Kristian Nairn talks about his drag artist days, says it was a “two-fingered salute” to haters

Game of Thrones has a spectacular cast, that is full of people that are not only great actors, but not-so-bad humans, too. We have seen the stars address a lot of public issues, and quite recently, Kristian Nairn, who played Hodor on the show, talked about how he was considering entering politics over the fact that Northern Ireland still had a backward stance on gay rights. In a new interview, the 41-year-old openly gay actor discussed his beginnings as a drag artist. Read on!

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Kristian Nairn talked about his beginnings, and more. He talked about how his career began, and it wasn’t like we all would have thought it to be. Kristian Nairn said :

“Before that I was a guitar player. I played in bands, I had normal jobs as well – I worked in Sainsbury’s and I was a BT operator, but I always maintained my music in the background.

I always played guitar and I always played in bands. Then I ended up working in the Kremlin, I actually started working as a drag artist and that changed into being a DJ. I had a lot of fun doing both.

I was quite a shy person growing up and drag was very much a shield for me to perform behind. My drag name was Revvlon.

In a way for me it was a two-fingered salute to the people who said I couldn’t do that kind of thing.

If I was to have a message for people it would be that, just do what you want to do and don’t worry about what people say. Any sort of performance was always what I was really born to do.”

He went on to explain how he transitioned into acting :

“I was still DJing in the Kremlin and obviously you meet people through being a drag queen, and this guy had offered me a few auditions through the years. One of them was for a movie with Simon Pegg called Hot Fuzz.

I had been DJing at a club in Belfast called Event Horizon until 6am and I literally got on a plane at 7.30am, and did this audition at 9am in London. It was the world’s worst audition ever.

Funny enough, I didn’t get that part, but four or five years later the same guy called me back and said: “That casting director in London really liked you and they want to see you for the part of Hodor in Game of Thrones.”

I didn’t have a clue what Game Of Thrones was. My mother, who’s a big reader and also a massive fan of Game of Thrones said: “Oh my God, you have to take this part if you’re offered it.”

The whole Hodor thing of just saying one word wasn’t really my dream part.

You picture yourself playing the lead roles and getting to do all the inspirational speeches.

So when I heard you only have this one word, I was like, is this really how I want to make my debut?

But then I researched the franchise and the character and I just loved the whole enigmatic side of him. I just fell in love with the character and I really miss him actually.”

Talking about the most memorable thing from his time on Game of Thrones, Kristian said :

“Obviously the death scene and the nude scene, which was probably the most traumatic day of my life. I never thought I would be parading round Carryduff in the nip without being arrested at least!

I had added layers of humiliation – we had this massive prosthetic and it had to be attached to my body with glue and it’s actually glued into your own region. That did not come out quickly, I’m telling you! I felt sorry for the make-up girl – these things you suffer for your art! That was one of the worst and funniest experiences.”

He also said that Isaac Hempstead-Wright is like a brother to him, and that he will be going for his 18th birthday. Isaac apparently got to call cut on his final scene in the show. Describing the scene, Kristian said :

“It was incredibly emotional and physically demanding, and at the end it felt like an exhale.

I was proud of that scene and Isaac was the one who got to wrap me and say over the microphone: “Mr Nairn that’s us finished, you’re wrapped.”

It was the best way to go. You got to play the magical stuff about all the time travel, you got to be honourable and there are so few honourable deaths in Game of Thrones, they’re usually just brutal and horrible.”

Kristian Nairn talked about a lot more, Game of Thrones, and not. Go check out the full interview, here. What did you think about the interview? Tell us in the comments, below!

 

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