films attracted by the nature.
“It’s a medium moment that fits my life more and more,” he said. “Having a young son who’s been on TV for a long time, and having the opportunity to play interesting, weird characters here and there for a few months is something that appeals to me.”
In a conversation with THR, Harrington talks about preparing for the villain, catching up with The Dragon House and how he improved his American accent for the movie.
What made you agree to take on this role in Blood for Dust?
I think, mostly—besides the fact that I love reading scripts—I love working with the director [Rod Blackhurst], and I have an idea of what he thinks. One of the biggest goals for me is that I’m playing the opponent in it, and I’m playing a really rough guy. It’s not necessarily the part I usually get, which is interesting to me.
In the past, you often played the lead role that the audience supported. As an illegal arms dealer, it doesn’t sound like Ricky is that kind of person.
What interests you most about a role like this?
Very attractive stuff. The interesting thing about this story is that he is the villain on the right hand side of the protagonist. He was on his shoulders, neither separated from him nor chased after him. They stay together throughout the movie. Scoot McNairy played our hero, and I played his demon in a way. This makes it very unique and, I think, very interesting. Let me drag him back to the ugly world he once was in. I am very interested in this dynamic.
Are you excited to play the villain more?
Yes, almost. I’m a little nervous. Currently, for the past few years, I’ve been trying — again, another reason why I want to play this role — to play roles that I’m a little bit afraid to do. It was out of my comfort zone and I was like ‘Can I do this? Should I do this? Am I suitable for this? And then just trying to trust the director, he came to me and thought of me for that, [he] said, ‘Yeah, you can. I think you are. And then take a big step. I thought it was fun to play the bad guy. I spent a long time playing the epitome of a kind, honest person trying to do the right thing that everyone supported. Maybe this is the time for me to do it Length of response. But I think in the darker, more twisted, hostile characters, those characters sometimes have more room to play. If anyone wants to try me doing it, I’ll jump up, really.
This movie takes place in America. Does that mean we’ll see you again with an American accent?
It’s true, yes. I think it’s a little nervous, you know? I’ve talked to the director and I know this The movie was shot in Montana. We felt that [my character] might be from Missouri, so I’m going to make a specific American accent for that. It’s a big step because an English guy like me has a lot to do with Missouri It doesn’t really matter. So it needs more research to make sure you’re not just affecting something. But I’m deep in it right now and it certainly feels like the right place for this character to come from.
This is also an action thriller. Will you do any training for this?
It’s an action movie and in many ways it’s got some great action sequences. I think it’s important to me that it doesn’t embellish us in the movie in any way Owned guns. So in some ways, it’s not. I don’t want to look like any expert with guns because I don’t think my role is, I don’t think a lot of people are, and I think the role in this , being drawn into this story, it shouldn’t be glorified in any way. So, it’s not like training to look good at holding a gun. I think it’s wrong in some ways.
Scott McNally and Josh Lucas are also starring in the movie. Are you in touch with them about this movie?
We’ve never met. I haven’t actually [talked to them]. It’s possible Yes, we can chat and talk about characters and things. That’s coming. But so far, we’ve been doing our own thing. So, we’re not connected.
This is a story that seems to be themed around greed and ambition. Did any of these ideas draw you to this project?
, this. The American dream has soured. This is a lie based on the American dream. People in trouble, and how greed in a hypercapitalist system leads to cause this violence. In some ways, the stuff I’m obsessed with — it’s something I’m talking to people in Missouri — they say, it’s kind of like the Midwest Bible Belt state. That’s how it feels to either go to heaven or hell. If you’ve done something wrong, it’s already chosen for you, so you might as well keep doing it. I’m interested in the idea that there is no redemption, or that my character doesn’t see any redemption for himself, so he might as well just keep going in the wrong direction. And the other character, I think, sees a way out of him. And I think there is a difference between them. I kind of like bloodlines stories. A character who is heading towards some kind of lineage.
A little switch, House Dragon’s recently completed its first season. Ten episodes are out, what are your thoughts?
You know, I’ve dropped a bit — not because I don’t like it — but it’s been very busy. But I’ll catch up. My season is half over. I need to watch the second half, so I’ll try to avoid spoilers of any kind. I mean, it’s great. They have done an excellent job of this. I’m so impressed with that show and how they continued it.
There’s been a lot of talk about a potential spinoff series for Jon Snow. Is there any progress on this?
I don’t know anything about it. sorry.
You also entered the Marvel Universe after playing Dane Whitman in Eternal . Now that your character finds the Ebony Blade in the post-credits scene, fans assume you’ll be the Black Knight. What was it like to shoot that?
Yeah, shooting that scene was really exciting. That post goes to stuff, you come back to fill them out after the movie. So it’s obviously exciting to see a possible continuation. I don’t know anything further. I know there are plans, I think, at some point, but I don’t know what they are.
Before taking on this role, did you know it was possible to be a black knight? Or do you think Dane Whitman might just be Sersi (Gemma Chan)’s boyfriend in the beginning?
No, I like to know that might be a possibility. I’m not interested in swaying in a Marvel movie just to play someone’s boyfriend. I’m aware of some future possibilities, so that’s always been part of the conversation. But like anything, you really don’t know. You kind of research what character it might be, and then you’re like, “Oh, that looks interesting.” But it’s up to them to include that person in their plans. I don’t know at this stage. I don’t know what their plan is.
So on the horizon, you have Blood for Dust, a Jon Snow spin-off series in development, and a potential future Marvel project. Is there anything else you’re looking forward to?
Yes, there are many. I’m very excited about some indie films, in that size and territory of bloody dust , and I’m already signed up for next year. With all these movies, you know, you have to see which ones are real and which ones aren’t. But it’s a medium that is more and more suitable for my life now. Having a young son who has been on TV for a long time and having the opportunity to play here and there for months with fun, weird characters appeals to me. So I’ve signed up some interesting projects for next year, but I can’t really get into them because I don’t know if they’re real.
Interview edited for length and clarity.
This story first appeared in The Hollywood Reporter’s Nov. 1 Daily Issue
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