Actor and DJ Kristian Nairn of “Game of Thrones” chatted about his new book “Beyond The Throne.”
Idea for the book
On the idea for the book, Nairn said, “It really came from a series of conversations with my manager. We used to travel a lot together when I DJed, and I would tell him stories about my past, my family life, and growing up in Belfast.”
“One day, my manager told me to write everything down, and he wanted me to share the things that happened to me,” he said. “So, I did, and here we are! It has been a hugely cathartic process; it really has.”
Lessons learned from this memoir
On the lessons learned from this autobiography, Nairn reflected, “It has taught me quite a few things, but the most important thing is that I like to express myself, in whatever way it is. I am happy when I am expressing my talents, my personality, and I just love to do it.”
Daily motivations
Regarding his daily motivations as an actor and as a creative, Nairn shared, “The creation process itself. I love creating things.”
“I always have 10 projects on the go at once. I know a lot of people can relate to that. I seriously do; I have to keep my mind on since that is hugely important to me,” he noted.
Playing Hodor in ‘Game of Thrones’
Nairn was drawn to his “Game of Thrones” character, Hodor, for several reasons.
“Hodor was so different than me,” he admitted. “I am a person that likes to express and likes to talk but Hodor wasn’t very good at that. Perhaps he was good at expressing himself but not talking. I fell in love with that character after two seasons.”
“Hodor changed my life,” he admitted. “His name is one word that is made up of five letters and two syllables. Hodor literally changed everything about my life,” he reiterated.
Hodor’s death on ‘Game of Thrones’
Nairn also addressed the viral reaction of the death of his character. “When I read the script, I thought this was cool and people were going to love it, but I didn’t realize how upset people were going to be. Even though people were sad, it was a lot of fun.”
“Whenever people ask me what my favorite scene to film was, I would always say that it was the ‘death scene.’ The behind-the-scenes moments of it were so much fun. It was a big scene. I watched a lot of the reaction videos and they were a trip.”
Kristian Nairn on ‘Game of Thrones’ composer Ramin Djawadi
His praised German film score composer Ramin Djawadi for being a “very talented person.” “Those ‘Game of Thrones’ Live Concert Experience shows were pretty awesome.”
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, Nairn said, “It has changed everything, literally, hasn’t it? We don’t have to wait week to week to watch our shows, and we binge them. I actually like that, especially as a person who moves around a lot and lives in different time zones… it is good to be able to binge.”
“As an artist and musician, streaming hasn’t been wonderful, but as a consumer, the digital age has been great,” he acknowledged.
Advice for young and emerging artists and actors
For young and aspiring actors and artists, Nairn said, “Know yourself! In my opinion, the more you know yourself, the more you can have another character.”
“You can bring your own self to that character, or you can do something completely different. The more you know yourself, the easier that becomes,” he said.
Career-defining moments
When asked if there were any moments in his career that helped define him, Nairn responded, “Not yet. I think I will have some bigger moments coming up.”
Superpower of choice
On his superpower of choice, he revealed, “I dream a lot about flying. I would love to have flight as my superpower.”
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he said, “Anticipation.”
“I am anticipating what is going to happen with the book,” he admitted. “I feel I am on the edge of something at the moment.”
Success
Regarding his definition of success, Nairn said, “As an artistic person, you have a hole in yourself and you have a hole in your soul, which you can create things to make yourself feel complete.”
“To feel successful is when the hole is filled for a while, and then, you move on the create the next thing and pour your heart into it and that’s what success means to me: having the opportunity to do that,” he explained.
Message for his fans
Nairn expressed his appreciation for his fans and supporters.
“Thank you for believing in this unlikely person, and thank you for allowing me to tell you my story,” Nairn said. “It is so nice to be a part of such an amazing franchise with ‘Game of Thrones’; the fans are just incredible.”
Closing thoughts on the book
For his fans and readers, he stated about the book, “The main takeaway for me would be to help people to get to where I am. To get to a place where you are comfortable.”
“When you are comfortable in yourself, the world is your oyster. I want to help people get there faster than I did, then my job would be done. As you get older, you realize that it is all about peace of mind,” Nairn concluded.
His book “Beyond the Throne” is available on digital service providers by clicking here.
To learn more about actor and DJ Kristian Nairn, follow him on Instagram.
